News

GANDERBAL, KASHMIR, June 30, 2023 (Rising Kashmir): Baltal, the shortest route leading to the sacred Amarnath Holy Cave, is awash with a celebratory atmosphere as local residents from various areas of Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district fervently install tents to ensure a seamless experience for the pilgrims undertaking the upcoming Yatra. Scheduled to commence on July 1, this annual pilgrimage serves…

INDIA, June 29, 2023 (BBC by Tim Bird): With nearly 1.5 billion people and 330 million Hindu Deities, India has no shortage of religious festivals and performances. Yet one of the most ancient and mesmerizing is theyyam, which takes place in the southern state of Kerala and parts of neighboring Karnataka. Meaning “God” or the “incarnation of God”, theyyam is…

Hinduism Today is available online free of charge July 1st at http://www.hinduismtoday.com. You can also download our free Hinduism Today app and get the entire magazine in a mobile-friendly format for your device at hinduismtoday.com/​get-the-app/. Our cover story is on Nepal’s remarkable rudraksha bead industry which generates a full six percent of the nation’s Gross National Product each year. Reporter…

NAHAN, INDIA, June 25, 2023 (Outlook India): Jagannath Rath Yatra was taken out in this Himachal Pradesh town with fervor on Sunday with tens of thousands of residents participating in the holy procession and paying obeisance to the Deity. Religious leaders of all sects of society, including Muslims and Sikhs, welcomed the Rath Yatra at different places in the town.…

PURI, INDIA, June 26, 2023 (Indian Express): Millions of visitors from across the globe throng the beach town of Puri in Odisha to take part in the annual Rath Yatra (car festival) of Lord Jagannath, which this year began on June 20. According to Hindu mythology, the Lord along with his siblings — elder brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Devi…

INDIA, June 27, 2023 (Times of India): Recently, the government of Karnataka introduced the Shakthi scheme making bus travel free for women in the state. Introduced just two weeks ago, the scheme is already a hit and has gradually boosted religious tourism in the state. As per reports, hundreds of thousands of women visited a number of Hindu pilgrimage sites…

PURI, INDIA, June 20, 2023 (Indian Express): Thousands of devotees have congregated at this seaside pilgrim town for Lord Jagannath’s annual Ratha Yatra on Tuesday for which the Odisha government has made elaborate arrangements, officials said. As many as 180 platoons (1 platoon comprises 30 personnel) of security forces were deployed in Puri, said Transport Commissioner Amitabh Thakur. A total…

UNITED KINGDOM, June 21, 2023 (BBC): Rath Yatra — or Chariot Festival — attracts millions in India and has now been celebrated in Swindon, Wiltshire, for the first time. The festival procession started from the Swindon Hindu Centre. It featured a colorful chariot, a flag flown in from a temple in India and some special offerings, chanting and dancing. Amala…

NEW DELHI, INDIA, June 21, 2013 (News 9 Live): In an apparent move to preserve the “Islamic character and reputation of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” Pakistan’s Higher Education Council (HEC) has banned the celebration of Holi and other Hindu holidays throughout the nation’s universities. The HEC’s directive was issued a few days after Quaid-i-Azam University students celebrated Holi on…

TIBET, June 15, 2023 (Red Skins 101): Drone technology has revolutionized the way we capture images and videos from the sky. However, the use of drones is not without its challenges, especially when it comes to regulations. In Mount Kailash, drone regulations have been put in place to ensure that the use of drones does not interfere with the sacred…