UNITED STATES, January 19, 2024 (Religion News Service): The consecration of a temple to the Hindu God Ram, in the northern Indian city said to be his birthplace, will be marked with state-sponsored fanfare this weekend, completing a years-long transformation of a once sleepy village into a bustling destination for pilgrims and tourists. But in the United States, the events…
PENANG, MALAYSIA, January 21, 2024 (The Malaysian Insight): Hindu Endowment Board chairman R.S.N. Rayer announced that one million Hindu devotees are expected to throng Penang from January 24 to 26 to celebrate the Thaipusam festival. He added that this year will be different, as for the first time, both the gold and silver chariots will feature in the procession to…
CHENNAI, INDIA, January 21, 2024 (HPI): With the controversy over the Ayodhya Ram temple prana pratishta, installation of the main Deity, Hinduism Today sought the view of Selvanathan Sthapati, one of South India’s most highly regarded temple architects. He said there was no merit to the view that the entire temple necessarily had to be completely finished before the installation.…
AYODHYA, INDIA January 21, 2024 (YouTube): The new Ram Lalla statue was consecrated at the newly constructed temple here on Monday amid grand celebrations in the town, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi participating in the rituals. The prime minister walked inside the temple premises with a silver chattar (umbrella) placed on a red folded dupatta after 11 days of personal…
TEXAS, USA, January 22, 2024 (Cleburne Times Review): Indians worldwide joyously marked the historic inauguration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, fostering a global celebration transcending borders. In New York’s Times Square, chants of “Jai Shri Ram” echoed, while Sydney saw car rallies, and UK temples prepared ladoos. The Vishwa Hindu Parishad organized events and billboards across the United States,…
KAUAI, HAWAII, January 19, 2024 (Hinduism Today): Nataraja kept inspiring us to complete 30 months’ work in just six months.” That’s how Govind Mohan of the Indian government’s Ministry of Culture described their commissioning of a 27-foot-tall sculpture of God Siva as Lord of Dance to be installed in time for the G-20 Summit of global economic leaders held September…
INDIA, January 18, 2024 (Swarajya, by Aravindan Neelakandan): The recent disputes surrounding the Shankaracharyas and their purported neglect of the Prana Prathishtha ceremony at the Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya have introduced an uncomfortable element into an otherwise joyous homecoming of Shri Ram to Ayodhya. Most of the news, however, around them is either distorted, exaggerated, sensationalized or utterly false.…
KAUAI, HAWAII, January 14, 2024 (Hinduism Today, by Lavina Melwani): You can now travel to India without boarding a plane or even leaving your home in America! Indeed, you will think you have arrived in 17th-century India, but you are actually in a small, very American town—Robbinsville, New Jersey. In this bustling, fast-growing town, you drive through typical suburbia—homes, malls,…
INDIA, January 16, 2024 (New Indian Express): KK Muhammed, 71, was part of the Archaeological Survey of India team that excavated the Babri Masjid site in Ayodhya in 1976 where the Ram temple now stands. While stating the demolition of Babri Masjid did shock him as an archaeologist, Muhammed is of the view Muslims must willingly hand over Gyanvapi and Mathura…
KAUAI, HAWAII, January 16, 2024 (Hinduism Today, by Balakumar Muthu): Located amidst the grandeur of three famous UNESCO World Heritage destinations—Darasuram, Gangaikondacholapuram and the Brihadeeswara Temple, known jointly as the Grand Living Chola temples—INDeco Hotels is a haven of tranquility and heritage stay. Nestled in Thimmakudy Village at Swamimalai, Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu, INDeco offers a luxurious escape from city life…
