Source KERALA, INDIA, October 15, 2018 (The Hindu): [HPI note: With India’s Supreme Court ordering the Sabarimal Ayappan temple to admit women of child-bearing age, it is useful to see the reaction from Kerela’s Sunni community. According to the Islamic Research Foundation International, “Although the Qur’an and the Hadith, the traditions attributed to the Prophet (Pbuh), allow for women to…
Source INDIA, October 11, 2018 (Incredible India): The Ganges River is a highly revered site by Hindus and an iconic, historical epicenter in India. As hundreds of millions of people visit the Ganges each year, there is a dedicated group of priests, better known as pandits, working quietly behind the scenes. In small offices that line the river, they keep…
Source Like a tortoise withdrawing five limbs into its shell, those who restrain the five senses in one life will find safe shelter for seven.— Tirukkural 126
Source WASHINGTON, D.C., February 15, 2017 (Pew Forum): On the heels of a contentious election year in which partisan politics increasingly divided Americans, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that when it comes to religion, Americans generally express more positive feelings toward various religious groups today than they did just a few years ago. Asked to rate a variety…
Source HYDERABAD, INDIA, October 13, 2018 (The Hans India): In any sphere of life, it’s common for people to seek divine intervention when the chips are down, and sport is no different. However, a temple inside an international cricket stadium premises? That’s the sight one is greeted with on entering the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal, which is hosting…
Source EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND, October 13, 2018 (Edinburgh News): For more than two decades thousands of people have gathered to enjoy the medley of Indian and Scottish culture in the free event organized by the Scottish India Arts Forum (SIAF). The charity, which has been actively promoting Indian arts and culture in Scotland since 1994, returns on Sunday, October 21 with…
Source Youth is not a time of life–it is a state of mind. It is not a matter of ripe cheeks, red lips and supple knees. It is a temper of the will, a quality of the imagination, a vigor of the emotions. It is freshness of the deep springs of life. Nobody grows old by merely living a number…
Paras Ramoutar, special to HPI PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD/TOBAGO, October 12, 2018 (Paras Ramoutar): Even though they came here 173 years ago from several parts of India, they still adhere to the basic tenets of Hinduism. One of which is the annual observance of Nau Raatri which has taken this oil-rich nation with earthquake enthusiasm. Out of a population of 400,000 East…
Source VIETNAM, October 9, 2018, (Vietnam Tourism): An exhibition featuring the 2018 Kate Festival, the most important annual celebration of the ethnic Cham Brahman community, opened in the central province of Ninh Thuan on October 8. On the occasion, Mukha Linga and Po Long Girai statues, along with Nandin, Patil, and Banal sacred bulls, costumes, and musical instruments were introduced…
Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, October 2, 2018 (YouTube): On Gandhi Jayanti Day in New Delhi during the closing ceremony of the Mahatma Gandhi International Sanitation Conference, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a medley version of the famous bhajan by artists from over 40 countries. According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), all Indian Missions abroad identified a local artists/group…