Anantanand Rambhachan Responds to “Indra’s Net” Accusations

Source USA, May 2, 2015 (Swaraja): In his recently published book, Indra’s Net, author Rajiv Malhotra describes Professor Anantanand Rambachan as the foremost and most influential exponent of what Malhotra describes as the Neo-Hinduism thesis. This thesis, according to Malhotra, argues that Hinduism was fabricated during the British rule and that Swami Vivekananda plagiarized Western and Christian ideas. He accuses…

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Nepal Earthquake: Christians See an Opportunity for Conversion

Source INDIA, April 15, 2015 (ShankhNaad, by Rahul Priyadarshi): [HPI note: This article includes a number of images to tweets. We’ve reproduced a few here, but to get the full impact, go to the article at “source” above.] Christian evangelical organisations work for conversion, not charity, suggested Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagvat a while back in what became a raging controversy. He…

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Tiruvannamalai Gears up for Chitra Pournami Fest

Source TIRUVANNAMALAI, INDIA, May 2, 2015 (The Hindu): [HPI note: This is a remarkable event, one which our editors have participated in. It starts and ends at Annamalaiyar Temple at the base of Arunachal Hill–famed for Ramana Maharishi’s ashram. Hundreds of thousands–a large number of them young–walk barefoot 13 km around the hill.] More than 1,800 special buses will be…

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Ancient Temples and Mosques under ASI

Source INDIA, April 29, 2015 (Press Information Bureau): There are 1,076 temples and 250 mosques of national importance under the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) in the Country. There are 242 temples and 36 mosques from Karnataka under the ASI while 132 temples and 62 mosques from Uttar Pradesh fall under the same category. Madhya Pradesh has 96 temples and…

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Big Temple Chariot Festival Held After 100 Years

Source INDIA, April 30, 2015 (The Hindu): Thousands of devotees participated in the inaugural run of the new chariot chiseled for the famous Sri Brihadeeswarar temple (Big Temple) here on Wednesday. This is the first time in a hundred years that the chariot festival of the Big Temple, constructed by Chola King Rajaraja I over 1,000 years ago, is being…

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Daily Inspiration

Source All this universe is in the glory of God, of Siva, the God of love. The heads and faces of men are His own, and He is in the hearts of all.— Krishna Yajur Veda, Svetasvatara Upanishad 3.11

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Daily Inspiration

Source When culture is flooding out of the temple, our actions are productive and our minds are creative, our speech is pure, our hearts rejoice and we become good citizens. Religion makes us good citizens, because we are peaceful inside and want peace in our land. Peace comes first from the individual. It is unrealistic to expect peace from our…

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Adding a Bit of Choice to Arranged Marriage

Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, April 26, 2015 (New York Times): While Indian parents still take the lead in arranging marriages, many are turning to websites to widen the pool, and are allowing their children veto power. Just an estimated 5% of marriages in India today are so-called love marriages–those completely conceived without family involvement. The rest have traditionally been arranged…

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Striking a Precise Balance: Kerala Hindu Immigrants open Temple in Southwest Houston

Source HOUSTON, TEXAS, April 24, 2015 (Houston Chronicle): Construction of Houston’s Sri Guruvayurappan Temple was anything but a standard Houston real estate deal. Planetary trajectories were factors in the design; a precise consideration of the elements – earth, air, fire, water, sky – was crucial in construction. And as workers and temple officials, many attired in traditional Indian dhotis, scurried…

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