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Source In a day when you don’t come across any problems, you can be sure that you are traveling in the wrong path.— Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), disciple of Sri Ramakrisha

Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, October 22, 2017 (Wall Street Journal): The Yamuna is considered a sacred river from very early times. The river system is so beautiful. But we in our greed, go and spoil this system. In Delhi, it is not water anymore, it is sewage. Sureshwar Sinha, 83, swam in the pristine waters of the Yamuna in New…

Source KATHMANDU, NEPAL, October 21, 2017 (Kathmandu Post): The five-day-long Tihar festival came to an end after the observance of Bhaitika on Saturday. As an important part of the festival, sisters offered Tika to their brothers wishing them happiness, long life and prosperity on the occasion of Bhaitika. On this day of the Tihar festival, brothers who have sisters are…

Source From one seed arises a huge tree; from it comes numerous seeds, each one of which in its turn grows into a tree. No two fruits are alike. Yet it is one life that throbs in every particle of the tree. So, it is the same Atman everywhere. All creation is That. There is beauty in the birds and…

Source SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, October 18, 2017 (SBS): It’s the fourth year in a row the Opera House has been lit up in a golden colour to mark the most widely celebrated Hindu festival, Diwali. The festival has significance to Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains, and is celebrated globally by Indian and South Asian communities. It commemorates the triumph of light…

Source There are two great forces in the universe, silence and speech. Silence prepares, speech creates. The strength of noise and activity is great. But infinite is the strength of stillness and silence, in which great forces prepare for action. To be capable of silence, stillness and illuminated passivity is to be fit for immortality.— Sri Aurobido (1879-1950)

Source ROBBINSVILLE, NEW JERSEY, October 16, 2017 (India West): Amidst a large gathering of devotees, BAPS leader HH Mahant Swami Maharaj inaugurated the Svaminarayana-siddhanta-sudha, a traditionally composed Sanskrit text, at the Swaminarayan Akshardham temple Sept. 17 here. The assembly was a celebration of three events: inauguration of the Svaminarayana-siddhanta-sudha; the Sri Kasi Vidvat Parisad recognizing Sri Svaminarayana’s Vedanta as Aksara-Purusottama…

Source DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, October 16, 2017 (Daily News): A Diwali festival celebration was held in Durban, South Africa on October 14th. The popular Hindu festival of lights celebrates good over evil and, symbolically, light shining in darkness. The festival attracts over 100,000 visitors who get to participate in the parading of floats and chariots, singing devotional songs, dances, games…

Source LONDON, ENGLAND, October 15, 2017 (ITV): There was dancing in Trafalgar Square on Sunday as people gathered to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. Around 35,000 came to central London for the event, which has been hosted at Trafalgar Square on 16 occasions. The sunny setting was the perfect atmosphere for people from around the world to join…

Source AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, October 4, 2017 (Stuff): Tens of thousands of people packed Aotea Square and upper Queen Street in celebration of the 16th annual Indian festival of light – one of Auckland’s biggest and most colorful festivals. The sound of rhythmic drumming and sumptuous smells filled the air, growing more intense the closer you came to the heart…