Source DELHI, INDIA, November 1, 2015 (The Hindu): In a rebuff to the government, Jawaharlal Nehru University’s Academic Council has rejected a proposal for introduction of short-term courses in Indian Culture and Yoga for propagating spiritual and mythological traditions and establishing Indian values in the world. The proposal was mooted by the varsity administration following communications from UGC and HRD…
Source Free will is not free–it is a phenomenon bound by cause and effect–but there is something behind the will which is free.— Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)
Source The way to freedom is a way of silence–of silent resolve and silent service.— Sadhu Vaswani, (1879-1966) founder the Sadhu Vaswani Mission
Source GERMANY, October 30, 2015 (RNS): One of Germany’s largest Protestant regional churches has come under fire from other Christians for speaking out against efforts to convert Muslims just as tens of thousands of refugees from the Islamic world are streaming into the country. Germany expects to receive 800,000 to 1 million asylum seekers this year, mostly Muslims from Syria,…
Source INDIA, October 29, 2015 (Nature): The practice of Ayurveda, the traditional medicine of India, is based on the concept of three major constitutional types (Vata, Pitta and Kapha) defined as Prakriti. To the best of our knowledge, no study has convincingly correlated genomic variations with the classification of Prakriti. In the present study, we performed genome-wide SNP (single nucleotide…
Source INDIA, November 1, 2015 ( World Hindu News):The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act of 1951 allows State Governments and politicians to take over thousands of Hindu Temples and maintain complete control over them and their properties. It is claimed that they can sell the temple assets and properties and use the money in any way they choose. A…
Source CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, October 26, 2015 (Chicago Maroon by Urvi Kumbhat): Yoga and its relationship with the West have been constant sources of bemusement to me and Indians all over the world. Back home, yoga isn’t a fitness regimen or a fashion trend; it’s a way of life that’s seamlessly integrated into our daily routines. I’ve practiced yoga since I…
Source VARANASI, INDIA, October 31, 2015: At source above is a rare first-hand report of the attack upon a Ganesha Visarjan procession in Varanasi on September 20 which received modest coverage in the media (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/varanasi/Kashi-tense-over-Ganesh-idol-immersion/articleshow/49057862.cms), and that blaming the procession organizers. At issue was a court order forbidding the immersion of the Deities in the Ganga, because of the pollution…
Source DALLAS/FORT WORTH, TEXAS, October 30, 2015 (DFW Diwali Mela): On October 31, 2015, the DFW Indian Cultural Society is hosting their annual DFW Diwali Mela at the Cotton Bowl Stadium, Dallas, TX. This is the 10th anniversary of this event and it has gained significant popularity among the South Asian communities in North Texas over these last 10 years,…
Source INDIA, October 28, 2015 (The Hindu): The huge Sivalinga at the sanctum sanctorum of the Sri Brihadeeswarar temple, better known as Big Temple, was swathed in cooked rice and decorated with boiled vegetables as Annabishekam (lit. “food bathing”) ritual was performed on the occasion of Aippasi Pournami on Tuesday. The ritual was performed in all Siva temples in Thanjavur,…