Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 29, 2017 (Indian Express): Though the torrential rains in Mumbai have dampened the spirit a bit, nothing comes in between Lord Ganesha and his devotees, especially during Ganesh Chaturthi. While many parts of the city were flooded on Tuesday (August 29), people still managed to ferry Ganesha statues across to be immersed, and many visarjans…
Source The biggest sorrow is poverty. The greatest happiness is that of meeting with a saint, which is beyond compare.— Tulsidas in the Ramacharitamanasa, 16th century
Source DINAJPUR, BANGLADESH, August 28, 2017 (The Daily Star): People of the Hindu community in the district formed a human chain yesterday, protesting the vandalising of statues in two temples on Saturday. The hour-long human chain was formed in front of Dinajpur Press Club at 11:00am. Speakers at the program urged the government to ensure punishment to those involved in…
Source HOUSTON, TEXAS, August 30, 2017 (Press Release): Following the catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in the Greater Houston area, Indian community joined the rescue and relief operations provided by the public and private agencies. Indian community also rallied together to pitch in with whatever help they could in terms of shelter, food and other supplies. SEWA International Houston…
Source INDIA, August 28, 2017 (by Ben Kentish, The Independent):India’s Supreme Court has issued a historic ruling confirming the right of the country’s LGBT people to express their sexuality without discrimination. Judges ruled that sexual orientation is covered under clauses in the Indian Constitution that relate to liberty, despite the Government claiming there was no legal right to privacy.The Supreme…
Source DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, August 26, 2017 (IOL): Heavily armed guards with vehicles were standing off at temples across Durban on Friday night for the annual Ganesha Prayer, a significant Hindu ceremony. And now armed security guards are increasingly being used at weddings. This follows two attacks on worshippers in Hindu temples in the past 10 days and the heightened…
Source JAFFNA, SRI LANKA, August 25, 2017 (YouTube): Nallur Kandaswamy Kovil is one of the significant Hindu temples in the Jaffna District of northern Province, Sri Lanka. It stands in the town of Nallur. The presiding Deity is Lord Murugan in the form of the holy Vel. The temple hosts an annual festival spread over 25 days. The Ther Thiruvila…
Source RIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, August 26, 2017 (Telangana Today): The Telugu NRI community in Gulf on Friday celebrated Vinayaka Chavithi with great devotion and dedication. There was a great enthusiasm among the community as the event fell on Friday which is a weekend off here in the Gulf. Unlike in India, the majority of people in Gulf immerse the statues…
Source Remain calm, serene, always in command of yourself. You will then find out how easy it is to get along.— Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), Founder of Self-Realization Fellowship
Source UNITED STATES, May 1, 2017 (ESci Journals by Swaroopa Lahiri): [HPI note: “Soft Power” is the impact of a country’s cultural influence on the world, in contrast to its military or economic power.] While India has always had various soft power strategies, they had limited success as they were not coupled with hard power such as a strong military…