INDONESIA, September 8, 2026 (Conde Nast Traveller): Somewhere in the eastern corner of Indonesia, high up in the Tengger mountains of East Java, sits a centuries-old Ganesha statue. The Lord’s presence is a testament to the local population’s belief in Hindu religious practices, passed down for generations. People cross the massif and scale 7,641ft up an active volcano, where the…
INDONESIA, September 18, 2026 (Indonesia Expat): The Indonesian Ministry of Tourism, together with various ministries, agencies and local governments, has renewed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the use of Prambanan, Borobudur, Mendut and Pawon Temples for religious purposes by Hindu and Buddhist communities in Indonesia and around the world. Indonesian Minister of Tourism Widiyanti Putri Wardhana stated that this…
INDIA, September 18, 2026 (News India Times): Every year, Maharashtra, especially Mumbai and Pune, goes crazy with Ganesh Utsava celebrations. In Maharashtra, it is a high-energy, deeply emotional, 10-day cultural phenomenon. While South Indian traditions are heavily rooted in temple-centric, scriptural Agama protocols, Maharashtrian celebrations are defined by an exuberant blend of intimate household hospitality and massive, roaring community street…
DENPASAR, BALI, September 15, 2026 (Voice of Indonesia): Hindu women play a pivotal role in the execution of yadnya in Bali, from preparing ritual paraphernalia to ensuring the smooth conduct of religious ceremonies. Yadnya, a term in Hinduism, refers to sincere and selfless offerings or sacred sacrifices made as a form of reverence to God, fellow humans, ancestors, and nature.…
CHENNAI, INDIA, September 13, 2026 (New Indian Express): Nearly two weeks after an emerald statue measuring two-and-a-half feet in height of Balamurugan Dhandayuthapani Swamy was reported stolen from the Nadu Palani temple near Madurantakam in Chengalpattu district, the police recovered it from an abandoned quarry nearby on Sunday and detained three men in connection with the incident. A police official…
BANGKOK, THAILAND, September 14, 2026 (Nation Thailand): Three Bangkok temples mark Ganesh Chaturthi from September 14-25, with worship ceremonies and farewell rituals in Kanchanaburi and Chonburi. The Department of Religious Affairs, under the Culture Ministry, is inviting the public to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi 2026, with activities centered on these major Hindu temples from September 14-25. The festival celebrates the birth…
INDIA, September 15, 2026 (AP News): Hindus across India began celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi on Monday, welcoming brightly decorated statues of Ganesha into their homes and worshiping at temporary public shrines. View short video: https://apnews.com/video/hindus-in-india-welcome-brightly-decorated-idols-of-ganesha-as-ganesh-chaturthi-celebrations-start-e113b732262848b59909b2d1ec5f5090
UNITED KINGDOM, September 14, 2026 (Latestly): Thousands of people gathered on the banks of the River Thames in London on Sunday for the first-ever Ganga Aarti in the UK, a traditional Hindu ceremony of light and thanksgiving organized by Chinmaya Mission UK in collaboration with the annual Totally Thames festival. Titled “Ganga Aarti on the Thames: A Ceremony of Light,”…
UNITED STATES, September 5, 2026 (New York Times): The St. Marien Church is a mid-20th-century landmark in northern Essen, Germany. It is slated for demolition in October of this year. It is one of more than 20,000 churches across Germany that is expected to be abandoned in the next five to 10 years. And further thousands of churches across Western…
SRI LANKA, August 31, 2026 (Lanka Web): The Hindu fightback against Christian missionary incursions in Jaffna during the British colonial period was a sophisticated, peaceful resistance movement known as the Saivite (or Hindu) Revival. Unlike the brutal, forced conversions under the Portuguese and Dutch, the British colonial administration utilized an educational and economic monopoly. They enticed locals to convert by…
