Source BALI, INDONESIA, February 8, 2014 (Jakarta Post): Dressed in white Balinese attire, more than 120 devotee couples underwent the pewintenan gana wisesa ritual recently at Silayukti temple in Padangbai village, Karangasem. The ritual, which is a purification and initiation rite, elevates the spiritual and social status of the participants into pemangku (temple priests) for males and serati banten (offering…
Source KATHMANDU, NEPAL, February 23, 2014 (ekantipur.com): Around 700,000 Hindu devotees are expected to visit the Pashupatinath Temple for the Shivaratri festival on Thursday. To manage the sea of people to route their way to the temple while ensuring their safety and convenience, the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) this year has made arrangement for four lines, among them one…
Source He cannot be seen by the eye, and words cannot reveal Him. He cannot be reached by the senses, or by austerity or sacred actions. By the grace of wisdom and purity of mind, He can be seen, indivisible, in the silence of contemplation. This invisible Atman can be seen by the mind wherein the five senses are resting.—…
Source INDIA, February 19th, 2014 (travPR.com): The Holy Amarnath Yatra (pilgrimage) 2014 dates have been announced. The 44-day Yatra will commence on June 28, an auspicious day as per Hindu Calendar and shall conclude on Raksha Bandhan on 10 Aug, 2014. A very special puja will be conducted on June 13, the day of Jyesth Purnima, to invoke the blessings…
Source Like the household fire, devotees seek the glory of the Lord even from afar and enshrine it in their inner chamber for enlightenment. The glory of our Lord is full of splendor, all-illuminative and worthy to be honored in every heart.— Rig Veda 7.1.2
Source SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, February 13, 2014 (HAF): In light of a multitude of inquiries with regard to Penguin India’s decision to withdraw controversial scholar, Wendy Doniger’s “The Hindus: An Alternative History,” the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) issues the following statement. HAF is against censorship or the banning of books in any country or fora. In fact, we have consistently…
Source NADI, FIJI, February 19, 2014 (Fiji Times): The first-ever gathering of Hindus to celebrate their contribution to the country will be held in Nadi in April. The conference will be held on April 12 and 13 at the Tanoa International Hotel. Organisers of the event — the Vishva Hindu Parishad Fiji or World Hindu Council of Fiji — emphasized…
Source The whole purpose of earning wealth and maintaining a home is to provide hospitality to guests.— Tirukkural
Source UNITED STATES, February 14, 2014 (Huffington Post): Instead of going to Disney World after winning gold in the women’s snowboarding slopestyle event, Jamie Anderson said she’ll be headed to Wanderlust — a yoga retreat on the North Shore of Oahu — to celebrate. Anderson credits yoga practice with helping her stay physically and mentally strong, and she’s not the…
Source PAKISTAN, February 17, 2014 (Saharasamay): A report from Karachi said on Monday, Feb. 17, that leaders of the community say girls as young as six years were being pressured to change their religion. “Can you accept your daughters being forcibly married to Muslim men?” said Raj Kumar, whose niece Rinkle Kumari was allegedly forced to convert and marry a…