Hindu Press International

Millions Of Women Throng Kerala Festival

Satyanatha — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:03:01 +0000

UNITED KINGDOM, March 2010: India’s southern state of Kerala may have hosted the largest gathering of women ever seen on the planet. Clad in traditional Kerala saris and bearing offerings of food, more than two million women thronged the state capital Trivandrum on Sunday.

The women braved searing heat to offer a special meal at the Attukal temple to Hindu Goddess Bhagavathy - one incarnation of the potent Goddesses Kali and Saraswati. They were seeking her blessing for the health and prosperity of their families - and the special meal, known as the pongala, was later distributed among family and friends back at home.

This is a unique festival the size of which is unmatched. Guinness Worlds Records certified the crowd strength was 1.5 million when it was assessed for the first time in 1997. Last year turnout was 2.5 million and this year, according to festival organizers, it was estimated to be 3 million. It is an elaborate logistical feat: almost 3,000 police, 600 of them women, were on duty around the clock. Two hundred priests positioned themselves at different points to sprinkle holy water on the pongala.

Dianne Jennet has been coming every year since 1997 from San Francisco. The collective spirituality she observed in female devotees at Attukal became the subject of of her PhD dissertation back in the United States. “There is nothing like this anywhere else in the world. It is amazing the way a whole city makes arrangements for women to make this offering. Nobody could imagine shutting down San Francisco for a day, blocking the vehicles for a women’s gathering,” she said.

Karan Vir Wants To Take Indian Gods To The Oscars

Satyanatha — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:02:01 +0000

Source: getahead.rediff.com

INDIA, February, 24, 2010: Karan Vir is 27 years old. In an interview, the young entrepreneur explains how he plans to change the face of the India comic book industry forever and, somewhat ostentatiously, declares that he wants to get an Oscar for India sometime soon. “I grew up listening to a lot of stories from the Indian epics from Amar Chitra Katha comics as well as the Lord of the Rings. Somewhere along the way the syntax of these tales began to enamour me. I learned to imagine and narrate tales myself,” says Vir.

His visiting card calls him a visionary and tells you that the man who it belongs to runs a comic book company called Vimanika. The Mumbai-based company has been in the business for about two years now and recently won the Golden Cursor Animation express CNBC TV18 Best Comics award for 2009.

“The eventual plan is to get a movie based on one of our comics, a movie that will be something like Avatar and get the Oscar for India,” says Vir.

Jews, Muslims Worry Body Scanners Violate Religious Laws

Satyanatha — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:01:01 +0000

Source: Religion News Service

UNITED STATES, March 2010: Canadian lawyer Kerry Gearin is planning to fly to Washington, D.C., this summer for a conference on Islamic family law, but the full-body scanners being deployed in some U.S. airports make her wonder if she’ll be forced to leave her modesty at home. “When I saw the pictures, I thought, it’s too much information,” said Gearin, a Muslim.

The scanners, which are produced for the Transportation Security Administration can detect items — guns or small containers, for example — or explosives hidden under clothing. The images are basically grainy outlines of the human body, but also show the outlines the flesh. To minimize passenger discomfort, screeners who view the images work in separate booths away from screening lines, and don’t see the passengers they scrutinize. All images are immediately deleted.

Concerns about the grainy body images produced by the scanners prompted the 18-member Fiqh Council of North America to issue a fatwa, or religious edict, which said the scanners violate Islamic law. Muslims, the fatwa said, should instead request a pat-down. “It is a violation of clear Islamic teachings that men or women be seen naked by other men and women.

Buddhism and Hinduism, however, seem to have fewer problems with the scanners. “Everything in Buddhism is a matter of intent. If the screening is done to oppress and in a way that is insensitive, then it’s bad,” said Andrew Olendzki, executive director of the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies in Massachusetts. “But if it’s done to protect, and done respectfully, then it’s OK.” Modesty is also important in Hindu tradition, but it does not trump a serious security threat, said Suhag Shukla, managing director of the Hindu American Foundation. “Hindu tradition is replete with examples of sacrificing for the greater good,” she said.

Daily Inspiration

Satyanatha — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 23:00:01 +0000

Source: www.hinduismtoday.com

Oh, if you only knew yourselves! You are souls; you are Gods. If ever I feel like blaspheming, it is when I call you man.
Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)

Record Crowds Flock to Holi 2010 in Houston

Satyanatha — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:03:01 +0000

Source: www.indoamerican-news.com

HOUSTON, TX, USA, March 9, 2010: For the last 40 years, Indian-born parents have told the next generation stories of what Holi grand mela was like in India. This year’s Holi in Houston gives them a good idea.

“Over 11,000 people gathered at the Festival of Colors this year” said Lt. Hines of Sugar Land Police. Vijay Pallod of The Hindus Of Greater Houston proclaimed “This is the Largest Holi in the US. And we were happy to see at least 5% were non-South Asian!”

Pankaj Thakkar, owner of San Francisco’s Gold Palace exclaimed, “I flew to Houston just for Holi — there is no celebration like this in entire West Coast.” Holi 2010 rocked the Oyster Creek Park in Sugar Land on Sunday February 28th, from 11AM - 4PM, organized by Houston’s leading Indian Radio Show, Masala Radio 1480 AM, and pioneer community organizations Gujarati Samaj of Houston and Indian Culture Center. Three days prior, there was snow in Houston. Then Sunday clouds disappeared forming the warmest day in 2010.

First-time attendees like Pankaj Malani were overwhelmed, “I was very impressed by how organized the Holi event was. It was a great opportunity to see kids and adults from our community enjoying themselves together on this festive occasion. The dances, skits and variety of food definitely added to the fun atmosphere.

The entire event was directed by Masala Radio owners Sunil and Sandhya Thakkar, and coordinated by Event Manager Shilpi Sheth. What’s Next? Masala Radio is scouting for venues that can support over 10,000 for its next event, Diwali 2010, the Festival of Lights, more Hindu-American than ever.

Reflections on the Parliament of the World’s Religions 2009

Satyanatha — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:02:01 +0000

Source: www.interreligiousinsight.org

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA, March 12, 2010 (By Kusumita Petersen): The Parliament of the World’s Religions, held every five years, took place in Melbourne, Australia on December 3-9, 2009. For seven days participants thronged the brand new and dramatically modern Melbourne Convention Center on the east bank of Yarra River, which flows through the center of the city. At the beginning of the Australian summer, the weather is variable and Melbourne is said to have “four seasons in one day”.

The Melbourne Parliament made visible the maturing of the global inter-religious movement. This was the fourth “new” or “modern” Parliament beginning with the 1993 centenary in Chicago, which gave a broad impetus to interfaith.

Holding the Parliament in Australia gave an opportunity for Australian, Pacific and Southeast Asian participants to take part in greater numbers and to interact with those from other regions. The Parliament is convened on a movement model rather than with official representation and thus it is not a formal, deliberative meeting. It is, however, the world’s largest and most inclusive regular inter-religious gathering, bringing together in their individual capacities thousands of members of local religious communities and interfaith groups along with religious leaders, scholars, artists and experts. Says incoming CPWR Chair Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, “The people who attended the Parliament were not just individuals but interconnected people. They are a part of existing networks of faith who are connected with partners in other faith communities struggling together to change the world.”

The issue of global warming loomed over the Parliament, which over- lapped at its end with the United Nations Climate Change Conference beginning in Copenhagen. Key religious leaders addressed the climate issue in a major panel and every religious tradition offered in-depth sessions on its approach to the environment. The first Convocation of Hindu Spiritual Leaders ever to be held at a Parliament focused largely on environmental ethics and culminated in the launch of the “Hindu Declaration on Climate Change”, drafted by a distinguished international committee chaired by Karan Singh and including Inter-religious Insight Co-Editor Seshagiri Rao, Arvind Sharma of McGill University and the Editors of Hinduism Today. With three resounding “Aums” the Hindu gathering affirmed the Declaration, which says in part, “Knowing that the Divine is present everywhere and in all things, Hindus strive to do no harm. We hold a deep reverence for life and an awareness that the great forces of nature - the earth, the water, the fire, air and space - as well as the various orders of life, including plants and trees, forests and animals, are bound to each other within life’s cosmic web.”

For more of the author’s insightful report, click on “source” above.

Hindu American Foundation Calls for New Staff

Satyanatha — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:01:01 +0000

Source: Press Release

WASHINGTON, DC, USA, March 12, 2010 (by Sheetal Shah): Have you ever wanted to be a full-time Hindu American advocate? Or do you know someone who does? If so, now is your chance! HAF is accepting applications from energetic and highly motivated individuals for its full-time Associate Director (AD) position. Working closely with both Suhag and myself and providing valuable support to HAF’s Board of Directors and Executive Council volunteers, the AD will largely have a region-specific focus with respect to fundraising, membership development and networking responsibilities. Additionally, the AD will be instrumental in managing internal projects, participating in conferences and briefings, and providing strategic input into the future growth of HAF as an organization.

Applicants must have a Bachelor’s degree at a minimum along with strong interpersonal, organizational, writing and public speaking skills. A background in Hinduism or Hindu activism is also required.

We invite applications from across the country. As HAF has several virtually based offices, the AD will have the flexibility of working from his/her home office. Additional details about the position and the application procedure can be found online at http://www.hafsite.org/AssociateDirector . All applications must be submitted by Friday, April 2 to jobs@hafsite.org

Daily Inspiration

Satyanatha — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:00:01 +0000

Source: www.hinduismtoday.com

We live very close together. So, our prime purpose in life is to help others. And if we can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.
Dalai Lama

Divinity Tattooed on One’s Skin

Satyanatha — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:04:01 +0000

Source: www.nj.com

NEW DELHI, INDIA, February 28, 2010: After a year spent researching and clicking images of Indian street tattoos for his new book, French writer Stephane Guillerme found Lord Hanuman easily the commonest tattoo in all of India. “Hanuman represents absolute physical power. So I guess it matches the male subconscious mind,” he said. But tattoos of all the Hindu Gods are a common sight on people’s skins.

Guillerme, who lives in a small northwestern French town called Vannes, first visited India 12 years ago as a tourist. Since then, he has been coming here every year. Already the author of three books on India, Guillerme is wandering across the country to explore the stories and psychology behind tattoos, which have existed in India long before professional studios came on the scene.

The average Indian seeks an object of adoration, it appears. So, not surprisingly, actors come close behind Gods and Goddesses in the popularity stakes.

Hindu Temple In Malaysia Adopts School

Satyanatha — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:03:01 +0000

Source: www.thaindian.com

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, March 3, 2010: Arulmigu Veera Muniswarar temple committee in Gunung Hijau, Batu Gajah, Perak state, has adopted a Tamil school. Students will be provided with textbooks and school material, and the committee will help with transport for the poor pupils, committee adviser R. Damodaran said.

Malaysia Namban newspaper urged other temple committees to emulate this as many Tamil schools and their parent-teacher associations were facing problems.

Malaysia is home to nearly two million people of Indian origin, a bulk of whom are Tamils who settled here during the British era.

Hindu Youth Celebrate NZ Race Relations Day In A Fun Way

Satyanatha — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:02:01 +0000

Source: www.voxy.co.nz

NEW ZEALAND, March 5, 2010: To celebrate the 2010 Race Relations Day and bring families and communities together, the Hindu Youth Foundation of New Zealand is organizing a Family Fun Day on Sunday 21st of March at the Hindu Heritage Centre. Race Relations Day is a major event in the Human Rights Commission’s calendar and is marked in a number of different ways around the country. It is a step closer to bridging the gap between the different races that make up the multi-cultural New Zealand.

“This free event has a range of activities organized from soccer, cricket, netball, volleyball, table tennis, carom board to face painting, bouncing castle and tug-of-war, planned for families to participate and enjoy” said Darsha Patel, one of the coordinators of this event.

Hindu Youth Foundation is a division of the Hindu Council of New Zealand and since its inception in January 2008.

Vedanta Course Offered

Satyanatha — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:01:01 +0000

Source: www.arshavidya.in

INDIA, February 10, 2010: Arsha Vidya Gurukulam is pleased to announce a long term course in Vedanta, Sanskrit and allied subjects for a period of three years beginning in the last week of July 2010. Students will be selected from the 3-month Bhagavad Gita camp from April 20, 2010 - July 20, 2010 by Pujya Swami Dayananda Saraswati at Anaikatti. For more information visit the source, above.

Daily Inspiration

Satyanatha — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 23:00:01 +0000

Source: www.hinduismtoday.com

In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. It has been the solace of my life–it will be the solace of my death. Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), German philosopher and writer, the first Western philosopher to have access to translations of material from India.

Smithsonian Celebrates Indian-Americans

Satyanatha — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:03:01 +0000

Source: homespun.si.edu

WASHINGTON D.C., March 2, 2010: Over the past decade, a boom happened for Indian-Americans in highly respected positions in the private and public sectors. These individuals have been vocal about their heritage, backgrounds and agendas. The world has started to notice, and so has the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. With a growing population of Indian-Americans in the U.S., currently estimated at 2.5 million, the Smithsonian has recently launched an exciting new initiative called “HomeSpun: The Indian American Heritage Project.”

In the words of the Smithsonian, HomeSpun is “a national grassroots effort to create an exhibit chronicling the history of both immigrants from India and their descendants in America.” Apart from creating a traveling exhibition, the project will develop a middle-school curriculum guide to teach younger generations, as well as various public programs to educate the general public about the community.

The project falls under the Smithsonian’s Asian Pacific American program office- founded in 1997 with a mission to promote awareness of the experiences and history of more than 15 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders living in the U.S.

Hindu Americans Join Other Faiths In A Dialogue On National Security

Satyanatha — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 23:02:01 +0000

Source: hscnet.org

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, February 13, 2010: Members of the Hindu Students Council (HSC), Hindu American Seva Charities, Hindu Collective Initiative of North America as well as others joined members of the Sikh, Muslim, Christian and Jewish communities in a dialogue on America’s National Security and its impact on various religious groups, especially minorities.

While such dialogues have always included Muslims, Christians, Jews and recently Sikhs, this was the first time that Hindus have been invited to participate. This was due to the efforts of Anju Bhargava, founder of Hindu American Seva Charities and member of President’s Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.