I am a product of two republics: born in India, raised in America, I typically celebrate my American national identity through holidays such as the Fourth of July because I am a naturalized US citizen. So I didn’t think to get involved when a celebration of India’s Republic Day here in Michigan included Miss America - even though I share her cultural and linguistic identity as a Telugu-speaking Indian-American. But I wondered what my friends of Indian origin do, and did a quick survey. About Read more [...]

In November 2013, for the first time, more than 200 Millburn Short Hills Residents celebrated Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights that marks the beginning of the New Year for Hindus, as a community. The children participated in the religious prayers (Pooja), performed Indian Classical dances, showcased colorful sparkly new Indian Outfits during a fashion show. There was Bollywood music to dance to, Henna tattoos and gourmet Indian dinner desserts to enjoy the evening. It was a memorable evening Read more [...]

Posted by Sri Lanka Guardian Religion 8:30:00 AM (November 30, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) When you walk in narrow streets and countryside of Jaffna peninsula, you will come across ubiquities Hindu temples spanning from the plain landscape with hundred of colourful miniature carvings. These temples are dedicated to various Hindu Gods and goddess. The impressive religious and decorated paintings inside the temples are based on Hindu religion and are painted in vibrant colours. During my Read more [...]

  Prestigious Rubin Museum of Art (RMA) in New York (USA) will be exhibiting photographs of sadhus of India and Nepal from January 28 to May 30. Curated by Beck Bloom and titled "Body Language: The Yogis of India and Nepal", it will reportedly display photos of wandering ascetics by Thomas L. Kelly, who is described as photo-activist. "Body Language focuses on the rich symbolism behind sadhus' painted bodies, postures and practices", according to the Museum announcement. Kelly is said to Read more [...]

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI is the ex-officio head of state of Vatican City, a sovereign city-state within the city of Rome (Italy). Pope also heads the Roman Catholic Church, which is the largest of the Christian denominations. Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about a billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal. (ANI)   Even the Vatican Library has books on Hinduism and Yoga. Catalogue search reveals that besides nine books on Read more [...]

From ANI Varanasi, May 14(ANI): As an initiative to inculcate cultural values and allied Indian ethos among youngsters, a special summer camp has been organized for school children in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. This summer camp has been mooted by Ishita School where the children are taught essence of Hindu culture, relevance of rituals and recitation of passages from holy scriptures such as Vedas, Bhagwad Gita, Upanishads and Puranas. At the outset, every day, the teacher conducting the classes Read more [...]

From ANI Nevada (US), April 26: Nevada Assembly reverberated with Sanskrit mantras from ancient Hindu scriptures in Carson City, USA, on Monday. Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed delivered invocation from Sanskrit scriptures before Nevada Assembly. After Sanskrit delivery, he read the English translation of the prayer. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages. Zed, who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, recited Read more [...]

NEPAL. 7 May 2011. Nepal was bigger during the ancient time. ‘Himwatkhanda-Nepal’ extended from Bramhaputra in the East to Hindukush in the west, Kailash Mansovar in the North and Ganga in the South. In time the ‘Himwatkhanda Nepal’ disintegrated into many smaller nations. The fact is mentioned in the Prayaga archive of Samudra Gupta, the son of Bikramaditya, that ‘Nepal’ is a place lying in between Kamrup (current Assam) and Karkarpur (current Kumau). We can infer from these facts Read more [...]

Gayatri Mantra read at Baha’i Ridvan Festival in Nevada   In a remarkable interfaith gesture, Hindu statesman Rajan Zed recited prayer from ancient Hindu scriptures at the “12th day of Ridvan” festival of Baha’is in Reno (Nevada, USA) on May two evening. Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, read Gayatri Mantra, the most sacred mantra of Hinduism, in Sanskrit and attendees repeated after him. He later translated Gayatri Mantra and other Sanskrit prayers into English. Rajan Read more [...]

  Nevada State Senate reverberated with Sanskrit mantras from ancient Hindu scriptures in Carson City (USA) on February 14. Notable Hindu statesman Rajan Zed delivered invocation from Sanskrit scriptures before Nevada Senate on this day. After Sanskrit delivery, he then read the English translation of the prayer. Sanskrit is considered a sacred language in Hinduism and root language of Indo-European languages. Zed, who is the president of Universal Society of Hinduism, recited from Rig-Veda, Read more [...]