Source INDIA, April 24, 2015 (The Hindu): Glass fiber (“fiberglass” in the West) has become the new cost effective and light weight medium for sculptures of new temples being constructed. Earlier temples were constructed with stones on which sculptures and carvings were made. With time, temples became concrete structures where stone sculptures or statues of concrete were used for outer…
Source BHUBANESWAR, INDIA, March 26, 2015 (First Post): The death of Sashimani Devi, the last in a long line of devadasis at the Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri, marks the end of an era. Since Sashimani chose not to groom anybody as a future devadasi in her lifetime, as required under the temple rules, an 800-year-old tradition has now well…
Source MUMBAI, INDIA, April 21, 2015 (Washington Post): Workers for the centuries-old Shree Siddhivinayak Temple here spent hours unpacking gold coins, heavy wedding necklaces and lustrous pendants from a closely guarded “strong room.” By the time gold buyers began mingling with worshipers at the sweltering sanctuary on Tuesday, the jewelry auctioneers were ready. “This is not a regular gold coin…
Source In India I found a race of mortals living upon the Earth, but not adhering to it. Inhabiting cities, but not being fixed to them, possessing everything but possessed by nothing.— Appolonius of Tiana (2-97 ce), Greek philosopher and occultist. His work deeply influenced Western mysticism.
Source THANJAVUR, INDIA, April 22, 2015 (The Hindu): The new chariot of Sri Brihadeeswarar Temple here rolled out on its trial run gleaming under the early morning sun. The Big Temple finally got its chariot, the first in over a century as hundreds of eager townsmen, hailing the Lord, came together to draw the chariot. For all the people of…
Source PHUKET, THAILAND, August 24, 2014 (Phuket News): Even when the centuries were still in single digits, the Andaman Coast was an economically active area. Along estuarine communities down the coast, Indian, Arab and Persian traders made connections with local rulers and merchants, and would often return to the same communities year after year, often waiting several months for the…
Source DEHRADUN, INDIA, April 22, 2015 (Times of India): Anil Shukla prays a lot these days. The 39-year-old father of three, who performs pujas for pilgrims at Kedarnath, has been praying fervently that the weather Gods remain benign, and the Char Dham Yatra, which began on April 21, draws in a lot of pilgrims this year. “The last two years…
Source How can one realize that which alone is real? All we need to do is to give up our habit of regarding as real that which is unreal. Reality alone will remain, and we will be That.— Sri Ramana Maharishi (1879-1950), South Indian mystic
Source AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, April 15, 2015 (Indian Weekender): At 11 Brick Street in Henderson is the almost finished version of Shri Ram temple that Auckland will soon witness. New Zealand has seen Shiv Temple, Hanuman Temple, Sai Temple and Balaji Temple in the past, but the Shri Ram Temple is the first to be constructed in New Zealand. The…
Source CHINO HILLS, CALIFORNIA, April 21, 2015 (India West): This year, BAPS hosted its ninth annual Women’s Conference that recently took place at 11 centers across North America to inspire Indian American women to pursue leadership positions while making a commitment to take other women along with them. The conference, themed “Moving Forward,” focused on creating positive change that starts…