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OHIO, U.S., May 16, 2013 (Cleveland.com): The Cleveland Museum of Art, like other major American art museums, is facing a rising tide of inquiries from countries rich in archaeological heritage over works in its permanent collection that may have been looted. Cambodia is the latest country to come forward with such claims.

The New York Times on Wednesday reported that Cambodian officials say a statue of the kneeling Hindu monkey God Hanuman, a much-beloved work in the Cleveland collection since 1982, was looted from Prasat Chen, a 1,000-year-old temple at the Koh Ker archaeological site about 15 miles south of the border of Thailand.
The article cited unnamed experts who said thieves hauled sculptures from Prasat Chen via oxcart over jungle trails across the border during a 20-year civil war that started in 1970.

The article also stated that Cambodian authorities said they plan to contact the Cleveland museum and the Denver Art Museum concerning works said to be from Prasat Chen. The Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, Calif., is already cooperating with federal authorities on inquiries related to Prasat Chen, the article said.

In a written statement sent to The Plain Dealer late Wednesday, museum Director David Franklin said: "The museum can confirm that it has not been approached with any information of the type mentioned in the article. Beyond this, it is the museum's policy not to discuss publicly the substance of these types of inquiries about objects in the museum's collection unless and until there is a definitive resolution."

The Times article said that Cambodian officials have been encouraged in their quest to recover looted art by the recent decision of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York to return two stolen statues.

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NEW DELHI, INDIA, May 20, 2013 (ENS): India's Ministry of Environment and Forests has decided to forbid the keeping of captive dolphins for public entertainment anywhere in the country. In a policy statement released Friday, the ministry advised state governments to reject any proposal to establish a dolphinarium "by any person / persons, organizations, government agencies, private or public enterprises that involves import, capture of cetacean species to establish for commercial entertainment, private or public exhibition and interaction purposes whatsoever."

The statement issued by B.S. Bonal, the member secretary of the Central Zoo Authority of India, acknowledges that cetaceans in general do not survive well in captivity, saying, "Confinement in captivity can seriously compromise the welfare and survival of all types of cetaceans by altering their behavior and causing extreme distress."

Noting that India's national aquatic animal, the Ganges River dolphin, as well as the snubfin dolphin are listed in Schedule-I and all cetacean species are listed in Schedule II part I of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, the ministry said it is important to protect them.

The grassroots Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organization, FIAPO, was pleased with the decision. This group took the lead in campaigning to ban dolphinaria in India, meeting with key ministry officials and garnering local grassroots support.

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Look at the man who walks on a tight rope. He is performing various tricks, but his mind is only on the rope. So also, we may be doing various things, but our minds must be on God." Sri Sri Sri Sivaratnapuri Tiruchi Mahaswamigal ("Trichyswami") founder of Kailasa Ashram, Bangalore

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INDIA, May 14, 2013 (HAF Press Release): To believe that one's faith cannot be openly practiced is unthinkable. However, for many Pakistani Hindus, the slightest acknowledgement of their Hindu faith can endanger their lives. "There is fear 24 hours a day...Hindus see themselves as helpless," Chetan Ram states. Young girls are ripped from the arms of their mothers, married off to strangers, and forcibly converted to Islam; never to see their families again.

Families live in utter poverty. Even if they are employed; they are at the mercy of the jagirdars, or landlords. The Muslim jagirdars pay Hindu workers at their own accord, leaving many of the already impoverished Hindus unpaid. In order to escape the dire fate they face in Pakistan, many flee to India for safety.

In January of 2013, a team from the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), traveled to Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Over five days, the team visited three Pakistani Hindu refugee camps, providing medical aid to over 400 refugees. During their time there, the team listened to one heartbreaking story after another.
Despite fleeing from religious persecution, these individuals are still not formally recognized as refugees by the Indian Government or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

To view the moving video of the unresolved plight of the refugees see "source."

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SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA, May 17, 2013 (India West): It was a historic week at the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple & Community Center as thousands of devotees and patrons participated in the inaugural celebrations of the newly renovated temple premises. The week-long Maha Kumbha Abhishekam ceremony, which began May 8 and continued till May 12, presented an opportunity for the Bay Area Indian American community to experience the grand Hindu religious festivities in a unique fashion.

"It is gratifying to see our dream of 20 years finally fulfilled with such success," Raj Bhanot, co-founder and treasurer of the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, told India-West. "We have been able to create one of the largest community temples in the heart of Silicon Valley with enormous support from both the South Indian and North Indian community, as all deities are worshipped here and all major religious rituals are also performed here," Bhanot added.

What began as a modest venture in 1991 by visionaries Raj Bhanot and Naranji Patel, amongst others, saw its first milestone being accomplished within two years as the temple opened its doors to the public at a 3.15-acre facility in Sunnyvale on Dec. 23, 1993. Ever since, the temple has attracted thousands of visitors every year.

With the influx of visitors continuing to grow exponentially every year, the board of trustees embarked on a project to rebuild the temple in order to better serve the community. Despite the estimated cost of construction being US$3 million, the temple was able to raise more than 50 percent through cash reserves and generous donations, and a loan for the remainder from Wells Fargo Bank. The groundbreaking ceremony was performed on Mar. 23, 2012 and construction followed. Within a year, the temple was able to reopen the newly renewed worshipping complex that has a seating capacity of 1,000 people.

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INDIA, February 14, 2013 (The Hindu): The 21-year-old Sri Narayani Peedam in Thirumalaikkodi, Vellore, has added one more jewel to its crown with the Kanthirappu Vaibhavam (Eye Opening Ceremony) of the newly designed golden statue of Sri Swarna Lakshmi made of 154 lbs. gold at the Peedam premises.

In connection with this, a 48-day Mahalakshmi yagam commenced at the Shanthi Mandapam at the Sri Narayani Peedam on Sunday. The yagam, marked by the chanting of the Sri Suktam, will be held three times daily, at 8 a.m., 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. till March 29.

After that the Swarna Lakshmi statue will be temporarily installed at the Deepa Mandapam in Sripuram, which already houses the Sri Lakshmi Narayani Temple (also known as the golden temple) established six years ago. "Devotees visiting Sripuram will be permitted to perform abhishekam to the statue of Swarnalakshmi with Thulasi Theertham," according to Sri Sakthi Amma, Managing Trustee of Sri Narayani Peedam.

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The moment I have realized God sitting in the temple of every human body, the moment I stand in reverence before every human being and see God in him--that moment I am free from bondage, everything that binds vanishes, and I am free.
-- Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)

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India, Shirdi, May 15, 2013 (Press Trust of India): Saibaba Sansthan trust has recorded Rs 1,441 crore (US$262 million) income in the last five years, with 22 per cent higher donations received every year, Sansthan's executive officer Kishor More said on Wednesday. Five years back, about 20,000 devotees used to visit the Saibaba's shrine daily, but presently figures show that around 60,000 people come to visit the temple everyday and the number goes up to about one hundred thousand on weekends. During special festivals at least two to three hundred thousand devotees visit the famous shrine, More said, adding that the daily income now was around $82,000, as compared to $36,000 per day five years back.

The trust has contributed funds on building super-speciality hospital, Shirdi's roads, water arrangements, various developmental works including Chief Minister's Relief fund and Shirdi's airport, he said. The audited report of the Sansthan will be tabled in the state Assembly during the winter session for grant, he said. When asked about "hidden donations" in boxes like gold ornaments, cash and foreign currency, More said the trust doesn't has a separate machinery to check such things because when devotees come to seek blessings of Saibaba they donate money, but from where they get it is difficult to know.

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WASHINGTON, U.S., May 18, 2013 (India Times): The number of Hindus migrating to the U.S. every year has more than doubled in the last decade, with an overwhelming majority of them coming from India, a new study released today said.

An average of about 30,000 Hindus were admitted each year in the 1990s, by contrast, the US admitted an estimated 70,000 Hindu immigrants in 2012, the prestigious Pew Research Center said in its latest report on religious affiliation of immigrants released today.

According to the report, the great majority of Hindu immigrants come from India and neighboring countries with significant Hindu populations, such as Nepal and Bhutan. The share coming from the Caribbean (or "West Indies") has decreased significantly, dropping from an estimated 16 per cent of all Hindu immigrants to the US in 1992 to five per cent in 2012, it said.

Over the same period, the estimated share of green card recipients who belong to religious minorities rose from approximately one-in-five (19 per cent) to one-in-four (25 per cent). "This includes growing shares of Muslims (five per cent in 1992, 10 per cent in 2012) and Hindus (three per cent in 1992, seven per cent in 2012).

Notably, the U.S. government does not keep track of the religion of new permanent residents.

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NEW DELHI, INDIA, May 13, 2013 (Times Of India): Among other intriguing properties, the sacred lotus has the ability to generate heat and regulate its temperature like birds and mammals. This has been revealed by a team of researchers from the University of Adelaide, who have unlocked the genetic secrets of one of the world's most unique and culturally significant plants, the lotus.

The work focused on its incredible ability to generate heat so that it can keep a constant temperature of around 32-34 degrees over a 2-3 day period, while the environmental temperature varies by up to 30 degrees - behaving like a warm-blooded animal.

An international team has sequenced and described the sacred lotus genome, now published online in Genome Biology. The paper sheds new light on the evolutionary position of the lotus, one of the world's oldest flowering plants, and facilitates further research into its unusual characteristics.

The paper stated that the lotus has been cultivated as a food crop for more than 7,000 years in Asia and is prominent in both Buddhism and Hinduism. The lotus is also noted for its long-lived seeds - viable for over 1,000 years - and for its water repellency and self-cleaning leaf surfaces.

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Remember, your own soul knows the reasons why you were born in this life. It knows what you need to accomplish in this birth. As a soul, you know what obstacles and challenges you need to face and overcome to grow stronger and conquer past karmic patterns through fulfilling your chosen dharma.
-- Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001), founder of Hinduism Today

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BALOCHISTAN, PAKISTAN, May 17, 2013 (Daily Times by Muhammad A. Notezai): Historically, it is not clear in documents to assert how and when Hindus originally settled in Balochistan. But after having sat with Balochistan-based Baloch and Hindu historians and writers, all of them agree that Hindus have been living in Balochistan since time immemorial along with Buddhists. It is also said that in some parts of Balochistan paganism has been the religion of the scattered tribal people. However, Hindus ruled Balochistan before the invasion of the Arabs in 712 A.D.

(HPI note: Some people in Balochistan speak Brahui, a Dravidian language related to the languages of South India. Its presence here, against the Afghan border nearly a thousand miles from the nearest region speaking a Dravidian language, is the source of the conjecture that the Indus Civilization in the area in ancient times may have spoken a Dravidian language. Linguists, however, believe it is of relatively recent introduction perhaps around 1000 ce. For more, see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahui_language)

In Balochistan, Hindus have two historical and famous sacred places that belong to ancient times. These two sacred places are the Hinglaj Shrine, which is located in Balochistan's Lasbela District in a hilly track, and the other one is in Kalat town called Kali Devi, who is the consort of the God Shiva.

At the time of partition, religious riots were rampant in the subcontinent, but Hindus were living harmoniously and peacefully in the princely state of Balochistan, which was under the rule of the chief ruler of the Kalat state, Yar Muhammad Khan. He respected the indigenousness of the Hindu community. He had also given to Hindus economic and religious freedom in Balochistan. That is why the Hindu community did not leave Balochistan at the time of the partition because all their rights were safeguarded.

Hindus had also been living amicably with the Baloch and Pashtuns since the pre-partition days in Balochistan. But after the partition, due to religious uproar and turmoil, Hindus had to leave Balochistan's Pashtun belt to settle in Baloch populated areas or migrate to India. In 1941, the Hindus' population was 54,000 in Balochistan's Pashtun belt, but soon it dwindled by 93 percent after 1947.

Hindus (those that are left) have been richly contributing in Balochistan's economic prosperity and development since pre-partition days. They have built schools, libraries and hospitals in various parts of Balochistan. In Balochistan, many of the Hindus are educated. They have been offering services in health, education and other sectors. But it is profoundly shocking that Hindus are now living dangerously in Balochistan. They cannot even perform their religious practices freely due to the nightmarish situation where they interminably fear for their lives, faith, honour and property. Hindus, in spite of being Balochistan's peaceful and largest minority, are running from their old 'motherland' to escape persecution, because their lives are in a precarious and worsened condition these days.

More at source.

HPI

KAUAI, HAWAII, May 18, 2013 (Hinduism Today): Our editor-in-chief, Sadasivanathaswami, is traveling to Europe in June and July, there to make a presentation at the Lisbon Yoga Summit. He and assistant editor Senthilnathaswami will be traveling through Portugal, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands and France. Their objective is to understand the current status of Hinduism in Europe, and the trends that lie ahead.

We are reaching out to see if you know anyone who has done research or even blogged on the status (or history) of Hinduism in any of these nations, or in Europe as a whole. Good, solid research will help this feature article reflect the complex presence of Hinduism in Europe.

Please contact: sadasivanatha@hindu.org

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One should go beyond relative knowledge and abide in the Self. Your own Self-realization is the greatest service you can render the world. Seek the seeker.
-- Ramana Maharishi (1879-1950), South Indian mystic

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TEXAS, U.S., May 2013 (by M. Vijalapuram/V. Tummala): Holi, also known as "The Festival of Colors," is a Hindu festival that has also become popular with people of other backgrounds and communities, with thousands of people celebrating it each year. Holi is a joyous occasion that commemorates the story of Prahlad, an ardent devotee of Vishnu, prevailing over the demon Holika. Furthermore, Holi ushers in the new spring season, and celebrates good harvests. It is observed worldwide, with participants organizing Holika Dahan, a bonfire symbolizing the defeat of Holika, and throwing colored powder at each other. As college students involved with the Hindu Students Association at our respective universities, we strive to bring together Hindus and individuals of other backgrounds as we celebrate Holi on our campuses.

At the University of Houston the theme for this year's Holi, "Connecting cultures through color" was truly brought to life with the diversity of the students of all cultures who came to celebrate. It is a holiday to unite all cultures and races together. It is a day where no social classes exist; everyone is equal regardless of race, religion or status.

Holi at Texas A&M University had a huge turnout of over 1,500 students, professors and families who, seemingly strangers at first to one another, danced together covered in color.

Holika is a Hindu program that happens every year at Bellaire High School. The event consists of different organizations who organize a dance team competition for all local schools. The purpose of Holika is to provide a fun and informational event which showcases the diversity of Indian culture. An estimated 500 students attended the event this year.

Additionally, the 3rd annual Holi at The University at Texas at Dallas had over 500 students of different backgrounds attend their event and the HSA branch at The University of Texas at Austin hosted their 10th annual Holi this year attended by 6000 students and faculty.