Royal Navy Welcomes Its First Hindu Chaplain
The UK’s royal navy appointed Bhanu Attri, originally from Himachal Pradesh, India, as its first-ever Hindu chaplain in August,2025. For the first time, a non-Christian has been officially entrusted with offering spiritual support, according to India Today.
Attri was among 148 new officers who completed the Royal Navy’s Initial Officer Training at Britannia Royal Naval College (BRNC) in Dartmouth. The 39-year-old chaplain will provide pastoral care and guidance to officers and sailors based on the teachings of Hinduism, reflecting the Navy’s broader commitment to diversity and inclusion.
His appointment followed a rigorous pathway distinct from other cadets. He completed six weeks of officer instruction, including survival training and four weeks at sea aboard the warship HMS Iron Duke, before undertaking three weeks of chaplaincy training to prepare for his unique responsibilities.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu extended his congratulations to Bhanu Attri, saying that his success is a proud moment for both the state and the nation.
Describing the role as “a profound honor,” Attri said, “As a Hindu brought up in India, the opportunity to represent individuals from diverse religions brings meaningful representation for the Hindu community and reflects the Navy’s commitment to spiritual care for all. My family feels immense pride, a pride—grounded in generations of faith, service and resilience.”
The Hindu Council UK (HCUK) outlined stringent criteria for the chaplaincy, including physical and mental fitness, deep grounding in Hindu philosophy, leadership experience, pastoral abilities and strong interfaith and cultural integration skills.
A Grand Lord Ram Statue Graces Greater Toronto
Federal cabinet ministers and the leader of the opposition in the House of Commons joined thousands of devotees in August 2025, as the tallest statue of Lord Ram in North America was unveiled at the Hindu Heritage Center in Mississauga, Ontario, according to Hindustan Times.
The Center’s founder and head priest, Acharya Surinder Sharma Shastri, said the murti stands at 51 feet in height, not including the pedestal, which is seven feet high. A proposed chattri (umbrella) will be added in the future after securing the requisite permits. The murti, fabricated in Delhi, is made of fiberglass with a steel superstructure. It is expected to last a century and withstand winds of up to 124 miles per hour. While the statue was fabricated in India, it was assembled by local craftsmen in Canada, Shastri said.
Among those who attended the ceremony were Minister of Women and Gender Equality Rechie Valdez, President of the Treasury Board Shafqat Ali and Minister of International Trade Maninder Sidhu.
Sidhu greeted the gathering with a “Jai Shri Ram” and said the installation of the largest statue of Ram in North America was “something to be very proud of.”
The Indian government was also represented by Acting Consul General in Toronto, Kapidhwaj Pratap Singh.
World’s Tallest Lord Vishnu Statue Arises in Bali
Standing high above the limestone cliffs of the Bukit Peninsula, Bali, is the Garuda Wisnu Kencana (GWK) statue, a breathtaking sculpture of Lord Vishnu riding His loyal companion, Garuda.
This towering creation is not just a tourist attraction, but a proud symbol of Indonesia’s culture, spiritual roots and artistic ambition, according to The Economic Times.
The dream of the GWK statue began in the 1980s, not to make Bali just another holiday spot, but to create a national icon. Construction started in 1997, facing several delays due to financial troubles, and was finally completed in 2018.
Today, it stands almost 400 feet tall, with Garuda’s wings stretching 210 feet wide. This makes it taller than New York’s Statue of Liberty. The Bali statue was built with over 2,000 tons of copper and brass sheeting over a stainless steel and steel-concrete structural frame and core. It was engineered to survive Bali’s tropical heat, heavy rains and occasional earthquakes.
In Hindu tradition, Vishnu is the preserver of the universe, while Garuda, half eagle, half mythical guardian, symbolizes freedom, courage and loyalty. In Indonesia, Garuda is also the national emblem, known as Garuda Pancasila.
This statue is a celebration of unity, diversity and ancient stories that are still part of Balinese daily life. It stands as a reminder of the island’s commitment to protecting both nature and heritage.
Hinduism reached Bali more than 2,000 years ago through trade between India and Southeast Asia. Over time, it blended with local traditions to create a unique Balinese Hindu culture. Today, temples (pura) and daily offerings (banten) are everywhere, showing a deep connection between faith, community and the natural world.
Sunset through 15 Doorways
The tourism authority of Thailand invited visitors to Buri Ram city from October 5–7, 2025, to witness the annual celestial phenomenon of the sunset alignment through the 15 doorways of Prasat Phanom Rung temple, according to The Nation. The sacred complex dedicated to God Siva was built atop the rim of an extinct volcano over several phases between the 10th and 13th centuries. Its main sanctuary and surrounding structures were precisely aligned so that the sun’s rays pass through 15 doorways on four occasions each year. The alignment attests to the advanced architectural and astronomical knowledge of its ancient builders.
Diwali Gains Holiday Status
California has become the third U.S. state to designate Diwali, the “Festival of Lights,” as an official statewide holiday, according to Santa Maria Times.
Governor Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law taking effect January 1, 2026. It authorizes public schools and community colleges to close on Diwali. State employees may elect to take the day off and public school students will receive an excused absence to celebrate the holiday. The new law recognizes that Diwali is also celebrated by Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. Pennsylvania, in 2024, was the first U.S. state to make Diwali a statewide holiday, with Connecticut following suit in 2025. Rohit Shendrikar, board chair of the South Asian Network in Southern California, said this law not only recognizes the South Asian community in California, but also the impact its members have had on the state.
Nepal Crowns a New Living Goddess
A two-year-old girl chosen as Nepal’s new living Goddess was carried by family members from their home in a Kathmandu alley to a temple palace in September 2025, during the country’s longest and most significant Hindu festival.
Aryatara Shakya, at two years and eight months, was chosen as the new Kumari, or “virgin Goddess,” replacing the incumbent, who is considered by tradition to become a mere mortal upon reaching puberty, according to The Associated Press.
Kumaris are chosen from the Shakya clans of the Newar community, indigenous to the Kathmandu Valley, and revered by Hindus and Buddhists in the predominantly Hindu nation.
Girls, selected between ages two and four, must have unblemished skin, hair, eyes and teeth. Plus, they should not be afraid of the dark.
During the Indra Jatra festival, the former Kumari was wheeled around on a chariot pulled by devotees. The Kumari always wears red, has her hair pinned up in a topknot, and wears a “third eye” painted on her forehead.
The weeklong Indra Jatra festival was the first of a series of celebrations in September–October including Dashain, the main festival and Tihar or Diwali, the festival of lights.
The 15-day Dashain festival celebrates the triumph of good over evil. With offices and schools closed, families came together to celebrate the occasion.
Family, friends and devotees paraded the new Kumari through the streets of Kathmandu before entering the temple palace, which will be her home for several years.
Devotees lined up to touch the girl’s feet with their foreheads, the highest sign of respect among Hindus in the Himalayan nation, and offered her flowers and money.
“She was just my daughter yesterday, but today she is a Goddess,” her father Ananta Shakya said, adding that there were already signs she would be the Goddess before her birth. “My wife during pregnancy dreamed that she was a Goddess and we knew she was going to be someone very special.”
The former Kumari, Trishna Shakya, now age 11, left from a rear entrance on a palanquin carried by her family and supporters. She became the living Goddess in 2017.
Families of the Shakya clan who qualify for the prestigious seat compete to have their daughters selected. The family of the Kumari gains an elevated position in society and within their clan. But Kumaris live a sequestered life. They have a few selected playmates and are allowed outside only a few times a year for festivals.
Over the past few years, as traditions have evolved, the Kumari is now allowed to receive education from tutors inside the temple palace and to watch television as well.
Briefly
In September 2025 New York University School of Law launched the nation’s first Hindu Law Students Association, according to Religion News Service, giving Hindu students a formal space to express and explore their faith within a professional school. Founded by Indian-American women students, the group aims to bridge spirituality and law through activities like yoga sessions, Bhagavad Gita readings and temple visits. It provides a community for both U.S.-born and international Hindu students to celebrate their culture, discuss diverse interpretations of Hinduism and apply its teachings.
The March 2025 desecration of an iconic Hindu temple in Southern California with anti-Hindu and anti-Indian-government graffiti has heightened concerns among South Asian groups following a slew of such incidents over the past year. Devotees who arrived in the early morning on March 8 at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Chino Hills were shocked to find the words “Hindustan Murdabad,” which means “death to” or “down with” Hindus and India, scrawled on a pink stone sign bearing the temple’s name, said Mehul Patel, a volunteer with the organization, according to The Associated Press.
The U.S. could face a potential closure of 15,000 churches this year, vastly outnumbering the few thousand new ones expected to open, Axios reported in October 2025. Over the next decade, the sharp decline in churches is expected to continue, potentially leaving communities, particularly rural ones, without essential services such as food aid, childcare and disaster relief that these institutions have traditionally provided. The decline in traditional church attendance coincides with a record 29 percent of Americans now identifying as religiously unaffiliated, while the proportion of Christians has dropped from 78 percent in 2007 to 62 percent, according to the Pew Research Center.
Two Hindu temples in East Denpasar, the capital city of Bali, suffered heavy damage following severe floods in early September 2025, as reported by NusaBali.com. Government representatives visited the affected sites to assess the destruction and reaffirm support for their restoration. Plans are underway to secure funding and begin reconstruction in 2026, ensuring the temples’ spiritual and cultural roles are fully revived.