Category Archives: Hinduism

Bantwal: Hinduism reveres women – others should review opinion on it ‘ – SL Bhyrappa

Mounesh Vishwakarma Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP) Bantwal, Nov 3: "Hinduism has given the status of god to women. But people belonging to other religions continue to nurse ulterior opinion about Hinduism. They need to question themselves about this attitude and re view their stand," felt noted Kannada novelist, Saraswathi Samman awardee, Padma Shri Dr S L Bhyrappa. He was addressing the students after going through academic and other activities being organized by Sri Rama Vidya Kendra, Read more [...]

Hinduism is a religion, but it is something more: David Frawley

The crowd that gathered at David Frawley's Why I Became A Hindu, braving the afternoon heat, seemed almost geared for battle. In the end, they simply listened, spellbound. There were others too, seeking comfort and hope, who found their eyes well with tears as Frawley, one of the most acclaimed Vedic scholars of the day, described "the religion not of one God, but innumerable Gods. Hindu dharma recognises the unity of the universe but accepts the diversity of everything within it." Later, his Read more [...]

Why the polytheism of Hindus (and their texts) leaves the monotheistic West confused

[A longer version of this article first appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books.]Polytheism can be a terribly confusing affair to monotheists. The confusion is not just spiritual but material and cultural. Non-practising or secular people brought up in monotheistic cultures are just as likely to find polytheism bewildering. Attitudes toward polyandry or polygamy in societies that enshrine monogamous partnerships display a similar dynamic, but the problem is not merely the one versus Read more [...]

Hinduism- From the Beginning of the World

    Hinduism offers a bountiful choice of pilgrimage sites to its followers. The fortunate ones come back with their faith renewed; while the others live by their tales as they continue to pray. Bright marigolds decorate the entrance of temples. Inside, a priest offers prayers to the idol at the sanctum sanctorum. He lights a diya (lamp) and places it next to the various sweets, and red hibiscus on a puja thali (a plate used for prayers). The whites of the jasmine flower Read more [...]

Hinglaj: An ancient Hindu pilgrimage in Pakistan.

Hingol: a Hindu pilgrimage in Balochistan province of Pakistan. Hingol Located along the banks of Hingol river, in Hinglaj town in Balochistan province of Pakistan, is Hinglaj Mata Mandir. Also, called Nani mandir or Hinglaj Devi or Hingula Devi. The Express Tribune (Pak) | Karachi | April 20, 2016:: In the searing heat of Balochistan, Sunil Kumar climbs up the Chandergup volcano barefoot. Sweating profusely and out of breath, he treads slowly, his ascent interjected by chants of ‘Jai Read more [...]

An Indigenous View Of The Hindu Identity

Hindu is the geographical, cultural and metaphysical identity of the people of the land. It’s neither a religion nor a nation-state.The people of America are called as Americans, Japan as Japanese, and Brazil as Brazilian and so the people of India or Hindustan are called as Indians or Hindus. But whereas American-ism, Japan-ism or Brazilian-ism are not called as a religion, by what yardstick is Hinduism called and officially proclaimed by the Indian nation-state as a religion?The word religion Read more [...]

Illinois’ Rockford City Council to open with Hindu prayer for the first time in 164 years

Reciting from Brahadaranyakopanishad, Rajan Zed plans to say "Asato ma sad gamaya, Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya, Mrtyor mamrtam gamaya", which he will then translate as "Lead me from the unreal to the real, lead me from darkness to light, and lead me from death to immortality." Reciting from Bhagavad-Gita, he proposes to urge Aldermen to keep the welfare of others always in mind. Zed is a global Hindu and interfaith leader, who besides taking up the cause Read more [...]

Washington DC’s Smithsonian museum showcasing Hindu deity Shiva

Rajan Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, urged major art museums of the world, including Musee du Louvre and Musee d'Orsay of Paris, Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Los Angeles Getty Center, Uffizi Gallery of Florence (Italy), Art Institute of Chicago, Tate Modern of London, Prado Museum of Madrid, National Gallery of Art in Washington DC, etc., to frequently organize Hindu art focused exhibitions, thus sharing the rich Hindu Read more [...]

The Hindu Story of Creation: Which One?

Host Morgan Freeman searches for the stories of creation as part of his understanding of God and spiritual practices from various religions around the world, in the upcoming episode of “The Story of God,” airing Sunday, April 24 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, on the National Geographic Channel. His guide in India, scholar Binda Paranjpe, explains something that most people don’t realize: Hindus don’t have a single story of creation… There is no single scripture that starts with “In the Beginning,” Read more [...]

Are We A Hindu Rashtra?

Are We A Hindu Rashtra? By Samuel Dhar 16 April, 2016Countercurrents.org Hinduism is not a religion. For that matter neither are Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikkhism and so on. These are all COMMUNITIES. Literal meaning of the Word, 'Hindu', coined by the Persians of the 7th century, is ‘universal’. By this definition, most of us who firmly believe in one Universal Read more [...]