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Showing posts from May 8, 2009


Hindu in Britain Loses Law Suit on Cremation on Traditional Open-Air Funeral Pyre

Davender Ghai, an elderly Hindu man, who wants an open-air cremation in United Kingdom when he dies, lost his case in the High Court in London . The devout Hindu was challenging the decision by Newcastle City Council in 2006, northeast England, which denied to let his body be burnt on an open-air pyre in line with his Hindu religious beliefs. Davender Ghai is the founder of the Anglo-Asian Friendship Society (AAFS) and had argued that a traditional open-air funeral pyre was essential for the release of his spirit into the afterlife and had suggested a site in a remote part of Northumberland. He wants his body to receive Vedic last rights and burned close to flowing water. Similar to what is the usual practice in Kashi. BBC Reports On Friday, Mr Justice Cranston ruled that pyres were prohibited by law, and the prohibition was "justified". Mr Justice Cranston said that Justice Secretary Jack Straw, who had resisted Mr Ghai's legal challenge, argued that peop

Download books of Nisargadatta Maharaj in English in PDF format for Free

Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj (1897 – 1981), an Indian spiritual teacher and philosopher of Advaita, is noted for his direct and simple explanation of non-dualism (Advaita). ‘I AM THAT’, an English translation of his talks in Marathi by Maurice Frydman, brought him worldwide recognition and followers. Now a website dedicated to Nisargadatta Maharaj – nisargadatta.org – is offering all the books of Nisargadatta Maharaj in English in PDF format for free download. The books that can be downloaded are: I am THAT, Seeds of Consciousness, Prior to Consciousness, Consciousness and the Absolute, Pointers from Nisargadatta Maharaj, The Nectar of Immortality, The Ultimate Medicine, Gleanings from Nisargadatta, I am Unborn and Self Knowledge and Self Realization. If you have not heard about Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj here is an example of his teachings: Nisargadatta Maharaj: The sweetness is the nature of sugar; but that sweetness is there only so long as the sugar is present. Once

Tirupati Darshan Booking Counter at Udupi

The E-Darshan facility is Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) online services to pilgrims in India on a single window system. An E-Darshan was opened at Geetha Mandira at Udupi in Karnataka. This is the second counter in the state, the first is in Bangalore . The system enables a devotee to book special darshan, Archana Anthara Darshan, Nijapada Darshanam and accommodation at Tirumala in advance. The counter will prepare bio-metric identity (computerised photograph and fingerprints) of those devotees wishing to visit the temple and record them in the temple's service ticket. Tickets for TTD's various Sevas like Srinivasa Darshana (Rs. 50), Post Archana Darshana (Rs. 200 barring Fridays) and lodging facilities can be reserved through this counter. A total of 7,500 Seva tickets will be reserved online everyday, on a first come-first serve basis at Udupi. Udupi's service counter will be open on all days of the week except Tuesday. On weekdays the co