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…
Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, April 10, 2014 (Business Insider): KFC, the Kentucky-based fast-food chain known for its “finger-lickin’ good” range of chicken fillets and burgers, has finally given in to India’s penchant for vegetarianism. In what appears to be a first across all KFC franchises globally, KFC India has unveiled a segregated vegetarian menu along with a strong message about…
Source LOS ANGELES, April 03,2014 (by Grace Lim, SCPR): Aerospace engineer Dileep Bhat doesn’t consider the science of his day job and his study of astrology as mutually exclusive. Growing up in India, Bhat learned about the ancient practice of Vedic astrology from his grandfather and uncle. The older men taught him to read and interpret astrological charts through the…
Source To call woman the weaker sex is a libel; it is man’s injustice to woman. If by strength is meant brute strength, then, indeed, is woman less brute than man. If by strength is meant moral power, then woman is immeasurably man’s superior. Has she not greater intuition, is she not more self-sacrificing, has she not greater powers of…
Source MILTON, CANADA, March 17, 2014 (Weekly Voice): This small city west of Mississauga is the latest to approve Diwali fireworks as its council unanimously voted to amend a town fireworks bylaw, granting the fall celebration equal status with Victoria Day and Canada Day. The five-day festival, scheduled for October 23 this year, is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists…
Source In my silence, I experience one vast garden, spread out through the universe. All plants, all human beings, all higher devas are about it in various ways and each has his own uniqueness and beauty. Their presence and variety give me great delight. Every one of you adds in a special way to the glory of this garden.”— Sri…