KAUAI, HAWAII, April 2, 2024 (Hinduism Today) The amazing Ellora temple carved out of a granite mountain is the star of our April/May/June issue. Enjoy the spectacular photos as this latest issue is now available online free of charge at http://www.hinduismtoday.com. You can also download our Hinduism Today app and get the entire magazine in a mobile-friendly format for your device at http://bit.ly/HT-APP.
Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami’s Publisher’s Desk delves into the Hindu view of God and love, including the five-fold stages of one’s love of God found in the Vaishnava bhakti traditions. Our feature story is on the amazing success of the Chinmaya Mission West’s national education program, Bala Vihar, begun far back in 1973 at the request of Swami Chinmayananda. From a modest start, it has come to include tens of thousands of Hindu students every year–even building its own schools–all in an effort to meet the unique needs of Hindu children growing up in America.
The cover story is on Ellora cave temples located 200 miles east of Mumbai in Maharastra State. The most stunning of them is the Kailasanatha temple, a free standing monolith carved out of solid rock. The rest of the temples, which are not only Hindu but also Buddhist and Jain, are highly decorated excavated caves, all brilliantly photographed by Anne Petry.
Neem Karoli Baba (1900–1973) is the subject of our educational Insight section. Written by Sudarshan Ramabadran and illustrated with the art of Baani Sekhon, it tells the story of this remarkable 20th century sage who made a lasting impact of seekers both Western and Indian. “His devotees did not fit any pattern—they were rich, they were poor; they were Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jews, Sikhs, and even the atheists who did not realize that they had been drawn. There were the VIPs and the dacoits, all in the same room.”
Hinduism Today itself figures prominently in our story on the World Hindu Congress held in Bangkok in November, 2023. At the opening ceremony of this event with more than 2,100 delegates, Satguru Bodhinatha was presented by the organizers with an award for the magazine, described as the most influential Hindu organization based outside of India. The conference itself was a manifestation of the Hindu renaissance Gurudeva had been talking about since the 1970s.
This issue is notable for its wide variety of subjects. We have an article on Modi’s Toys, which produces plush dolls of all the Hindu Gods. There’s Lavina Melwani’s story on an ashram for the aged, Punya Dham in Pune with its programs not only for the elderly but also the poor of the area. Anne Petry has a second article in this issue, on India’s ancient art of weaving which continues on to today.
There’s the opinion pieces, including Fred Stella’s “A Hindu—Sort of,” on why some people just can’t bring themselves to say they’re Hindus. “In My Opinion” is a plea by Ravindran Raman Kutty for Hindus to pay more attention to the environmental impact of last rites. And all the usual sections: Global Dharma, Letters, Scripture and our famed Quotes and Quips.