Source INDIA, April 7, 2015 (Huffington Post): Across India, through it’s mind-boggling diversity of cultures and languages, one thing remains more or less similar–the centrality of weddings as the biggest social occasions. While the ceremony and rituals vary, there are some threads that run through them all–Mehendi, red sindoor and saat pheras, for instance in Hindu weddings. Ultimately, all those…
Source MUMBAI, INDIA, October 10, 2015 (dna India): It was an eventful evening for the sixth edition of dna Eco Ganesha awards at Y.B. Chavan auditorium on Thursday. As many as 200 entries were received for this year’s theme Beautiful Mumbai. Winners from different categories were felicitated for their innovations and creativity in celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi in an eco-friendly manner.…
Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, October 17, 2015 (Daily Pioneer): Yoga can help improve the quality of life of drug users and also reduce the frequency of their drug use, says a recent study conducted by the Delhi-based AIIMS on behalf of the government’s Ayush Ministry. The study used Sudarshan Kriya Yoga (SKY) and meditation as a treatment along with the…
Source “Following the path of knowledge without love and devotion is like eating stones.”— Mata Amritanandamayi
Source HAMM, GERMANY, October 10, 2015 (Faz): With colorful ceremony Hindus have consecrated their first cemetery in Germany. Priests in orange and red robes blessed the nearly 2,000-square-meter space which borders the municipal cemetery. They threw colorful blossoms, burned incense, played on traditional Indian instruments and rang little bells. But not all the traditional mourning rituals can be performed in…
Source CHILE, September 29, 2015 (Cooperativa): With 83 votes in favor and 17 abstentions, the House of Representatives approved the bill which establishes November 4th of each year as the National Day of Yoga. The bill’s dosier was submitted to the Chamber by Deputy Marcelo Schilling (PS) of the Sports Commission. Lawmakers said that at present this discipline has spread…
Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 30, 2015 (mid-day): India’s foreign office is keeping itself updated on an interesting, if trifle peculiar, slugfest that’s currently on between the Vatican and Indian spiritual guru, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The Art of Living (AOL) Foundation founder is miffed at recent attempts by the Norwegian government to hijack his peace initiatives in strife-ridden Colombia.…
Source NAIROBI, KENYA, October 6, 2015 (All Africa): Ganesha Chaturthi, the great Ganesha festival, is also known as Vinayak Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chavithi. It is celebrated by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha during the Hindu month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September). In Nairobi, the Pattni Brotherhood in Parklands held festivities to mark the occasion as…
Source Even in search of extraordinary gains, the wise will never speak trivial or useless words.— Tirukkural 198
Source FORT MEADE, MARYLAND, October 8, 2015 (RT): Former Air Force contractor Deborah Schoenfeld had worked as a dental technician at Epes Dental Clinic in Fort Meade, Maryland until she was fired for allegedly “using profanity” against a one of her co-workers in early September. According to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation (MRFF) that is now representing Schoenfeld, she does…