CD?ROM
Tribute to Tirupati
Tirumala Tirupati Temple, arguably the most widely revered, well-attended and richest temple in the world, can now be explored on CD-ROM before you pilgrimage there. Besides the long history and mythology of the hill sanctuary, "Tirumala Tirupati: A Cosmic High" by Unnaty Vastu Consultants, shares a closeup video darshan of the bejeweled Lord Venkatesvara–more than the three seconds you'll get at the temple in person! You'll learn ways to secure a longer look at the deity, and how to plan a smooth stay. Unnaty Vastu Consultants, 207 Majestic Shopping Center, J.S.S. Road, Girgaum, Mumbai 400004 India. Website: www.allindian.com
TEMPLES
American Worship
Pilgrimage to us sanctuaries without leaving home using the "On Common Ground: World Religions in America" CD from Columbia University Press. More than 80 featured Hindu temples include the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Pennsylvania and Meenakshi Temple in Texas. You'll listen to priests, devotees and second-generation youth talk about their faith. Plus see puja rituals, listen to the Ganesha Saranam chant and much more. Write: Columbia University Press, 136 South Broadway, Irvington, New York 10533 USA. E-mail: cw204@columbia.edu. Website: www.columbia.edu/cu/cup
LANGUAGE
500,000 Words
Wonder how english words translate into Sanskrit and most other Indian languages? Check out the massive Indian Lexicon website of half a million words at http://sarasvati.simple net.com. Click molasses and you'll find it is vicayam in Tamil, vetsa in Telegu and visi in Kannada. That's not all you get–you'll also learn that guraudha names a ceremony where the bridegroom's elder brother offers molasses and ornaments to the bride! The lexicon, showcasing the semantic repertoire of India circa 3000 bce, aims to facilitate deciphering the inscriptions and script of the ancient Sarasvati-Sindhu civilization. The work covers over 8,300 semantic clusters which bind the Indian languages, showing they have common roots solely in India, not in European languages.
CHRONICLE
Ashram Daze
It's new. it's hot. it's diverse. And it changes, every day. The "Today at Kauai Aadheenam" [http://www.himalayanacademy.com/taka/] website features daily updates of life at Hinduism Today's Hawaii ashram. See a photo of HT's publisher with guests he met that morning. Hear a five-minute inspirational audio clip he recorded just for you. At "Today's Happenings," find out what the ashram monks did yesterday, and "Hot Masala" feeds news and tips, such as making mango pickle! "Lesson of the Day" gives you practical advice and a second audio track of Satguru reading from Merging with Siva.