Source KAUAI, HAWAII, January 21, 2016: A comprehensive panchangam, Hindu astrological calendar, is now available for free download. For 284 cities, it includes the local year, half-year, season, month (solar and lunar), rasi (moon sign), day (solar and lunar), karana (half day), nakshatra, kalas, yogas, festival days, and auspicious days. The calendar used by the monastics at Kauai’s Hindu Monastery…
Source PAKISTAN, January 19, 2016 (Live Mint by Farahnaz Ispahani): From 23% in 1947, Pakistan’s minorities today constitute a mere 3-4% of the population, says Farahnaz Ispahani, media advisor to the president of Pakistan from 2008 to 2012 in her book Purifying the Land of the Pure: Pakistan’s Religious Minorities. She blames the successive Pakistan presidents and prime ministers for…
Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, January 21, 2016 (India Today): The annual yatra to the Himalayan cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir will begin from July 2, the governing board said today. The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board approved the pilgrimage this year for 48 days, while the duration was 59 days last year. The board, however, did not specify the…
Source In the end, the Great Mystery is known as one, as two, as neither one nor two. Most people try to experience God through other people. Disciples see a guru as God. Wives see their husband as God. Devotees see the Deity in the temple as God. But all the time, behind the eyes of their seeing, is God.—…
Source MADRID, SPAIN, January 20, 2016 (EFE Estilo): The queen of Spain spent 90 minutes at the inauguration of the 36th edition of the tourism fair in Madrid which expects to receive more than 223,000 visitors. The fair is hosting 9,500 companies, institutions and tourist agencies from 165 countries. The Queen’s inaugural tour included stops at five pavilions of different…
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…