Source CHENNAI, INDIA, January 22, 2013 (The Hindu): The Siva temple at Panaiyapuram in Tamil Nadu was to be demolished to make way for widening the Vikkiravandi-Thanjavur highway. When the plans to widen the NH-45C, cutting through the temple, became public, residents of Panaiyapuram, Pappanapattu, Mundiyampakkam, Kappiyampuliyur and Thuravi forgot their caste and class divisions and rose as one to…
Source FIJI, January 23, 2013 (The Jet): Nadi town will be a hive of activity from tomorrow for the next eleven days as the Sri Siva Subramanya Swamy Temple (Nadi Temple) gets all ready to host the annual Thaipoosam Thirunaal. The annual prayers draw a large number of devotees to the temple, the largest Hindu shrine in the southern hemisphere…
Source Go beyond science, into the region of metaphysics. Real religion is beyond argument. It can only be lived simultaneously inwardly and outwardly.— Swami Sivananda (1887-1963), founder of Divine Life Society, Rishikesh
Source ENGLAND, January 23, 2013: HPI Note: This entertaining article is comprised of responses the BBC received to a question: “What do vegetarians eat in a country where refusing meat is regarded as a sign of madness?” It might be tomato pasta. Again. Or salad. Plain rice. Or vegetable stew… with lumps of chicken to pick out. For the BBC’s…
Source MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, January 25, 2013 (India TV News): A Hindu from India who had established a temple in Milwaukee city of the US state of Wisconsin, has been jailed for 37 months for religious visa fraud and would be deported to his native country after serving his sentence. A Milwaukee court gave its sentencing order after it found Sagarsen…
Source PENANG, MALAYSIA, January 25, 2013 (The Hindu, by S. Muthiah): Thai Poosam is celebrated by Tamils everywhere, but in Penang, the Chinese join in too. A few months ago, I was in Penang to attend the Sashtiapdaboorthi (60th birthday celebrations) of a friend. It was conducted in a grand manner in the largest temple in Penang, the Dhandayuthapani Temple,…
Source MIRI, BORNEO, January 26, 2013 (The Borneo Post): The Miri Hindu Society is all set to celebrate Thaipusam tomorrow (Jan 27). Its chairman Selvaraj Grapragasem said that some 60 devotees would join the celebration to be held at the Raghavan Building, Brooke Road here starting 8am. “Only this number of devotees is expected as some have gone home to…
FAIRFIELD,IOWA, January 20,2013 (Washington Times): The followers of a meditation practice that has roots in ancient India say it’s simple: Close your eyes, silently repeat a mantra and relax. But a dispute among rivals for control over its teaching is anything but peaceful, featuring personal attacks, aggressive lawyering and accusations of improper business practices. The feud pits the Iowa nonprofit…
Source For seven lives in seven bodies the grateful will remember friends who relieved their anguish and affliction.— Saint Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural, verse 107
Source USA, Jan 2013, by Tyker Mathisen, CNBC: I have spent the past few months working on a documentary on the business of death, I’ve been to casket-manufacturing companies, funeral homes, mortuary science schools and the annual convention of the National Funeral Directors Association, some 6,000 funeral professionals. They were a sliver of the more than 130,000 people who work…