Source THRISSUR, INDIA, January 13, 2016 (Deccan Chronicle): The trend of sparing elephants from temple festivals is catching up in view of the increasing incidents of the animals running amok causing even fatal accidents. A temple owned by a tantric family Kavanattumana in Irinjalakkuda here conducted the festival without elephants and introduced chariots for carrying thidambu (replica of the murthi)…
Source KAJANG, MALAYSIA, January 17, 2016 (The Star): Old is indeed gold and that proverb rings true of the Sri Subramaniya Swami Temple in Kajang as more than a thousand devotees celebrated its 100th anniversary celebration. The highlight was marked with Lord Murugan adorned in gold-plated armor. During the prayers, 1,008 pots were filled with holy water and herbs, and…
Source HARIDWAR, INDIA, January 14, 2016 (Hindustan Times): The Ardh Kumbh Mela opened to a colorful start in Haridwar, with thousands of devotees taking part in the first snan or holy dip in the Ganga on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti on Thursday. The Har Ki Pauri – the famous ghat on the banks on the Ganga in Haridwar…
Source There is no greater mystery than that we keep seeking reality though, in fact, we are reality. We think that there is something hiding reality and that this must be destroyed before reality is gained. How ridiculous! A day will dawn when you will laugh at all your past efforts. That which will be on the day you laugh…
Source INDIA, January 15, 2016 (The Hindu): Tirukural, a moral treatise in pithy verse is rarely associated with music. Now, Chitraveena exponent N. Ravikiran is planning to set to music all 1330 couplets. He will begin the work on January 12 at the International Institute of Tamil Studies in Taramani. “It is possible to make use of the lyrical beauty…
Source GANGASAGAR, INDIA, January 15, 2016 (The Statesman): Around 700,000 pilgrims took the holy dip on the day of Makar Sankranti at the confluence of the Hooghly river (a branch of the Ganga) and Bay of Bengal on Thursday. Those who took the holy bath on the day came not just from different states of India, but also from countries…
Source By practicing tolerance of those who insult us, we will feel honor and insult as the same. Just as we feel good when someone praises us, we should feel just as good when we are insulted. Stability in honor or insult is the ability to still have love for our aggressor.— Sri Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Spiritual Guru of BAPS…
Source KERALA, INDIA, January 12, 2016 (The Hindu): The Kerala Folklore Akademi at Chirakkal here has come alive with the exhibition of techniques and craft of a style of metal casting that survives among the tribal people of Bastar in Chattisgarh. Called Dhokra, it is apparently the earliest known method of metal casting. A group of 10 Dhokra artisans from…
Source INDORE, INDIA, January 11, 2016 (Zee News): Akhil Bhartiya Akhara Parishad, the apex body of Hindu ascetic organisations, has refused to grant recognition to the newly-formed Kinnar Akhara, the religious representation of eunuchs, to participate in Simhastha (Kumbh) Mela (held in Ujjain in 2016) even as the Kinnar members asserted that they do not need permission from the ABAP…
Source THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA, January 13, 2016 (Deccan Chronicle): Kerala government on Wednesday made it clear that it would not interfere in the customs and traditions of Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala where entry of women in the age group of 10 to 50 are banned. “Government has a declared stand on matters like this. It will not interfere on issues…