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Showing posts from June, 2009


Oldest Man in India – Vedas and Vegetarian Diet the Secret to Long Life

Aged 112, Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi of Bangalore is believed to be the oldest man in India . This after British veteran Henry Allingham, aged 113, was declared officially the oldest man in the world by the Guinness World Records. Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi of Bangalore says the secret of his long life is laughing, loving, strict vegetarian diet, vitamin tablets and a passion for the Vedas. Times of India Reports "Chaturveda is the master of all Vedas and my favourite," Pandit Sudhakar Chaturvedi said. "If one follows the Vedas and keep one's body, soul and speech pure, a healthy long life is in store for him," he added. This sprightly centenarian gives lectures, writes articles, is a consultant and walks around comfortably with a walking stick. India 's seniormost citizen's zest for life is infectious: "I have more to do in my life." His grand-daughter (who'd rather remain unnamed) says, "Dada was born on Ram Navami

Sri Narayana Guru Teachings

Sri Narayana Guru (1854 – 1928) was a saint and social reformer and he changed the fabric of Kerala society. Here are some his teachings from Atmopadesa Satakam. Wise men know that there is only Knowledge, so they remain one with it and do not struggle. For them the truth to be known is here and now. Those who do not know their secret think of it as an unknown entity to be sought and discovered. Under that illusion they struggle and agonize themselves. Only a few see the secret of the wise. Nobody remains established forever in a state of sameness. The process of becoming is going on; and all are subjected to this beginningless sport of the Divine. When all this is known in its entirety, one becomes happy beyond measure. There is neither any death nor birth nor any manifested form of life. There are neither men nor gods nor anything of that sort there are only names and forms. Their substance is only that of a mirage in a desert and that is, for sure, no substan

Ancient Temple Dedicated to Poet Kalidasa at Kendrapara in Orissa

Kalidasa, the author of the immortal classic Abhijnanashakuntalam and the greatest Sanskrit poet and dramatist, is worshipped in a century old temple at Babkarpur Village in Kendrapara in Orissa. The villagers are very well aware of the greatness of poet Kalidas, who is believed to have lived during the fourth century AD. The temple has a rock-cut idol of Kalidasa and pujas are offered daily by a Hindu priest. The Hindu Reports Noted Sanskrit researcher Dillip Dutta is fascinated with the annual ritual. "I rushed to the village to trace the unique legacy ... Initially I was under the impression that people had mistaken him to be a Hindu God and installed the idol in the temple." "But locals are well aware that they are worshipping the great Sanskrit poet. For them he is God," says Dutta, from Mugberia Gangadhar Mahavidyalaya in West Bengal's East Midnapur . The temple might have come up with the patronage of the local zamindar during the British

Book: The Mahabharat Re-Imagined

The Mahabharat Re-Imagined written by Trisha Das and published by Rupa Publications is a collection of scenes from the Mahabharata and they have been interpreted by the author based on her level of thinking and imagination. One of the reasons for the universal and eternal appeal of the Mahabharat is that it allows a reader the freedom of interpretation and to suggest an explanation or criticize a character’s behavior. Trisha Das imagines how her Draupadi in Mahabharata would have behaved, if she was asked to marry the five Pandava brothers. 'Do you ask that my body, worshipped by my father's subjects and untouched by any man, now succumb to five men? Draupadi waved her hands wildly as she inched closer to Kunti, her shrill voice resounding off the walls, 'I would rather jump into the river and drown myself. At least I would die a princess, not a prostitute.' The author has taken such liberties with many scenes in the Mahabharata. Some of her other im

Meera – Serial based on Meerabai on NDTV Imagine

NDTV Imagine will be soon telecasting a serial based on Meera Bai – a young Rajput princess whose love and devotion to Lord Krishna made her give up everything and thus elevated her to the status of a saint. The devotional songs Meerabhai had created in praise of Lord Krishna are considered to be the best Krishna Bhakti Bhajans and it continues to draw millions towards Krishna . The television serial Meera is produced by Sagar Arts. It is popularly believed that young Meera was just four years of age, she found herself to be deeply drawn towards Lord Krishna. As she grew older, her desire to be with her Lord grew more intense and she resolved to be committed to him forever. Despite being forced into marriage with another man (Prince Bhoj Raj), she defied the social norms and continued to worship Lord Krishna as her lover. The characters in Serial Meera will be essayed by a new generation of actors: Young Meera – Aashika Bhatia Meera’s mother (Veer Kunwari) – Gauri Har

Hindu Temple Tour and Wedding Pujas to Help Singles Find Life Partners

If you are a bachelor and not able to get married or if you are a parent of a son or daughter with marriage related problems like delay in wedding then Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation has just created a wedding spiritual package – a tour of Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu that specialize in wedding poojas. There are numerous temples in Tamil Nadu where it is believed that if unmarried people offer their prayers they get married soon. Devout Hindus can conduct pujas at 11 temples in Tamil Nadu that are believed to help in solving marriage related problems. It is popularly believed that by praying and offering pujas at Thiruvidanthai, Mudichur, Thirumanan­ch­eri, Thiruserai, Madurai , Thiruvengadam, Thirukarukaoor, Thiruveezhamazhalai, Nallur Kalyana Sundareshwarar, Nathchiar Koil and Uppiliappan Koil people find solutions to their marital worries. ExpressBuzz reports The service would leave on Friday evening, starting July 3, from the city and will drop the devotee

Digital Art Pictures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses – Online Gallery

Digital Art Pictures of Hindu Gods and Goddesses with Shabda mantras and Beeja mantras in Devanagari is created by Rajesh Srivatsa . The present set of ten images are based on Agni Durga, Bhadra Ganesh, Ganesha, Karyasiddhi Hanuman, Krishna, Naga, Narasimha, Shiva, Surya and Varaha. The symbols, colors and details used in the images are taken from both the Puranic and Tantric scriptures. The images are available for sale and you can find more details about the images and buy them here . The online gallery is owned by Raghavendra Reddy. The images are copyrighted to Rajesh Srivatsa.

Bhagavad Gita now available in rare Rajbangshi Language Spoken in Nepal

Rajbangshi Language is spoken by some communities living in Eastern Nepal and northern parts of West Bengal in India . It is estimated that around 300,000 people speak the Rajbangshi. The sacred Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita has now been translated into Rajbangshi Language by Pawan Rajbanshi, a journalist from Jhapa in eastern Nepal . Earlier the people who speak Rajbangshi Language used to read the Bhagavad Gita in Nepali, Bengali, Hindi or English. This new translation will enrich the Rajbangshi Language and take the Bhagavad Gita to more common people in the community. Rajbanshis mainly live in Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari in Eastern Nepal and in some parts of West Bengal . You May Also Like To Read Bhagavad Gita and Wealth Creation Download Bhagavad Gita in Tamil Download Bhagavad Gita in Hindi Download Bhagavad Gita in English with commentary by Swami Chinmayananda

Picture Book based on Pandarpur Yatra – Wari – Pilgrimage of Joy

“Wari – Pilgrimage of Joy” by Sandesh Bhandare from Pune is a pictorial representation of the annual Pandarpur Yatra from Alandi to Lord Vithal Temple in Pandarpur. The pilgrimage known as ‘Wari’ is undertaken in Maharashtra by millions of “Warkari” (pilgrims) and has entirely been a peoples' initiative. The book was released in English and French by Heritage India Communications Pvt Ltd. “Wari – Pilgrimage of Joy” was originally published in Marathi in 2008 and was a major success. The 147-page book in English has around 130 color photographs focusing on the daily routine of the pilgrims. Times of India reports "I had put up an exhibition of the photographs of the wari in France in March this year. There was a lot of curiosity about Indian heritage there and hence the publishers thought of publishing the book in French," Bhandare said. "The Marathi book received a very good response from the people and since our aim is to take Indian heritage

Upanayana Samskara for Girls – Janoi or Sacred Thread Ceremony for Women

Wearing of sacred thread, also known as Janoi, is mainly reserved for the Hindu males. Upanayana Samskara for girls and women is very rarely performed. But in Vidyamandir College in Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, Upanayana Samskara for girls and girls wearing sacred thread (Janoi) is not a rarity. The college has in the past 13 years performed the Upanayana Samskara of as many as 25 girls. In Hinduism, the Upanayana Samskara ceremony gives a child a second birth and entitles him to study the Vedas and participate in Vedic functions. In essence, after the Janoi wearing ceremony, the child commences his journey on the road to spiritual life. Deccan Herald Reports The Kanpur-based Vidyamandir College, which has received ‘A’ grade among all Girls’ Colleges in UP, will soon be holding an upanayan samsakara ceremony in which as many as 11 girls would be provided the ‘sacred thread’ amidst chanting of vedic hymns and mantras. Speaking to Deccan Herald from Kanpur , c

Jayateertha Vidyapeetha – School that Teaches Madhwa philosophy

The philosophy of Madhvacharya, based on Vedic tradition, is popularly known as Dvaita Vedanta or Tattvavada. As per Dvaita Vedanta, Lord Vishnu is Supreme and the world is real. Jayateertha Vidyapeetha, run by the Uttaradi Mutt, belonging to the Dwaita tradition founded by the 13th century Saint Madhwacharya, teaches Hindu traditions, knowledge in general, and Madhwa philosophy. Each student at Jayateertha Vidyapeetha is provided free education plus all the needs of the students are met by the school. Families of poor children are also helped financially by the school. The Vidyapeetha facilitates the students to take up SSLC exams as private candidates and also provides an opportunity for students to study (Sanskrit BA, MA etc) and write exams. C V Ramachandra writes about this unique institution in Express Buzz Jayateertha Vidyapeetha is silently inching closer to its silver jubilee year. What started as a small experiment at ‘Vidya Mandira’ in N R Colony at Banga

Hindu Christian Dialogue in Mumbai – another pointless exercise

Several Catholic Church and Christian websites are reporting about a dialogue between Catholics and Hindus in Mumbai on June 12, 2009. Some of the Holy Men and Saints who will be representing the Hindus include Kanchi Sankaracharya Swami Jayendra Saraswati and Sri Sri Ravisankar, Swami Vageeshananda (Ramakrishna Mission) and Dadi Janakiji (Prajapati Brahma Kumaris). The list provided by official Catholic websites also includes the name of Swami Chidananda Saraswati (who is mentioned as president, Divine Life Society, Uttaranchal. But Swami Chidanandaji attained Mahasamadhi (passed away) in August 2008. Majority of the Christians in India and Hindus have no problem and they respect each others faith. The problem is for a minority in both the communities – who are the self-proclaimed agents and defenders of the respective religions. A minority in Christian community in India still dreams of converting India into a Christian country. A minority in Hindu community opposes this

Book: The Thousand Names of Shirdi Sai Baba

The book titled ‘The Thousand Names of Shirdi Sai Baba’ extols the glory of Shirdi Sai Baba. The Thousand Names of Shirdi Sai Baba is popularly known as Sri Sai Sahasranamavali and is chanted by devotees while worshipping Baba. Each of the thousand names introduces the greatness of Baba to a devotee. This book is authored by Sri B.V.Narasimha Swamiji. The supreme purifier, enlightener, elixir (the philosopher's stone), ambrosia (the food and drink of the God) and divine nectar are some of the names and attributes found in the book. Shirdi Sai Baba devotees believe that the recitation of the thousand names of Shirdi Sai Baba will bestow good health, beauty, strength, vigor and vitality. The repetition of the thousand names of Shirdi Sai Baba will help a devotee overcome lust, anger, greed etc. ‘The Thousand Names of Shirdi Sai Baba’ is published by Sterling Publishers and the book is available Sanskrit, English and Hindi. The Thousand Names of Shirdi Sai Baba Au

Basumati Snana Festival in Odisha

Basumati Snana festival is dedicated to Mother Earth and is celebrated mainly in Odisha in India . The festival is sort of a continuation of the Raja Sankranti festival. Special poojas are offered to Mother Earth for nourishing all the living beings. In 2024, the date of Basumati Snana is June 17. Goddess Mahalakshmi, symbolizing Mother Earth, during the festival is offered sacred water. The idol (murti of Maa Laxmi) is also smeared with sandalwood paste. Special pujas are performed on farmlands. People pray for a good harvest during the next agricultural season. All these unique festivals still observed in rural Odisha is a reminder of the wisdom of our ancestors. They valued the importance of nature. They lived in harmony with nature without tampering its rhythm. If we do not adapt the wisdom of our forefathers, the human race will face umpteen problems and will soon perish like the dinosaurs. 

Mithuna Sankranti

Mithun Sankranti, also known as Aashadh Sankranti, marks the beginning of the Sun’s transition from Vrishabha Rashi to Mithuna Rashi (Taurus to Gemini). There are 12 Sankranthi in a Hindu Solar Calendar and Mithuna Sankranti is the last cycle in the Uttarayana period. In 2024, the date of Mithun Sankranti is June 15. Time from 7:20 AM of June 15. ‘San’ means plenty and good and ‘Kranti’ means radical change and Sankranthi means plenty of good change. Raja Sankranti is observed during the period in Odisha. The rainy season starts in some parts of Indian during the Mithuna Sankranti. Dakshinayana starts with the end of Mithun Sankranti in South India.

What Is Pitrayana In Hinduism? Night Time Of Devas

Dakshinayana is the southern transit of the Sun. In Hinduism, a human year is equal to one day of gods. Dakshinayana is the night of the Devas and Uttarayana is the daytime. The Uttarayana and Dakshinayana period is calculated differently in South and North India . In North Indian calendars, Dakshinayana in 2024 begins on June 21. In South Indian calendars, it begins on July 16, 2024 and ends with Uttarayana on January 14, 2024 . In South India, Uttarayana period starts with Makar Sankranti on January 14 or 15 and ends on July 14 or 15. Dakshinayana is from July 14 or 15 to Makar Sankranti. This method of calculation of the period of Sun’s transit is known as the Nirayana System and in it Dakshinayana starts when ‘nirayana surya’ enters cancer. In North India , Uttarayana period starts on December 21 and ends on June 21. Dakshinayana is from June 21 to December 21. This method of calculation of the period of Sun’s transit is known as Drika Siddhanta and in this method Dakshinay

Somnath Temple Turns to Solar Energy to Set an Example in Energy Conservation

The world famous Somnath Temple in Gujarat , India , is implementing the use of non-conventional lighting in the temple premises to promote energy conservation. The somnath temple administration has installed two streetlights which run on solar energy. And if found feasible and efficient, the temple administration is planning to replace traditional lights with solar powered lamps. Somnath Temple , dedicated to Lord Shiva, is one of the twelve Aadi Jyotirlings. Millions of pilgrims visit Somnath Temple in a year. Indian Express Reports Dr Kamlesh Raval, manager, Somnath Temple Trust, said: “We have installed two of these lamp posts in front of the inquiry office on a trial basis. The temple administration had consulted energy conservation experts in this regard. We are satisfied with the initial result. If the plan succeeds, we plan to reduce the dependence on traditional lights by installing more of these.” He said solar streetlights also keep insects at bay unli

Alakananda River Endangered by Hydroelectric Projects

Alakananda River is one of the most important headstreams of Ganga River . Alaknanda, a glacial river, meets Bhagirathi River at Devprayag in Uttarakhand and later turns to Ganga . But Alakananda is now drying up even before it meets Ganga due to huge hydroelectric projects. In short, this will endanger River Ganga and badly affect its flow. Alakananda River is a holy river and legend it has that Alakananda was formed while Mother Ganga descended on to earth. Badrinath Temple is located on the banks of Alakananda River . D S Kunwar writes in Times of India about the drying up of Alakananda Alaknanda, which once sliced through the Lambagar area just below the 400 mw Vishnu Prayag hydroelectric power project in Chamoli, doesn’t flow there any more. Reason: heavy construction work for a hydroelectric project has forced it to change its course. Environmentalists warn that a delicate ecological balance in the area has been gravely imperilled and say that up to 26

Lord Ram is Abusive and Lord Hanuman is Slave for The Brooklyn Rail

As a child I used to listen to my Grandmother and Grandfather chanting Rama Rama Pahimam, Rama Padam Cheerane Mukunda Rama Pahimam, prayer dedicated to Lord Ram. Nowadays, in the morning I wake up listening to Jai Jai Shri Ram… of my neighbor. Similar prayers are chanted in millions of Hindu homes and Lord Ram is worshipped by millions of people around the world. But for an overenthusiastic writer who is ignorant of Hinduism at The Brooklyn Rail, Lord Ram is abusive and impotent, and Hanuman is a slave and a buffoon. The Brooklyn Rail publishes critical perspectives on arts, politics and culture. Lisa Moricoli-Latham was reviewing Sita Sings the Blues, an animated film, which is a personal interpretation of the epic Ramayana by Nina Paley. The animator, Nina Paley, was abandoned by her husband by e-mail. She finds parallel between her situation and that of Mata Sita. This animated film is in news for more than four years and recently it got a few awards, ran into a copyright

Champak Chaturdashi Vrat

Champak Chaturdashi Vrat is observed on the 14th day during the Shukla Paksha (waxing phase of moon in Jyeshta month (May – June). Champak Chaturdashi is dedicated to Lord Shiva and it is believed that observing the Vrata will help in curing lung related problems. This belief is more popular in Bengal and eastern parts of India . In 2024, the date of Champak Chaturdashi is June 21. Champak Chaturdasi is observed the day before Jyestha Purnima – full moon day in Jyeshta month. A clay idol of Shiva is created and the deity is offered champak flowers and other usual items related to Shiva puja.

Museum based on Hindu Scriptures and Legends in Andhra Pradesh – Kunda Satyanarayana Kala Dhamam

Kunda Satyanarayana Kala Dhamam, at Surendrapuri near Yadagirigutta in Nalgonda District of Andhra Pradesh, is a mythological museum based on legends and stories from Hindu scriptures. The museum provides an opportunity to people to get acquainted important episodes and characters from Hindu scriptures like Puranas, Mahabharata, Ramayana etc. The museum is about 96km from Hyderabad and is located on Yadagirigutta Road . A visitor can see models of all the important Hindu pilgrim centers like Gangotri, Kashi, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Amarnath, Tirupati etc. There also models of the Sapta Lokas mentioned in the Puranas – Brahm Lok, Vishnu Lok, Shiva Lok, Naga Lok, Indra Lok, Yama Lok, Pathal etc., Another important exhibit is the paintings on the life of Lord Hanuman. Kunda Satyanarayana Kala Dhamam is located on Yadagirigutta Road and just 2 KM before Yadagirigutta in Nalgonda District in Andhra Pradesh , India . You can find more details about Kunda Satyanaray

Women in Hinduism

Hindu Scriptures see women as equal (not just women but all living beings) but in real life equality is missing and is conveniently ignored. Recently I came across an article titled ‘Original Hindu scriptures saw women as equal’ in The Huntsville Times by Dr. Narayana P. Bhat, a secretary of the board of trustees of the Hindu Cultural Center of North Alabama. In a very short article he describes how various Hindu scriptures see women and why Hindus should return to the Vedic tradition which treated women equally. A highlight of the article is that Mr Bhat is not oblivious of reality and states that there are Hindu scriptures which have writings denigrating women and also about the present status of women in Hindu society, which is not very encouraging. Here are some excerpts from the article The documentary account of women in Hinduism is dependent on the specific scripture and the context. That women and men are equal in the eyes of dharma (righteousness) is made

Arjun – The Warrior Prince – Animated Movie Based on Arjuna of Mahabharata

Arjun – The Warrior Prince is based on the life of Arjun, the third Pandava brother, in the Mahabharata. Arjun is directed by Arnab Chaudhari and is produced by UTV Motion Pictures. From the trailer available it looks like this animated movie based on a character from Hindu scriptures is different from the earlier ones at least on the quality of animation.

Sculptures of Varadaraja Perumal Temple at Kanchipuram to be Restored – Thanks to REACH

Rural Education and Conservation of Heritage (REACH) is involved in the restoration and preservation of the sculptural heritage of India . Popularly known as REACH Foundation , the organization is currently involved in the restoration of the exquisite sculptures in the 100-pillar mandapa of the Varadaraja Perumal Temple at Kancheepuram in Tamil Nadu. Indian Institute of Technology, Madras , is also involved in the project. Varadaraja Perumal Temple at Kancheepuram is more than 1200 years old and became famous during the Chola period (11th Century AD). The present sanctum sanctorum and the vimana were constructed during the 16th century by Vijayanagara rulers. The beautiful sculptures at the temple are covered by thick layers of lime plaster and the REACH Foundation is in the process of removing it. Sculptures include those of Hindu gods, other personalities from Hindu scriptures, aspects of daily life and animals. The Hindu Reports The instruments for the re

Harmukh Gangbal Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir after 100 years

Harmukh Gangbal is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located at an altitude of 12000 feet in Ganderbal District in Jammu and Kashmir in India . The pilgrimage to the Harmukh Gangbal Temple is a 3-day yatra and has been revived after a gap of 100 years. It is believed that the Harmukh Gangba Lake here is formed from the waters of Ganga flowing down from the hair locks of Lord Shiva. The yatra coincides with Ganga Dasara or Ganga Puja during the Shukla Paksha in Jyeshta Month , the day when Goddess Ganga is believed to have descended on to Earth. Gangbal is also known as Harmukut Ganga and is an important pilgrim spot for Kashmiri Pandits. Ashes of the dead were immersed in the Lake by devotees in olden days as part of Tarpan rituals. Gangabal is the name of the Lake and Harmukut is a Mountain. To reach the sacred lake one has to trek through a steep ladder-like path known as Yamhear meaning Lord Yama's ladder. Lord Yama is the God of Death in Hinduism and th