KAUAI, HAWAII, July 18, 2024 (Hinduism Today, July 2024 issue, Global Dharma section):
Texas Youth Get New Campsite:
After nearly four decades of renting spaces, a summer camp for Hindu children has a permanent home. Religion News reports that in November, 2023, the long-running Hindu Heritage Youth Camp (HHYC), based in Houston, officially began construction of the Texas Hindu Campsite on 52 acres. Set to open this summer, “It will unite the Hindu community,” said Vijay Pallod, a longtime volunteer of HHYC. “This is where the future Hindu leaders are going to come from.” Hundreds flock to the HHYC every year. It is a space for American Hindus, run entirely by the second generation, many of whom are past campers themselves. From daily yoga and sports to mini festivals like Holi, the camp makes Hinduism approachable, with life lessons that are spiritual just as much as they are fun.
Thai Guards Rooted in Hindu Lore:
As visitors enter Bangkok’s Grand Palace, they pass supernatural security guards. Standing inside the main entrance of the royal complex in the Thai capital are two towering statues, each with sharp fangs protruding from their mouths, and clubs in their grip. They not only embody the colorful excess which makes the site so photogenic, but also depict a key figure from Thai mythology, the Yaksha, whose role is to protect palaces, temples and other sacred sites. While coping with human threats are the responsibility of the white-helmeted, rifle-toting King’s Guard soldiers who march through the palace, the Yaksha here and at other sites in Thailand monitor other-worldly enemies, ready to tackle any demons that try to lay siege or lay curses on them.
Find the above articles and more short stores from around the world at source.
https://www.hinduismtoday.com/magazine/april-may-june-2024/global-dharma-28/