The Indian Airport That Halts Flights for a Divine Procession

INDIA, April 15, 2025 (BBC): For a few hours on a warm April day, jets paused and silence reclaimed the skies above the international airport in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of the southern Indian state of Kerala. The airport’s closure was not due to bad weather or a technical glitch, as one might assume, but to make way for a Hindu…

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Chinese Family Revives Century-Old Hindu Temple in Banting

MALAYSIA, April 17, 2025 (YouTube): Dating back over 100 years, this Hindu temple in Kampung, Kelanang, once hidden among the trees, now comes to life daily thanks to the devotion of a single Chinese family. At Sri Seetharaman Temple in Banting, Selangor, first-time visitors are often taken aback by the sight of 46-year-old Yong Hua Tait performing evening prayers for…

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Vibrant Celebrations Mark Tamil New Year

KUCHING, SARAWAK, EAST MALAYSIA, April 14, 2025 (Sarawak Tribune): The Sri Srinivasagar Kaliamman Temple at Jalan Ban Hock was filled with activities today as the Tamil Hindu community celebrated Puthandu, also known as Tamil New Year. The sweet scent of incense permeated the air, creating a spiritual atmosphere that welcomed both young and old to mark the beginning of a…

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US Religious Groups Back Bipartisan Effort to Reform Religious Worker Visas

UNITED STATES, April 10, 2025 (Religion News Service): On Tuesday (April 8), members of Congress introduced a rare bipartisan piece of immigration reform legislation aimed at clearing a backlog in visas for religious workers. The Religious Workforce Protection Act has substantial support from a variety of religious leaders, including Catholics, evangelical Christians, Muslims, Hindus, Jews and Episcopalians. “We would not…

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Indian Americans Experience Maha Kumbh’s Spiritual Power

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, April 9, 2025 (India West): The Maha Kumbh, a sacred convergence of faith, tradition, and spirituality, drew millions, including many Indian Americans, to Triveni Sangam—the meeting point of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers in Prayagraj, India. For Indian American devotees at Chinmaya Mission Los Angeles, such as Kiran Swamy, Sundari Velayudhan, Rashmi Singh and…

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Berkeley Native Pursues Love of the Tamil Language

BERKELEY , CALIFORNIA, April 8, 2025 (Mercury News): Learning a new language can sometimes be a hobby or requirement, but for Brian Linebaugh, it became a lifelong pursuit that led him across the world and ultimately inspired a documentary that was recently featured at an international film festival. The film, “Beyond Words — Stories from Tamil Landscapes,” celebrates the rich…

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One Among 650 Million – My Experience at the 2025 Maha Kumbh Mela

INDIA, April 6, 2025 (India Currents, by Samyukta Shrivatsa): On one fateful Wednesday night in January, I texted a friend words I never thought I would say: “I just decided to go to Maha Kumbh. I’m leaving tomorrow”. As a chronically over-working PhD student, my connection to my Indian Hindu roots was limited to saying a quick prayer and putting…

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