Why Restoration of Timeless Temples is Important for New India

NEW MEXICO, USA, October 13, 2022 (firstpost.com, by David Frawley): India has historically been a great land of magnificent temples. Temples were not only important sites for religious worship but also served as centers of learning, art, community gatherings and festivals. Temples held great wealth and were the pride of the communities in which they were built. Such temples became…

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Are McDonald’s Fries Vegan?

USA, October 14, 2022 (sentientmedia.org): HPI Note: This question about McDonald’s fries comes up every decade or so, and the answer is always the same: No, they are not vegan and may or may not be vegetarian. Here’s the latest round: The most popular item at McDonald’s isn’t a burger. The fast food stalwart may have served over 300 billion…

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Ahoi Ashtami: The Day Mothers Fast for their Children

INDIA, October 16, 2022 (globenewsinsider.com): The relationship between mother and child is precious. Ahoi Ashtami, this year on Oct 17, is about the special bond between mother and child. It is the ashtami day in the lunar calendar five days prior to the start of Diwali (this year on October 22). On this auspicious day, mothers fast from dawn to…

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Religious Studies’ 75th Anniversary: 1948 – 2023

MONTREAL, CANADA, October 10, 2022 (McGill University Press Release): The School of Religious Studies at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, as part of its 75th anniversary celebrations, will release a series of videos on Hinduism entitled: DIALOGUES ON HINDUISM. The videos will be serially released at one-week intervals in honor of Mahatma Gandhi, a leading Hindu of our times. The…

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God’s Own Crocodile: Kerala Temple Accords Sacred Burial to Babiya

KERALA, INDIA, October 11, 2022 (Indian Express): In a rare gesture, a Kerala temple on Monday accorded “bhu samadhi” to a crocodile, named Babiya, that died in the shrine’s pond on Sunday night and a post-mortem cited the death due to old age. Since that crocodile has long been part of the lore of Sree Ananthapadmanabha Swamy Temple at Kumbla…

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Dubai’s Newest Hindu temple Officially Opens Its Doors to Residents in Jebel Ali’s Worship Village

DUBAI, October 4, 2022 (Khaleej Times): A powerful message of tolerance, peace and harmony, bringing together people from various faiths, marked the official opening ceremony of the newest Hindu temple in Dubai today. Located in a neighborhood referred to as the emirate’s worship village, the temple formally opened its doors to worshippers across the UAE on Tuesday, October 4. The…

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My Native Treasures: Thanjavur Dancing Dolls

INDIA, September 28, 2022 (India Currents by Jayashree Krishnan): My early childhood journey began in the rich soil of my native land, Thanjavur (formerly called Tanjore), a city in Tamil Nadu, India. Most of the existing great Chola Temples, which are UNESCO World Heritage Monuments, are located in and around Thanjavur. Thanjavur’s paintings, handicrafts, silk weaving, Tamil literature, classical dance…

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Top Five Heresies Among American Evangelicals

USA, September 19, 2022 (Christianity Today): American evangelicals’ grasp on theology is slipping, and more than half affirmed heretical views of God in this year’s State of Theology survey, released today by Ligonier Ministries and Lifeway Research. Overall, adults in the US are moving away from orthodox understandings of God and his Word year after year. More than half of…

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Thousands Watch Kumari Puja on Maha Ashtami in West Bengal

KOLKATA, INDIA, October 3,2022 (India Blooms): Thousands of devotees from across India and abroad congregated at Belur Math — the global headquarters of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission — to watch Kumari puja, or the worship of a young girl Monday as the Durga puja carnival peaked in West Bengal. After night-long pandal hopping, people in the eastern state…

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