Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, June 20, 2017 (Financial Express): Accepting the request of the state government, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on Sunday decided to exempt Prasadam and human hair at the Tirupati temple from tax. The proposal was placed by the Andhra Pradesh minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu during the 17th GST Council meeting which was held in New…
Source INDIA, June 19, 2017 (First Post): [HPI is posting several stories today on the impact of the new GST tax on Hindu institutions. There are some descrepancies between the reports.] A whopping US$7.75-15.5 million Goods and Service Tax (GST) burden stares at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) which manages the world’s richest temple of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala. This…
Source Spirituality is neither the privilege of the poor nor the luxury of the rich. It is the choice of the wise man. — Swami Chinmayananda (1916-1993), founder of Chinmaya Mission
Source PUDUCHERRY, INDIA, June 23, 2016 (Pondicherry University Press Release): All book reading fans please check this new initiative from the Ministry of Human Resource Development and Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur. 6.5 million books are now available in one single portal where you can read online or download the books. There are textbooks, audio and video content. National Digital…
Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 3, 2017 (Financial Express): The Ministry of Finance on Monday slammed all the rumors that are doing the rounds over social media stating that temple trusts have to pay the GST while the churches and mosques have been exempted. The Press Information Bureau, on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, Government of India issued a…
Source It is fitting to describe the Self as awareness dissolving into itself, as when you come out of it, there is no experience to remember, only a new perspective, a total perspective from which you then view the mind. — Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, publisher of Hinduism Today
Source CHENNAI, INDIA, June 29, 2017 (The Hindu, by Michel Danino): Tony Joseph’s article (“How genetics is settling the Aryan migration debate, June 16) on how recent genetic studies of Indian populations might be “settling the Aryan migration debate” attempts to summarise polemical as well as technical aspects of the contribution of genetics to the debate in question. I will…
Source CHENNAI, INDIA, June 28, 2017 (Times of India): HPI NOTE: Further articles which we will run shortly describe the complex interaction of temple activities with the new Goods and Services Tax. Devotees, who want to fulfil vows in various temples in Tamil Nadu besides sevas, special poojas and taking part in the ritual of pulling gold and silver chariots,…
Source Do not look upon yoga as something beyond you or as calling for any extraordinary efforts. You can remain in your station of life, carry on your work and at the same time embark on the yogic path. Do japa, prayer, kirtan, meditation and asanas regularly. — Swami Sivanada (1887-1963), founder of Divine Life Society
Source INDIA, June 22, 2017 (India Facts by A.L. Chavda): On June 16, 2017, an article appeared in The Hindu titled “How genetics is settling the Aryan migration debate” by Tony Joseph. This article claims that the question of the origin of the Indo-Aryan people has been “settled,” based on the findings of a research paper that was published three…