INDIA, January 7, 2025 (Swarajya, by Aravindan Neelakandan): The Harappan civilization, first unearthed in the 1920s, continues to pose significant questions for researchers of ancient Indian history. While conventionally categorized as pre-Vedic, a notable body of scholarship has explored the Vedic texts as a potential lens to interpret key facets of Harappan society. Despite the politicization of the term, some…
OHIO, U.S., January 4, 2025 (WTOL News): In December, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a new law allowing students to take school days off for religious holidays. The law will go into effect next school year. The law will require all K-12 schools in Ohio to give school off for students for 3 religious holidays per year. One of the…
VRINDAVAN, INDIA, January 5, 2025 (Kuow NPR, by Omkar Khandekar): Thieving, hostage taking monkeys are as common as pilgrims in Vrindavan, the holy Hindu town by the Yamuna river in northern India. Monkeys are everywhere: hanging by power lines, sliding off sloping temple rooftops and rummaging through garbage bins for snacks. Residents say monkeys also sneak into their kitchens or…
AYODHYA, INDIA, January 1, 2025 (Swarajya, by Ankit Saxena): The date 22 January 2024 marked the historic opening of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The temple trust, Ayodhyavasis, and the entire nation are now preparing to celebrate its first anniversary in January 2025. The temple has come to symbolise not only faith and devotion for millions of people but also…
UNITED STATES, December 30, 2024 (BBC): In 1996, Ananya Vajpeyi, a doctoral student, discovered the fabled South Asia collection of books at the University of Chicago’s Regenstein Library. “I’ve spent time in some of the leading South Asia libraries of the world, at Oxford and Cambridge, Harvard and Columbia. But nothing has ever matched the unending riches held at the…
TRINIDAD/TOBAGO, October 26, 2024 (Trinidad Express by Kimberly Wallace): It is undeniable that globalization has had a huge impact on the way people live around the world. But while advancements continue to be made, they should not come at the expense of culture, says cultural advocate and dance instructor at the Paramjyoti School of Dance Leena Yarna. Indian culture is…
ONTARIO, CANADA, December 21, 2024 (MSN, video): During CBC K-W’s Make The Season Kind event at TheMuseum in Kitchener on Dec. 6, three volunteers from the Radha Krishna Mandir Hindu temple in Cambridge spoke about the work they do, which includes helping feed fellow international students. With the large amount of food donated to the temple the volunteers create monthly…
INDIA, December 20, 2024 (Hindustan Times): Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday expressed concern over the resurgence of several temple-mosque disputes in the country, PTI has reported. Bhagwat, while delivering a lecture on “India–The Vishwaguru” in Pune, said that some individuals, following the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, are under the impression that they can…
INDIA, December 16, 2024 (The Hindu): Pending civil suits over 11 religious shrines have emerged as the focal point in the ongoing challenge to the Places of Worship Act, 1991. The Supreme Court on December 12, 2024, issued a nationwide directive barring civil courts from registering fresh suits or passing orders in pending cases seeking the survey of mosques to…
NEPAL, December 9, 2024 (Vivekananda International Foundation, by Hari Bansh Jha): Nepal, a nation with deep-rooted cultural traditions, was declared a secular state in 2008 after centuries as a Hindu kingdom. This transformation, driven by ideals of equality and inclusivity, was expected to unify the country’s various religious and cultural groups. Instead, secularism has led to growing discontent, particularly among…
