Source NEPAL, December 5, 2012 (BBC): More than 11,000 girls have taken part in a mass Hindu prayer ceremony in western Nepal, which organizers say is one of the biggest of its kind ever to be held in the country. The traditional Kanya Puja ceremony honors girls as incarnations of the Goddess Bhagawati. It included girls from different ethnic communities…
Source The bonds of dharma do not bind but promise sweet liberation.— His Divine Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, spiritual head of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
Source KARACHI, PAKISTAN, December 2, 2012 (Tribune): In a hurried operation on Saturday, a builder demolished a century-old temple in Soldier Bazaar while the Sindh High Court was hearing a petition seeking a stay order. Apart from razing down the pre-partition Shri Rama Pir Mandir, the private builder also demolished three or four houses located next to it. Nearly 40…
Source KASHMIR, December 1, 2012 (Khabar South Asia): A Kashmir Pandit family makes Rangoli (decorative designs) for Diwali. In doing so, they are following a centuries-old tradition. It has long been customary for Kashmiri Pandits to invite their Muslim brethren to feast with them during this and other major Hindu festivals. Likewise, Muslims entertain their Hindu neighbors during their festivals,…
Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, November 30, 2012 (ndtv.com): With today reportedly being the most auspicious night of the year, according to the Hindu calendar, there are around 30,000 weddings happening in and around the National Capital Region. And that has resulted in massive traffic jams across Delhi and Gurgaon. It is reportedly taking at least an hour to travel from…
Source The whole world is your school. See that all are you. You are the commander. You are the Commander-in-Chief! All are commanders; there is no greater or lesser. All are God. God sees God, God talks to God.— Satguru Yogaswami (1872-1964), Sri Lanka’s most revered contemporary mystic
Source UNITED STATES, November 2012 (USA Today): A Pew survey sorts people into major groupings–Christians; other religions, including Jewish and Muslim; and “unaffiliated,” which includes atheist, agnostic and “nothing in particular.” According to the survey Hindus make up
Source It is very important to give light and love to everyone, because everyone needs affection. Let light, love and peace live today and always in our hearts. Let these words not just be words pouring out of our lips. Let light invade your whole being so that everyone may be able to love.— Mataji Indra Devi
Source MADURAI, INDIA, November 28. 2012 (by Padmini Sivarajah, TNN): The karthigai deepam was lit on top of the Thiruparankundram hill amid tight security on Tuesday following the recent recovery of explosives from the area. Security was tightened on top of the hill after a bucket full of explosives, including ammonium nitrate, batteries and detonators was discovered near the shrine…
Source TIRUCHIRAPALLI, INDIA, November 28, 2012 (The Hindu): A large number of devotees witnessed the Karthigai Deepam lit atop a cauldron made of copper atop Rockfort Sri Thayumanaswamy Temple on Tuesday. Religious fervor pervaded the area when the temple bell rang and crackers were burst. Exactly at 6 p.m., the temple priest lit the lamp with devotees raising slogans in…