Source REUNION ISLAND, April, 16 2014 (Zinfos): The Reunion Tamil Federation, the Reunion Vaikoundam Association and the insurance company, Assurances Australes, have teamed up to offer the population of Reunion the possibility of organizing a funeral according to Hindu rites. It is a first for the island. This funeral agreement is a turnkey product to avoid financial and administrative burdens…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-8IYtyVKHQ MIDLANDS,TEXAS, Feb 19, 2014 ( Kauai Aadheenam, Hawaii): On February 19, 2014, one Hindu, one Jew and three Christians sat together to answer questions submitted by the moderator and the local community before an audience of mixed faiths at First Baptist Church in Midland, Texas. This was the fourth such interfaith panel held in the Permian Basin. The five…
Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, April 19, 2014 (Times Of India): [HPI note: this report should be taken with a grain of salt. Ever since the discovery of the temple’s wealth, the state government has been trying to take control of the temple’s finances, something they can do only if mismanagement is proven. The temple’s present management has challenged this amicus…
Source INDIA, April 20, 2014 (Daily Mail): Heavy snowfall accompanied by rainfall since Saturday night has hampered reconstruction work at flood-hit Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district. Presently a Special Task Force (STF) team, comprising Nehru Institute of Mountaineering (Uttarkashi) and the Uttarakhand Police, is engaged in constructing a trek road to the famous Hindu shrine, which will reopen on May 4.…
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 BARBADOS, March 17, 2014 (Nation News): Dashes of blue, red and white powder painted a kaleidoscope of celebration, as Hindus and people of Indian descent in Barbados marked Phagwa yesterday. The festival of many colors signalled the beginning of a new year on the Hindu calendar, as well as the victory of good over evil, Pandit Thakoor Prashad explained…
Source INDIA, March 1, 2014 (Global Post): Female sadhus, or holy Hindu women, have broken away from tradition and formed a new all-female group in India that they hope will end male domination of spiritual practices. In the northern city of Allahabad a group of women sadhus formally established their group or akhada, holding ceremonies on the banks of the…
Source AUSTRALIA, March 1, 2014 (The Indian Sun): Inspired by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the current spiritual head of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, the newly reconstructed BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Rosehill, Sydney was officially inaugurated with Vedic rituals by Sadguru Sant Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami, a senior BAPS sadhu, and the State Premier of New South Wales, the Honorable Barry…
Source INDIA, April 15, 2014 (BBC): India’s Supreme Court has recognized transgender people as a third gender, in a landmark ruling. “It is the right of every human being to choose their gender,” it said in granting rights to those who identify themselves as neither male nor female. It ordered the government to provide transgender people with quotas in jobs…
Source NAKHON SI THAMMARAT, THAILAND, April 15, 2014 (Thai News): Thousands of Thai and foreign tourists have participated in the Nang Dan Parade during the Songkran Festival in southern Nakhon Si Thammarat province. The Nang Dan Parade is influenced by Hindu religious rituals, which are a part of the Hindu Swinging Ceremony or Tri Yampawai. The intention of the ceremony…