October, Dedicated to Service Focused on Women

Source: www.southasiamail.com WASHINGTON, DC, October 14, 2010 (By Anju Bhargava): This October, Hindu American Seva Charities (HASC) launched UtsavSeva (festival service), an initiative to highlight the spiritual value of the major festival of that month. Since Navaratri, the nine nights to honor the Goddess, occurs in October, this month’s theme is ShaktiSeva: women-oriented service. October is also National Domestic Violence…

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Pumpkins, Cucumbers Replace Animal Sacrifice in Puja

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com PATNA, INDIA, October 14, 2010: Isn’t it a heartening news that Durga Puja committees have been sensitized against animal sacrifice? Ranjit Bhattacharya, a purohit (priest) of a Barowari Puja Committee said, “Sacrifice is an essential aspect of the Puja, for `bali’ is the symbol of power. Bali invokes power. And since we are worshipping Durga, who is the…

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Ram Leela in Fiji

Source: www.fijitimes.com FIJI, October 18, 2010: Ten days of the 105th Ram Leela festival celebrated in Bulileka, Labasa came to an end yesterday after the burning of Ravana, the ten-headed king of demons in the Hindu Ramayana. The daily theatrical enactment of the Ramayan attracted a crowd of about 500 to the Bulileka temple every day. Pundit Shiv Maharaj said…

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Remains of Twenty-One 1300-year-old-plus Temples Found Near Bhopal

Source: www.dnaindia.com BHOPAL, INDIA, October 16, 2010: The Archaeological Survey of India has found the remains of 1300-year-old temples at Ashapuri village, 36km from Bhopal. The remains of the temples are massive. Of the 21 temples, the one dedicated to Bhoothnath was the biggest. The archaeologists have named the excavation project Bhootnath Temple series. “We have found ruins of temples…

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Taster of Massive Diwali Celebrations

Source: www.harrowobserver.co.uk WEMBLEY, UK, October 15, 2010: The Sri Sanatan Hindu Mandir in Wembley has been given a taster of what’s to come at the UK’s biggest Diwali celebrations this month. Pupils from Alperton Community School dressed up in magnificent costumes and paraded around the iconic temple, in Ealing Road, to launch the start of Diwali celebrations. The costumes were…

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Inspired by Other Billionaires, Indian Pledges To Gear Up Philantropy

Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com NEW DELHI, INDIA, September 29, 2010: : For a few months now, Bill and Melinda Gates and have been wining and dining with the world’s richest, gently persuading over 40 US billionaires to pledge at least half of their wealth to fix the world’s ills. But no one from has yet been able to match that generosity. Very…

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A Wife’s Sacrifice and Devotion in the Indian Tradition

Source: www.nytimes.com NEW YORK, USA, October 17, 2010 (By Shivani Vora): Of course I want my husband to have good health and a long life, but it took me seven years to give up food and water in hopes of it. Every autumn, many women — particularly those from northern India — observe Karwa Chauth, a daylong Hindu fast on…

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Daily Inspiration

Source: www.hinduismtoday.com Over the last few years, American universities have had to adjust their cafeteria menus to reflect the fact that fourteen to twenty percent of their incoming students are vegetarians. Now the US federal prison system is doing the same. Estimates of the number of vegetarians in the US run from three to six percent of the total population.   

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Vaishno Devi Pilgrims Over 100,000

Source: www.hindustantimes.com All accommodations are full. People, especially from Delhi, have booked online on account of closure of educational institutions because of the Commonwealth Games.Hotels and Guesthouses have a 100 per cent occupancy rate. During normal days, 22,0000 yatris have darshan everyday, but up to 35,000 on Navaratri. These are considered the most auspicious days according to the Hindu calendar.

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Dazzling Pandals

Source: www.hindustantimes.com NEW DELHI, INDIA, October 14, 2010: Fancy pandals, the beat of dhaks (traditional drums) and lighting have heralded the beginning of Durga Puja in the city, where the festive spirit is unabated despite Games-related restrictions and low sponsorship. In Chittaranjan Park, where every year puja pandals compete each other in opulence, the organizers have gone all out in…

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