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Showing posts from June, 2007


Comic Book on Indra – The King Gods from Virgin Comics

Indra – The King Gods from Virgin Comics is the third book in the India Authentic Series by Deepak Chopra after Ganesha and Kali . The book is written by Saurav Mohapatra and is slated to release on 11 th July 2007 . About Comic Book Indra from Virgin Comics I am Indra – the son of Dyaus. I am the Thunder! I am the King of Gods. Those that have stood before me have either become friends or have been crushed by my Vajra. Like Virithra, the serpent demon that held the waters of a young world hostage, and who could not be killed by any metal, or wood, or stone. I decimated him with my Vajra, crafted from the bones of the sage Dadhichi. I am the ruler of Svarga (Heaven,) master of the nubile Apsaras (nymphs,) the lord of Soma (the sweet wine of Ambrosia,) and the tamer of Airavaat, the four tusked elephant of lore. I invite you to come see for yourself the might of Indra and the splendor of Amarvati Prime, the city of Gods .

Invading the Sacred - An Analysis of Hinduism Studies in America

The book Invading the Sacred - An Analysis of Hinduism Studies in America uncovers the invisible networks behind a Hindu phobia especially in the American Academy that is systematically undermining core icons and ideals of Hindu culture and thought. The book contains a series of essays written by academicians and professionals and is edited by Krishnan Ramaswamy, Antonio de Nicolas and Aditi Banerjee. Some examples of undermining Hinduism The Bhagavad Gita is a dishonest book. Ganesha's trunk is a limp phallus. Devi is the mother with a penis. Shiva is a notorious womanizer and violent. Sri Ramakrishna is a pedophile who molested the young Swami Vivekananda. The bindi is a drop of menstrual fluid. There are more of these types of findings and modern interpretations of Hinduism and its symbols in American academy. The book Invading the Sacred - An Analysis of Hinduism Studies in America uncovers the senile people behind such monstrous accusations an

The All Stone Iraivan Hindu Temple in Kauai, Hawaii

Slowly and steadily an all-stone Iraivan Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva is rising at Kauai in Hawaii . If you are wondering what is this all-stone temple? Then refresh your memory and remember the great Chola temples of South India . Yes, completely built on stone. India has stopped building all-stone Hindu temples way back due the cost and dearth of skilled laborers. Construction of the Iraivan Hindu Temple began in 1990 and it could take another 10 years to finish. Parts of the temple are hand-carved in granite and shipped in pieces to the island from India and the temple has already incorporated 80 shipping containers worth of stone. On completion the 700-pound crystal Shiva lingam housed in Kauai Monastery will be installed in the temple. The Washington Post reports The $8 million temple to the god Shiva is the first all-stone Hindu temple outside of India , according to the Kauai monks. The project is a rarity even in India . ‘Actually it's th

Global Warming to Have Severe Effect on Hinduism

Hinduism is deeply rooted in Nature. Hindu religion believes in the Brahman – the Supreme Being that pervades in all animate and inanimate. Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita My Prakriti can be divided into eight-fold categories – Bhumi (earth), Apas (water), Anala (fire), Vayu (air), Kha (ether), Mana (mind), Buddhi (intellect), Ahankara (ego). (Bhagavad Gita Chapter VII, 4) The great sages of the past who laid the foundations of Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) knew the importance of Nature and that Human Beings are part of Nature not above Nature. Thus Mother Earth, the Sun, moon, mountains, rivers, animals and forests are all part of Hindu tradition. Hindus worship them as they are manifestations of the Supreme Being and their existence is necessary for the survival of the human race. But River Ganga, the Snowcapped Mountains that are the abode of Lord Shiva, the glaciers that serve the holy rivers are all under the threat of global warming. The very surviv

River Enters This Kerala Temple to Conduct the Holy Bath

In most of the temples in Kerala, there is a traditional holy bath of the deity on the closing day of the temple festival and this is locally known as ‘arattu.’ The priests carry the deity to a nearby river or other water body for the ‘arattu.’ But in the Thanikkudam Bhagavathy Temple in Thrissur, Kerala, the river enters the temple to conduct the holy bath or ‘arattu.’ The Thanikkudam Bhagavathy Temple is dedicated to Durga and the holy bath happens when the nearby Thanikkudam River overflows and enters the temple. During the monsoon rains (June – July) and during the (October – November) rains, the Thanikkudam River which surrounds the temple overflows and enters the sanctum sanctorum. The deity is never taken out for ‘arattu,’ so people in large numbers reach the temple when the river overflows. Another noteworthy aspect of this temple is that there is no roof for the sanctum sanctorum. The original idol is a swaymbhu (occurring naturally) Durga and is kept insi

The Monsoon Wedding of Lord Shiva and Parvati in Orissa

The Monsoon wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati is a five-day long festival in Sambalpur, Orissa and is known as Shital Shashthi (Sital Sasthi). An actual marriage of the two deities is conducted during the festival, which takes place in May-end or June. Preparations for the marriage begin with the selection of two couples from the area, who act as the parents of the groom and bride (Lord Shiva and Parvati). The bride’s parents adopt Goddess Parvati and this initiation is observed as Patrapendi. On this day a lavish dinner is arranged at the bride’s house. Two days later Goddess Parvati arrives at the home of her adopted parents. From her adopted home, the bride is taken in a grand procession for the marriage ceremony, which takes place during the night. Similarly, Lord Shiva, the bridegroom, arrives for the marriage ceremony. All the rituals that are part of normal marriage ceremony are followed for the divine wedding. The marriage takes place at the auspicious t

Razmnama – Illustrated Persian Translation of Mahabharata

Razmnama is an abridged translation of the Mahabharata written in Persian at the behest of the Mughal Emperor Akbar and dates to around 1598–99. The original book is no longer available as the pages from the original Razmnama are scattered around the world; and are today the proud possessions of various collectors. Twenty-five elaborately illustrated folios of Razmnama are part of the large impressive collection in the John Fredrick Lewis Collection in the Free Library of Philadelphia, United States. For the first time since 1923, an exhibition at the Philadelphia Museum of Art brought together 25 pages of Razmnama at the John Fredrick Lewis Collection. The exhibition  was held from July 14, 2007 to December 9, 2007 . Razmnama is noted for it elaborate and exquisite illustrations. In the below painting, Karna Slays the Kaikeya Prince Vishoka. Style – Opaque watercolor, ink, and gold on paper.

Animation Films Based on Hindu Mythology

Whether it is 2D animation or 3D animation or a combination of both, there is never a dearth of themes in Hindu Mythology. But sadly none of the entertainment houses were interested in exploring this untapped arena, until the huge success of Hanuman. The success of Hanuman has prompted several production houses in India to turn to animation of Hindu Mythologies… or as most adult Indians call it – cartoon for children with Hindu mythology themes. Perhaps animation never made it big in India because of this attitude of the adults. Here is a list of the animation films based on Hindu Mythology. Most of them never had a major theatrical release. The Prince of Light: The Legend of Ramayana directed by Yogo Sako and released in 1992 this was a Japanese production. Pandavas - The Five Warriors was released in 2000 by Pentamedia Graphics Ltd and was the first 3D animated full length feature from India . Hanuman released in 2005 was the first indigenous animation succe

Read Ganesha Comic from Virgin Comics Online

The Ganesha Comic is the first release in Deepak Chopra’s India Authentic series for Virgin Comics. The Virgin Ganesha Comic is available online here .

Why only find fault with Hindu God Men and Hindu spiritual organizations?

Business of the Gods by Tehelka this week questions the Hindu spiritual leaders for amassing fortunes and building empires. Yoga, meditation, Ayurveda, Art of Living. Holding on to faith and letting go of stress in these troubled times comes at a price. But millions are ready to pay. The healers, amassing fortunes and building empires, seem to be the happiest. – this is the introduction of the article and in a nutshell the theme of the article. Fortunately, there is a mention here and there in the article about the philanthropic activities conducted by the Hindu spiritual organizations. The well researched article talks in detail about the finances of most famous Hindu spiritual organizations including Mata Amritanandamayi, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Baba Ramdev and Osho. Surprisingly missing from the list is Sai Baba. It is amusing to note that Tehelka does not forget to mention the caste of Mata Amritanandamayi – DESPITE HER lower-caste origins, “Amma” Amritanandamayi — t

The Holy Cow Worshipped in Hindu Religion

Milk, butter, curd are food. Urine and cow dung are medicines in Ayurveda. Dried cow dung is fuel. Dung mixed with daub is used to plaster walls and is a building material. Butter is used lavishly in Hindu rituals. The sacred white powder made from dung is applied on the forehead – the holy ash in Hinduism, symbol of God Shiva. Dried cow dung is also used in Hindu funerals in some parts of India .   Food, medicine, house, fuel, prayer….the list goes on…Tell me one reason why five thousand years ago the cow should not have been worshipped. God is the all provider and a cow was the all provider in ancient Hindu society. Various products provided by the cow are an integral part of a Hindu way of life. Quite often many Hindus might not be aware of it. Even today there are millions of households in India whose economy revolves around the cow. In rural India , you will find stories like… it is by selling this cow’s milk I was able to educate my son! Majority of the Sou

Hindu Youth in America

Growing up Hindu in America - A Surprising Success Story is a Youth and Religion Project by R. Stephen Warner, University of Illinois at Chicago . The Youth and Religion Project (Y&RP) looked into the ways in which religious institutions serve the needs of younger Americans (aged 8 to 30) in the rapidly changing society through a focus on religious institutions in metropolitan Chicago. The project was directed by R. Stephen Warner of the University of Illinois at Chicago . Some excerpts from the project We expected Hindu youth in our focus groups to manifest bewilderment about their religious identity… We did not expect what in fact we found well represented among the UIC students we began to talk with five years ago: enthusiastic, knowledgeable American-born and American-raised Hindu youth of both sexes. Our subsequent study of Hindu institutions and Hindu families has revealed some of the ingredients in what seems so far to be a success story: religious institution

Rig Veda included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World Register

UNESCO’s Memory of the World Programme preserves and raises awareness of documentary heritage, the memory of the world, which reflects the diversity of languages, peoples and cultures. The Memory of the World Register was created in 1997 and includes 120 properties. This year 38 new items were added to the list including the thirty manuscripts of the Rig Veda dating from 1800 to 1500 BC. The text submitted by India in 2006-2007 for the inclusion of the Rig Veda in the Memory of the World Register. The Vedas are generally known as the scriptures of the Hindu community. However, being among the first literary documents in the history of humankind, they transcend far beyond their identity as scriptures. The Rig Veda, the oldest among the four Vedas, is the fountain source of the so-called Aryan culture in all its manifestations that spread beyond the Indian subcontinent to large parts of South and South East Asia , as well as parts of Central Asia . This valuable treasure of th

Avatar Charita Gita by Narhar Das

Avatar Charita Gita – a rare book – details about the 10 Avatars or incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The book was written by Narhar Das, a contemporary of Tulsidas. Avtar Charita Gita is presently preserved at the Allahabad Museum and has 629 pages and 33 colored paintings in Mughal style. It is these illustrations in Mughal style that makes the book a rarity. The book narrates almost all the stories pertaining to the incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Apart from this, the book also explores several other myths related to Vishnu’s incarnations. Avatar Charita Gita uses the Devnagari script and the language used is Awadhi and Apbhransha. The book also makes use of Anushtup chhand and dohas. Narhar Das mentions at the end of Avatar Charita Gita that book is written to help the next generation to understand the values of their religion – Hinduism.

Quotes on Mother Kali – Ramprasad Sen

Why is Mother Kali so radiantly black? Because she is so powerful, that even mentioning her name destroys delusion. Because she is so beautiful, Lord Shiva, Conquerer of death, lies blissfully vanquished, beneath the red soled feet. There are subtle hues of blackness, But her bright complexion is the mystery that is utterly black, overwhelmingly black, wonderfully black. When she awakens in the lotus shrine within the heart's secret cave, her blackness becomes the mystic illumination that causes the twelve petal blossom there to glow more intensely than golden embers. Her lovely form is the incomparable Kali- black blacker than the King of Death. Whoever gazes upon this radiant blackness falls eternally in love and feels no attraction to any other, discovering everywhere only her. This poet sighs deeply, Where is this brilliant lady, this black light beyond luminosity? Though I have never seen her, simply hearing her name, the mind becomes absorbed

Hinduism in Second Life

Second Life is the online game produced by San Francisco-based Linden Lab in which participants create a virtual world. It is attracting 4 million users and several religions are finding a presence in Second Life. Incidentally, the online 3-D persona which users create is known as an avatar – Sanskrit word for the incarnation of a Hindu deity. Hindu religion has only a small presence in Second Life. This will change soon, as more and more Hindus get to know about second life. Hare Krishna community has more than 75 members. How does religion exist in Second Life? For example, Jewish citizens of Second Life have created synagogues. Shona Crabtree writes in Washington Post Beth Brown, a 33-year-old Orthodox Jewish artist from Dallas , says she didn't intend to start a community when she built the first virtual synagogue, Second Life Synagogue-Temple Beit Israel , in September. "When it came to be, it shed a light on the lack of Jewish community," sh

The Metaphysical Intuition: Seeing Brahman with Open Eyes – Swami Siddheswarananda

The Metaphysical Intuition: Seeing Brahman with Open Eyes is a series of Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita by Swami Siddheswarananda of the Ramakrishna Order. The book deals with some of the higher aspects of the Vedanta philosophy, and contains a biographical sketch of the swami. In the book, Swami Siddheswarananda sought to convey an experience of intuition beyond logic, outside the play of opposites, through which we will be better able to understand the nature of reality. To elucidate his meanings and make them accessible, he draws on the writings of others including Meister Eckhart, Ramana Mararshi, Shankara, Hubert Benoit, Ramakrishna and Vivekananda. Swami Siddheswarananda, born in 1897 in Kerala (Tripunithura), was the spiritual head of the Centre Vedantique Ramakrichna at Gretz , France . He passed away in 1957 in France . The articles in the book were originally written in French and a translation into English by André van den was published by Arunachala Press

Hinduism and Spiritual Self Realization

Hinduism has never believed in injecting spirituality into an individual or a crowd. Instead in Hinduism, spiritual realization is an evolution that takes place in an individual. This means that Hindu religion does not point towards a particular path for the individual to follow. The individual chooses the path to self realization. Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) has always maintained that spiritual experience is personal. Even the desire of acquiring self realization cannot be created in everybody.  Similarly, we have several instances in Hindu Mythology where bookish knowledge and mere intellectual acceptance of the truth contained in scriptures have been scorned upon.  This is because Sanatana Dharma strongly believes that blind faith in the words of a realized man or writings of in a holy scripture can never be equal to self realization. Therefore instead of injecting spirituality, Hinduism believes in creating an atmosphere for self realization. This atmosphere

English Transliteration of Sanskrit Yoga Scriptures to Combat Yoga Patent

Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute , based in Lonavla, Maharashtra , has successfully completed the English Transliteration of the Sanskrit Yoga scriptures. The institute was chosen for the purpose by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of AYUSH, for its project titled Traditional Knowledge Digitalised Library (TDKL). The main intention of the transliteration is to combat commercial patent of Indian traditional knowledge . And to stop the blatant diluting of the ancient knowledge and creating Yogas like the wine tasting in yoga classes and yoga for dogs. Kaivalyadhama administrator Subodh Tiwari says “several attempts have been made by the West to stake claim to traditional Indian wisdom, with a couple of modifications — which at times, even negate and contradict the founding principles. “Take for instance, the patent granted to a sequence of yoga called hot yoga. The very act of having people perform asanas at 104 degree Fahrenheit goes against the basic premise

Atmabodha Upanishad

Atmabodha Upanishad is one among the 108 Upanishads and is a lesser known Upanishad. As the name indicates, Atmabodha Upanishad gives us the realization of Brahman. It tries to find answer to who am I? A question, which is constantly inquired upon by ancient Hindu seekers. This question is also the cornerstone of Santana Dharma or Hinduism. This Upanishad is part of the Rig Veda. The entire theme of the Upanishad revolves around Brahman. Atmabodha Upanishad Text The Opening Prayer Om ! May my speech be based on (i.e. accord with) the mind; May my mind be based on speech. O Self-effulgent One, reveal Thyself to me. May you both (speech and mind) be the carriers of the Veda to me. May not all that I have heard depart from me. I shall join together (i.e. obliterate the difference of) day and night through this study. I shall utter what is verbally true; I shall utter what is mentally true. May that (Brahman) protect me; May That protect the speaker (i

For Stillness Yann Martel introduces Bhagavad Gita to Canadian Prime Minister

Yann Martel is the Booker Prize-winning author of Life of Pi and every two weeks, he is sending a book that has been known to expand stillness to Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. This week it is the Bhagavad Gita. The reason for sending the books is to teach Mr. Prime Minister the value of stillness. To read a book, one must be still. To watch a concert, a play, a movie, to look at a painting, one must be still. Religion, too, makes use of stillness, notably with prayer and meditation. Just gazing upon a still lake, upon a quiet winter scene—doesn’t that lull us into contemplation? Life, it seems, favours moments of stillness to appear on the edges of our perception and whisper to us, “Here I am. What do you think?” Then we become busy and the stillness vanishes, yet we hardly notice because we fall so easily for the delusion of busyness, whereby what keeps us busy must be important, and the busier we are with it, the more important it must be. And so we work, work, w

Eco-friendly Hindu Funeral Pyre

Nearly 10 million people die a year in India according to a United Nations estimate. Majority of them are Hindus and are cremated – open-air cremation using firewood. What does this open-air cremation mean to our environment? For Hindu cremations in India , annually more than 50 million trees are cut. It produces half a million tonnes of ash and eight million tonnes of carbon dioxide. All this means increase of harmful greenhouse gases in our environment. Vinod Kumar Agarwal and his Mokshda environmental group, an environmental group in New Delhi , are now advocating Eco-friendly Hindu funeral pyres. It is called the Mokshda Green Cremation System. This eco-friendly pyre uses minimal amount of wood, that is, when an average pyre uses around 400 kg of wood, the eco-friendly only uses less than 100 kg. All the usual Hindu cremation rites can be performed in this type of pyre. This pyre also creates less financial burden on the poor. According to Seed Magazine The pyre is

Mirabhai Quotes – That Dark Dweller

That dark Dweller in Braj Is my only refuge. O my companion, Worldly comfort is an illusion, As soon you get it, it goes. I have chosen the Indestructible for my refuge, Him whom the snake of death Will not devour. My Beloved dwells in my heart, I have actually seen that Abode of Joy. Mira's Lord is Hari, the Indestructible. My Lord, I have taken refuge with Thee, Thy slave. Mirabhai A Prayer in praise of the feet of Lord Vishnu by Meerabai O mind, Worship the feet of Hari When Prahlada grasped them He became Indra When Dhruva sought refuge in them He found paradise In the body of the dwarf They measured the universe Their touch saved Ahalya They tamed Kaliya They supported Mount Govardhana When Krishna was cowherd Mira is his servant – The raft of unnavigable seas Mirabai’s devotional Poem – Life in the world is short Life in the world is short, Why shoulder an unnecessary load Of worldly relationships? Thy parents gave thee birt

New Book – Understanding India Relevance of Hinduism

Understanding India Relevance of Hinduism - presents views of experts on various aspects of Hinduism. The book states that to know India , an understanding of Hinduism is a must. The book is edited by Subhash C Kashyap and Abhaya Kasyap and is published by Vitasta . The book contains articles by Dr Karan Singh, Prof HR Bhardwaj, DR Kaarthikeyan, Hari Jaisingh, Bharat Karnad and Subhash C Kashyap. The noteworthy chapter in the book is by Bharat Karnad, Research Professor at Centre for Policy Research. He explores the weapons and war strategies dealt in the ancient Hindu Scriptures like Vedas, Puranas and the two epics. Bharat Karnad asserts “Vedic philosophy was realistic about human nature, it did not idealize it instead human nature was perceived in its base and unvarnished form. Venality, ambition, greed and the lust for power and wealth were the givens in this universe.” ( link ) He points out the numerous weapons employed in the Vedas, Puranas, Mahabharata and Ram

Sabarimala Aravana Payasam Patent Issue

Talk about Aravana and the first thing that comes into mind is Sabarimala. Aravana payasam is one of the most important ‘prasad’ (offering made to the Lord) distributed at the famous Sabarimala Temple dedicated to Lord Ayyappa in Kerala. Now, Kuok Oils and Grains a Singapore based company has applied for a patent for the name ‘Aravana’ and want to introduce several products including packed meat and fish under the Aravana trade name in India. The Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) which manages the temple does not have the patent for Aravana. The request for patent by Kuok in India was made public in March 2007 and they have also applied for a trade mark. The last date to file objections against the patent is on June 29. More than 8 million cans – each containing 250 grams of Aravana – are sold at the temple during the two month Mandalam-Makaravilakku pilgrim season. Travancore Devaswom Board – often in the news for all the wrong reasons – has done nothing to stop an internatio

Only Hinduism at Tirupati Tirumala

The Andhra Pradesh government has banned the propagation of religions other than Hinduism in Tirupati by an ordinance. Tirumala has been given special status and the ‘Tirumala Divya Kshetram’ shall comprise the seven hills of Seshadri, Garudadri, Venkatadri, Narayanadri, Vrishabhadri, Vrishadri and Anjanadri, right from the foothills, the holy theerthams and the main temple. The Andhra Pradesh government was forced to take such a decision after protests against Christian missionaries by Hindus gained momentum silently. Hindus in India and around the world protested against the lackluster attitude shown by the government against Christian missionaries who were alluring people with money and by defaming Hindu gods, rituals and ceremonies. Hinduism has to be protected in India by an ordinance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Stuff Magazine – Ganesha with Alcohol bottles and Hanuman with a woman

Stuff magazine, an adult publication in the United States , in its June 2007 issue has illustrations of Ganesha with alcohol bottles and Hanuman with a woman. Another Hindu deity (unable to identify) is also part of the illustration, which is part of a general knowledge quiz that asks readers to identify whether things like a ‘zombie,’ ‘downward facing dog’ and ‘bulldog’ are yoga poses, drinks or sex positions. The illustrations are of offending nature but still Hindus should see it and discuss and should form a public opinion against such illustrations. Hindus in the United States have already protested but the magazine is already in circulation and it seems nothing can be done. Degenerating Hindu deities is the latest trend around the world – two days back it was Goddess Lakshmi in an undergarment . Any sane person should know that it is offending to depict a deity with alcohol bottle and women. That too Lord Hanuman who is a known celibate. Such illustrations

Kalyanamastu – Mass Marriage Program of Tirumala Tirupati Temple

Kalyanamastu is the mass marriage program conducted by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) in the Indian State of Andhra Pradesh. The marriage ceremony is mainly intended for those people who are unable to get married due to financial difficulties. Apart from conducting the Hindu marriage ceremony, the Tirupati Temple will provide Mangalasutram in gold, new clothes, Mettelu (toe rings) and kanukalu. The first mass marriage by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) was held on February 22, 2007 . On that day, 4994 couples began their married life. The second mass marriage will be held on August 26, 2007 across the state of Andhra Pradesh. The auspicious Sravana Nakshatra Muhurtham between 11.10 a.m. and 11.20 a.m on August 26 is the chosen time for the mass marriage. Hindu men above 21 and women above 18 are eligible to take part in Kalyanamasthu. The applicants have to file an affidavit stating that their parents have given consent to the wedding and that they are

New Book on Bhagavad Gita and Management

Management with a Difference: The insight from Indian wisdom is a new book which attempts to bring out the need and relevance of value based management in the present complex and fast changing environment. The value based management finds its inspiration in the Bhagavad Gita. The book is written by Swami Anubhavananda and Prof Arya Kumar and is published by Ane Books India . In Management with a Difference: The insight from Indian wisdom, the authors emphasis that management is a people driven process in search of excellence, so as to achieve a well defined corporate goal by ensuring a due benefit and value to the customer and society in general. The answer to the fundamental question of becoming effective in all our endeavors has been forcefully and rightly dealt in the Indian epics and particularly in the Bhagavad Gita. The Gita focuses on individual self-management so as to set up an example of being inspired from within, as the first step onwards setting him apart from

Kali Comic from Virgin Comics

Kali, sorry it is Kaali for Virgin Comics, is part of Deepak Chopra’s India Authentic Series. This is the second comic book, first being Ganesha. Kaali is the story of ‘the most primal and feared aspect of the Indian Mother Goddess.’ I guess the introductory tag explains it all. Instead of modern mechanized villains, we will be served demons from Hindu mythology and for a change the heroine is not a beauty but monstrous in appearance than the villains. Read what Virgin Comics has to say about Kaali She was born in a crimson haze. She bathed in the blood of a thousand hearts, devoured a million creations and smeared on herself, the ashes of infinity…and then she slept. When Rakta Veej the blood demon and his unstoppable army of blood spawns lay siege to Amaravati, the city of Gods, the Gods desperately invoke the slumbering Vampiric spirit of Kaali to destroyer to fight their battle. But once the battle is done, will Kaali stop there? Or will her primal instincts

Ganesha Comic from Virgin Comics

Virgin Comics is reinterpreting popular Hindu Mythology with modern illustrations and narrative styles. These illustrated graphic novels on Hindu themes are created by Deepak Chopra. The comic Ganesha is the first book in Deepak Chopra’s India Authentic series. For any kind of beginning, the best Hindu deity is Lord Ganesha and even for a comic series. Well, if you are thinking what India Authentic is all about, it is nothing but a ploy to sell Hindu mythology to the West in Western style but with a genuine Indian tag. From Virgin Comics about Ganesha Come with us on a journey to witness the origins of a God, a timeless tale of an inanimate golem crafted from primordial clay by Uma, the all-mother. His innocent bravado in defying Shiva, the mightiest of the Gods and even giving up his life to uphold a simple promise he made to his mother, the twist of fate that intertwines his destiny with another and the "rebirth" of the two as they become one. What’s ne

Kalidasa Quotes – Poem Look To This Day

Look to this day: For it is life, the very life of life. In its brief course Lie all the verities and realities of your existence. The bliss of growth, The glory of action, The splendor of achievement Are but experiences of time. For yesterday is but a dream And tomorrow is only a vision; And today well-lived, makes Yesterday a dream of happiness And every tomorrow a vision of hope. Look well therefore to this day; Such is the salutation to the ever-new dawn! Kalidasa (Source: This is a poem written by Kalidasa)

On the entry of non-Hindus in Guruvayur Temple

Guruvayur Temple is one among the thousands of Lord Krishna temples in Kerala. But the devotees are more found of the Unnikrishnan (the child Krishna ) at the Guruvayur Temple . Everyone wants to get married here and wants to give the first meal of their child here. Even non-practicing Hindus want to offer prayers to Lord Krishna here. The net result is that the temple has become a center of controversy. The biggest controversy is whether to allow famous singer Yesudas to pray in Guruvayoor or not. Then there is the occasional hiccups created by the cleansing ceremony performed in the temple when a non-Hindu visits the temple. The recent controversy involved Union Minister Vayalar Ravi’s Son . Now there is a debate going on in Kerala whether to allow non-Hindus or not into the Guruvayur Temple . The Kerala State Government is ready to enact a law to allow non-Hindu believers entry into temples provided there is a consensus on the issue. An apex body of priests