Source (place of origin unknown), July 7, 2017 (YouTube): Image and temple worship form the central practice for many Hindus. However, the unfamiliar rituals and ideas can often be judged as primitive and pagan. But as this video explains, Hindus see God not only as transcendent but immanent in creation. Through the science of ritual and faith the infinite omnipresent…
Source SOUTH AFRICA, July 8, 2017 (Rising Sun): The organizers for the Lord Ganesha Float Procession held its 11th annual launch at the Shree Marieammen Temple in Mount Edgecombe on Friday. The function was well attended and devotees enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of satsangs, dances and tucked into a delicious supper. The organizers awarded certificates to the temples who had…
Source KASHMIR, INDIA, July 11, 2017 (BBC): Seven Hindu pilgrims, six of them women, have been killed in a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir after their bus apparently got caught in crossfire. The bus was returning from the Amarnath Cave pilgrimage site in the Anantnag district when the attack took place. Police told the BBC the target appeared to be…
Source A “Dial-a-Prayer” app has been released for atheists. You call it up, it rings and rings, but nobody answers.
Source HYDERABAD, INDIA, July 3, 2017 (Deccan Chronicle): Devotees visiting major temples have to pay more from July. Major temples, which have more than US$31,000 annual revenue, are brought under GST purview. There are 149 such temples in Telangana state. Section 73 of the GST Act states renting of rooms, where charges are $15.50 or more per day, renting of…
Source HYDERABAD, INDIA, July2, 2017 (Deccan Herald): It seems even gods cannot exempt themselves from GST (the newly instituted Goods and Services Tax), as 171 temples in Andhra Pradesh above US$31,000 income have come under the new tax regime. There are 23,834 temples in the state, of which 45 temples come under the $155,000 income category, 63 temples up to…
Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 6, 2017: India is looking about for the acknowledgement of Ayurveda in Singapore as a traditional medicine and has been in talks with Singapore for the protection, propagation and certification of Ayurveda as such. On June 21, Singapore hosted the second International Conference on Ayurveda. “People look at the rising costs of medical treatments, the…
Source NEW DELHI, INDIA, June 20, 2017 (Financial Express): Accepting the request of the state government, the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council on Sunday decided to exempt Prasadam and human hair at the Tirupati temple from tax. The proposal was placed by the Andhra Pradesh minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu during the 17th GST Council meeting which was held in New…
Source INDIA, June 19, 2017 (First Post): [HPI is posting several stories today on the impact of the new GST tax on Hindu institutions. There are some descrepancies between the reports.] A whopping US$7.75-15.5 million Goods and Service Tax (GST) burden stares at the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) which manages the world’s richest temple of Lord Venkateswara at Tirumala. This…
Source Spirituality is neither the privilege of the poor nor the luxury of the rich. It is the choice of the wise man. — Swami Chinmayananda (1916-1993), founder of Chinmaya Mission