VARANASI, INDIA, August 11, 2023 (The National News): At the crack of dawn, Pramod Manjhi, a fifth-generation boatman, begins his day by dipping his cupped hands in the Ganges river and splashing his face with holy water. Each year, at least 20 million people visit the river, one of Hinduism’s holiest, Varanasi city, also known as Kashi. The city in…
LONDON, ENGLAND, August 15, 2023 (YouTube): The UK’s Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, joined a large gathering of devotees today to listen to Morari Babu’s Ram Katha (presentations from the Ramayana). In an inspiring short talk given during the event, the PM said his Hindu faith guides him in every aspect of his life and gives him the courage to do…
INDIA, August 9, 2023 (Indian Express): Ganesh Chaturthi will begin on September 19 this year. The festival in honor of Lord Ganesha is celebrated with much pomp and zeal across several states such as Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka. The Ganesh Utsav festival, celebrated for a period of 10 days, will conclude as Ganesha Visarjan on September 28.…
LAHAINA, MAUI, HAWAII, USA, August 11, 2023 (indiatvnews.com): [HPI NOTE: Hinduism Today’s offices on Kauai island were not impacted by the Lahaina fire, which took place on Maui island, hundreds of miles from us.] One of Lahaina’s most famous landmarks is an enormous 150-year-old banyan tree in the center of town which was brought from India as an eight-foot sapling…
MUMBAI, INDIA, August 7, 2023 (Hindustan Times): The love for Ganpati Bappa knows no boundaries. For the first time, a 16 ft statue has been shipped from Mumbai to Toronto in Canada for Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav celebrations planned there. Called Canadacha Raja, the statue is being sent to an event agency named Blue Peacock Entertainment, the organizers of Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav in…
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, July 22, 2023 (India Post): BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) commenced the Festival of Inspirations in Robbinsville, NJ, in the auspicious presence of Mahant Swami Maharaj, the spiritual leader of BAPS, and David Fried, the Mayor of Robbinsville, NJ on July 16, 2023. The festival is a celebration that exalts the rich tapestry of diversity, art, architecture, values, and…
MUMBAI, INDIA, August 4, 2023 (Indian Express): Pepper, considered the King of Spices, has been traded around the world since antiquity, prized for its flavor, scarcity and supernatural origins. At one point, the spice became so coveted that it facilitated the Age of Discovery, as European colonial powers battled each other for dominance over the commodity. The history of the…
NEPAL, august 4, 2023 (Religion News Service, by Holly Walters): For more than 2,000 years, Hinduism, Buddhism and the Himalayan religion of Bon have venerated Shaligrams – ancient fossils of ammonites, a class of extinct sea creatures. Originating from a single remote region in northern Nepal – the Kali Gandaki River Valley of Mustang – Shaligram stones are viewed primarily…
INDIA, August 3, 2023 (New india Abroad): The Ministry of Home Affairs officially announced a new category of Ayush (AY) visa for foreign nationals seeking treatment under Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (Ayush) or Indian systems of medicine. The new visa category was announced by the Prime Minister at the Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit (GAIIS)…
KAUAI, HAWAII, USA, August 4, 2023 (Hinduism Today): The editors of hinduism Today are working on translating the Tamil songs of Tayumanavar into English. They are seeking assistance from someone familiar with the poet and adept in both English and Tamil. This will require minutes, not hours. If you can help, please contact our Editor in Chief at sadasivanatha@hindu.org. Mahalo,…
