A Place to Pray: New Indiana Temple

www.courierpress.com EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, August 12, 2006: A group of men, women and children sit on the floor in front of a colorful altar adorned with flowers, candles, food offerings and images of Hindu deities. Different people take turns leading the group of 30 or so in Sanskrit and Hindi songs–prayers offering praise. Evansville-area Hindus gather here, a meeting room at…

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Gai Jatra, Festival Of Cows Held in Nepal

english.ohmynews.com KATMANDU, NEPAL, August 10, 2006: Gai Jatra, known in English as the festival of cows, is celebrated across Nepal but particularly in the Kathmandu valley. This year the festivities began on August 10. In this festival teenage boys dress up as cows and parade the streets of the town. This custom springs from the belief that cows help the…

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Centenarians Say Faith Is Source Of Longevity

www.cnn.com BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, August 11, 2006: Faith and spirituality were cited most often by people over the age of 100 as the source of their longevity, according to a survey sponsored by a unit of UnitedHealth Group. In a survey of 100 people between the ages of 100 and 104, 23 percent said faith rather than genes and good medical…

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Interview With Astrologer Chakrapani Ullal

www.vedicastrology.com LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, August 12, 2006: Coming to the United States in 1979 at the behest of his guru, Swami Muktananda, Chakrapani’s professional life underwent a dramatic transformation. Soon after arriving in California, he prepared a brochure called Vedic Astrology. “Until then,” he says, “the term Vedic astrology had never been used. It was only called Hindu astrology. It…

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The World’s Southernmost and Northernmost Hindu Temples

gbooks1.melodysoft.com CHILE, August 12, 2006: The “Centro Cultural y Templo Hindu” in Punta Arenas, Chile, is located at 53.10 degrees south of the Equator. It is a building of 800 sq meters financed by the Sindhi community. When inaugurated in 2002 it displaced the Wellington, New Zealand, Kurinji Kumaran temple (at 41.17 S) as being the southernmost Hindu temple in…

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“What is Hinduism?” — What’s Your Answer?

Hinduism Today KAUAI, HAWAII, August 12, 2006: Hinduism Today magazine is preparing a special issue and a book on “What is Hinduism?” As part of this attempt to provide an overview of a vast religion we invite our readers to submit their answer to the question “What is Hinduism?” You may answer this question yourself, find an answer to it…

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Tirumala Vedic University Inaugurated

www.indiatoday.com HYDERABAD, INDIA, August 7, 2006: An extraordinary way to start a university: Andhra Pradesh Governor Rameshwar Thakur flagged off academic activity at the prestigious Sri Venkateswara Vedic University, devoted exclusively to Vedic studies, at Tirumala by participating in a yagna fire worship at the Sri Venkateswara Vedapatasala. “The intrinsic values, knowledge and wisdom enshrined in the Vedas have to…

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Amarnath Pilgrimage Ends

www.hindu.com SRINAGAR, INDIA, August 11, 2006: The arrival of the charri mubarak (holy scepter) marked the culmination of the Amarnath pilgrimage, which began amid tight security on June 10. A special puja was performed after Mahant Dipindra Giri took the holy mace to the cave. Governor Lt. Gen (ret.) S. K. Sinha, who is also Chairman of the Shri Amarnath…

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Kerala Bans Production and Sales of Coke and Pepsi

www.nytimes.com NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 9, 2006: While four Indian states have banned the sale of Coke, Pepsi and other soft drinks made by Indian subsidiaries of Coca-Cola Co. and PepsiCo Inc. in schools, colleges and government offices, Kerala has been the first to impose a total ban on production and sales. Kerala’s health secretary, Viswas Mehta, told The Associated…

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Police Impose Stiff Rules for Procession on Vinayaka Chathurthi Day in Chennai

Dinamalar CHENNAI, INDIA, August 7, 2006: (HPI note: This translation from the Tamil publication Dinamalar was supplied by Tiru Srinivasan.) The Tamil Nadu government issued the following rules for processions of Vinayaka Deities on the upcoming festival of Vinayaka Chathurthi (or Ganesha Chathurthi): “The procession should not stop before mosques and churches. The procession time should not be delayed so…

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