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Showing posts from May, 2008


Book – Discovering the Vedas: Origins, Mantras, Rituals, Insights by Frits Staal

‘Discovering the Vedas: Origins, Mantras, Rituals, Insights’ by Frits Staal, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy and South & Southeast Asian Studies at the University of California at Berkeley . About the book from Penguin flyer Staal extracts concrete information from the Oral Tradition and Archaeology about Vedic people and their language, what they thought and did, and where they went and when. He provides essential information about the Vedas and includes selections and translations. Staal sheds light on mantras and rituals, that contributed to what came to be known as Hinduism. Significant is a modern analysis of what we can learn from the Vedas today: the original forms of the Vedic sciences, as well as the perceptive wisdom of the composers of the Vedas. The author puts Vedic civilization in a global perspective through a wide-ranging comparison with other Indic philosophies and religions, primarily Buddhism For Staal, originally a logician, the voyage of discovering

India in Classrooms – For Better Understanding of Hindu Culture in United States

India in Classrooms (IC) is a non-political, non-religious, non-profit organization that is focused on generating deeper understanding about India through its Teacher Support Program, by providing accurate and comprehensive information about Indian history and culture to schools. Mona Vijaykar, who took the initiative to form the organization, recently in an interview to Contra Costa Times said, people continue to have a Disney kind of understanding (of Hinduism) rather than a Discovery kind of approach," she said, referring to the two TV channels. ‘The myths are only a steppingstone to understanding the higher forms of knowledge.’ Here is an example how she analyses the symbolism hidden in Lord Vishnu (as explained to Todd R. Brown in Contra Costa Times) In terms of Hindu deities, she said the four-armed god Vishnu is less important for his fantastic appearance than for his cosmic lesson. What ‘really blew my mind’ about his symbolism, she said, was a

Makar Rashi Navratri Mantra

Chanting of the Makar Rashi Navratri Mantra helps, Makar Rashi born person to attain wealth, prosperity, property, job and desire fulfillments. The mantra should be chanted after taking bath in the morning. You should sit in your pooja room or in a quiet place and chant the mantra. The mantra is ऊॅं मांगल्ये नमः The mantra should be chanted 21 times. Chanting of the mantra also helps in overcoming your enemies.

About a Popular Hindu Temple in a Spare Bedroom in Essex in England

Hindus carry their faith and the idols of gods to any place they go. They will find a small neat corner for the idol in the home and from here the Hindu directly communes with god and shares burden, joys and sadness. Such a place set up 29 years ago by Dhirajlal and Sushila Karia in a spare bedroom in Essex in England is today a popular Hindu Temple and hundreds of people daily visit to pray and get blessings. Paul Harris writes in Mail Online about the Hindu Temple in the spare bedroom some excerpts from the article The couple created the temple as none was available locally when they moved in the Seventies from North London . The original plan was that the couple, their son, daughter, family and friends would worship there. Three decades later, and thanks to word of mouth and reports in some newspapers, Britain 's most unlikely temple has been visited by Hindus from as far away as Canada and Nepal , and by tourists from other religions. In the room, 17 gods a

Atharva Veda Quotes on Nature

Earth, upon which this moving, breathing life exists; May she bestow on us the finest of her harvests! Earth, the all-sustaining, treasure-bearing, resting-place; Golden-breasted Earth, home of all life, Who bears the sacred fire. Pleasant be thy hills, O Earth, Thy snow-clad mountains and thy forests. On this Earth do I stand, Unvanquished, unslain, unhurt. Set me, O Earth, amidst the nourishing strength That emanates from thy body. The Earth is my mother, her child am I; Infinite space is my father, May he fill us with plenty. Peaceful, sweet-smelling, gracious Earth. Whatever I dig from thee, O Earth, May that have quick growth again, May we not injure your vitals or your heart. Full of sweetness are the plants, And full of sweetness these my words. And with things that are full of sweetness, I prosper in a thousand ways. Atharva Veda Book XII

Sabarimala Makaravilakku Controversy Never Ends

In Kerala, Gods’ Own Country, whenever there is a controversy regarding faith it will somehow end up at Sabarimala Makaravilakku – the diya, or vilakku or light, that appears three times at the distant hill known as Ponnambalamedu during Makaravilakku festival which is held annually on January 14. The appearing of Makaravilakku is an open secret in Kerala, even among Ayyappa devotees. Atheists and rationalists have always maintained that it is lit by police, forest guards and temple officials. Incidentally, even when the Communists were ruling the Kerala State the Makaravilakku ritual has happened. According to Ayyappa legend, after defeating demon Mahishasura, Ayyappa merged with the Dharma Sastha murti on the Makara Jyothi day. It is believed that the tribals who were harassed by the demon Mahishasura first lit the light to celebrate the slaying of their tormentor. Another legend indicates that Ayyappa Swamy disappeared from earth at Ponnambalamedu or Kantamala where the Makaravil

Sri Lankan Ballet Maha Ravana Explores the Greatness of Ravana

‘Maha Ravana – The Rising Sun of a Dying Realm’ is a new Ballet (a theatrical representation of a story that is performed to music by trained dancers) from Sri Lanka directed by Pabalu Wijegoonewardane which explores the greatness of Ravana, the demon king in the epic Ramayana. The ballet critically looks into the character of Ravana and explores the positive traits of including his love for music and art and the building of Pushpaka Vimana, the fly machine. Thiruni Kelegama writes in the Sunday Times Pabalu Wijegoonewardane, the director says he didn’t want to subscribe to what he calls an imported legend. ‘I wanted to find out whether Ravana was really a ‘demon’ and whether everything that we blindly believe in the Ramayana about him is true. This is what led me to trace this legend with a new perspective,’ he says adding that Ravana was the only king who managed to wipe out all forms of divisions in Sri Lanka , uniting it. He not only ruled Sri Lanka but gove

Kalakkad Shiva Temple Murals to Get Fresh Life

Rural Education and Conservation of Heritage, popularly known as REACH Foundation , is planning to conserve more than 200 mural paintings, which are 400 years old, in the Kalakkad Shiva Temple . The 13th century Kalakkad Temple is located in Tirunelveli District of Tamil Nadu. The murals on the inner walls of each of the nine tiers of the temple’s gopuram (tower) resemble those of the Vijayanagara and Nayaka School of the 16th and 7th century A.D. The paintings here are in a dilapidated condition due to neglect. The 185-foot tall gopuram will also be renovated and the 1500 odd stucco figures on the outside will also be mended. T.S. Subramanian writes in The Hindu T. Satyamurthy, the former Superintending Archaeologist, Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and one of the founders of the REACH Foundation, called the murals at the Kalakkad temple ‘an amazing art gallery in each floor for the common man to see and relish the puranic themes in animation.’ They depi

Shravan Kumar in Ramayana Met His Tragic End in This Uttar Pradesh Village

Shravan Kumar the dutiful son of blind parents in Ramayana symbolizes parental devotion. But the young boy was accidentally killed by King Dashrata. Sarvan Village in Unnao District of Uttar Pradesh still retains the spot were the tragic incident took place and has memorials dedicated to Shravan Kumar. The memorial is mentioned in British Gazettes and the age of it is yet to be ascertained. In Ramayana, King Dashrata during one of his hunting expeditions heard a noise near a lake and shot an arrow thinking that it was some animal drinking water. Immediately, the King heard a cry but it was not of an animal but of a human being. A worried king reached the spot and found a bleeding young man struck by his arrow. A dying Shravan Kumar told Dashratha that he had come to the lake to collect water for his blind parents. And as his last wish, he would like to quench the thirst of his parents whom he had carried around on his shoulders. So he requested the King to take water

Statue of Lord Ram from Virgin Comics

Rama – The Warrior Prince statue is a limited edition offering from Virgin Comics . The makers claim that the statue is limited to 1,500 pieces worldwide and thus making it a collectors item. The sculpture is based on an original painting by legendary artist Alex Ross and is sculpted by Mark Newman. The statue is 11.5 inches tall and is priced at $149.99 and is available in comic shops and online at Virgin Comics store. The sculpture is quite similar to drawings of Lord Ram in Ramayan 3392AD, a version of Ramayana presented by Virgin Comics. You may also like to read Porcelain figurine Ganesha Diya from Lladro

Robots to Play Dahi Handi of Lord Krishna in Robocon 2008

Dahi Handi is a major event during the Sri Krishna Jayanti festival. Such is its popularity that the festival itself is at times referred as Dahi Handi festival. In the Asia Pacific Robot Contest, Robocon 2008 , this popular game of Krishna and Gopas will be played by robots. A few robots will also attempt to steal earthen pots with ‘dahi’ (yoghurt) from Gopis (young girls). The theme of Robocon 2008 is based one of the most popular childhood pranks of Lord Krishna. Shri Krishna and his friends (Gopas) used to steal milk, yoghurt, butter and cheese from kitchens in Vrindavan. The pots with butter and yoghurt are usually suspended from high poles to avoid children and domestic animals from reaching it and breaking the pot. But the cunning Krishna and his friends used to form human pyramid and steal the contents of the pots. They also used to break the pots with ‘dahi’ carried by girls (Gopis) in the village. Each year during the birthday of Sri Krishna, Dahi Handi compet

Navya Shastra expresses concern over growing Hindu protests against movie The Love Guru

Navya Shastra , the international Hindu reform organization that has spoken out against astrology, female feticide, and Dalit discrimination, has expressed concern over the growing protests directed at the upcoming film ‘ The Love Guru ’ by some Hindu groups throughout the world. The organization calls upon these Hindu groups to recognize that hyper-sensitivity over inaccurate or even distorted religious depictions in print and in film erode the longstanding tradition of tolerance and criticism in the Hindu faith community. While Navya Shastra respects the right of these groups to protest, it strongly believes that calling for a ban of the film goes too far. Hindus have a remarkable history of freedom of thought and expression. Unfortunately, this is being eroded these days by hypersensitive and misguided chauvinistic pressure groups, perhaps taking their cue from more chauvinistic traditions, said Gautham Rao, Navya Shastra Research Director. The organization further no

School Teaching Vedas in Bihar

Schools that teach Vedas are very rare in India and in places like Bihar that struggles in the primary education sector it is even rarer. But Arshvidya Shikshan Prasikhshan Sewa Sansthan in East Champaran District in Bihar is a school teaching the Vedas – Rig Veda, Yajur Veda and Sama Veda. The Vedic School is run by Sushil Pandey, who is post-graduate in Sanskrit from the Benaras Hindu University (BHU). Arshvidya Shikshan Prasikhshan Sewa Sansthan is the only school in Bihar that imparts education in the three Vedas. There a couple of institutions that teaches any one of the Vedas. The school is also planning to include lessons from the Atharva Veda from the next academic session. Sanjeev Kumar Verma writes about the Vedic School in Times of India Adhering to the true Vedic rituals, the school follows the regimen as was followed in ancient Indian society and students enrolled here are moulded in that very way. "It is like preparing their bodies and min

Mata Vaishno Devi Serial on 9X Channel

Goddess Mata Vaishno Devi is undoubtedly one of the most revered forms of Shakti. She has millions of followers in India and abroad. Television serials and movies based on Mata Vaishno Devi have appeared earlier but in India there is always an audience for spiritual serials. Sensing this, 9X television channel has started airing a serial based on Mata Vaishno Devi. The producers claim that the serial Jai Maa Vaishno Devi is a story about the divine as well as the devotees, thus making the show a fusion of devotional narration and family drama. The show has been created with sensitivity and authenticity and revolves around the stories of Mata Vaishno Devi and her devotees, and the transformation the goddess brings in their lives. The serial is also depicting the creation of the universe leading to the creation of the Trikut Pravat, the holy abode of Vaishno Devi. The serial is produced by Dheeraj Kumar’s Creative Eye Productions and is directed by Anwar Khan. Rupa Dutta appea

Rounded Diya from Lladro

Diya, a small earthen lamp, is an indispensable aspect in all Hindu pujas. Realizing this Lladro , the world famous Spanish company noted for its porcelain figurines, has introduced Rounded Diya in its 2008 Spring Lladro figurines. The limited edition high quality porcelain Diya is priced at $175. The 2008 spring Lladro collection also includes a Ganesha Diya – a diya with the head of Lord Ganesh. The diya is available online for purchase and in India it is available in select Lladro stores. Surely the price of Lladro Rounded Diya is very high. It is a limited edition collectors item and is primarily meant for display and not for lighting. Lladro had earlier released highly quality limited edition porcelain figurines like Bansuri Ganesha , Veena Ganesh and Goddess Lakshmi . The limited editions were priced above $900.

41 Day Hanuman Jayanti Deeksha in Andhra Pradesh And Telangana

Hanuman Jayanthi is celebrated by the Telugu speaking people in a unique way with the 41-day Hanuman Jayanti deeksha  in Andhra Pradesh And Telangana. Lord Anjaneya is worshipped for 41 days starting from the full moon day in the Chaitra month (April). In 2024, the deeksha began on April 23. Hanuman Jayanti  is on May 14. The Hanuman deeksha or diksha (penance) is observed by thousands of people in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Hanuman Deeksha is a vratam quite similar to one observed during the Sabarimala Mandalam season by Ayyappa devotees. During the 41-day diksha period, Anjaneya devotees conduct special pujas at home and abstain from liquor, meat, smoking and sex. The devotees wear special Hanuman deeksha mala, orange dhoti and walk without footwear during the Vratam period. The 41-day penance ends with a visit to important pilgrim centers or temples in Andhra Pradesh dedicated to Hanuman or Lord Ram like the Bhadrachalam Rama temple, Vijayawada Kanaka Durga temple

Mahabharata in Oriya – Sarala Mahabharat

The earliest adaptation of Vyasa’s Sanskrit Mahabharata into Oriya, the language of the people of Orissa State in India , was done by Sarala Das. Also known as the ‘aadi kavi,’ or the first poet, of Oriya Literature, Sarala Dasa undertook the monumental effort of translating Sanskrit Mahabharata into Oriya in the 15th Century. Sarala Mahabharata cannot be exactly termed as an Oriya Translation of the original because the author makes serious intelligent digressions and interpolations to adapt it into the tradition of Orissa. The greatness of the Oriya Mahabharat of Sarala lies in the fact that it is not a mere literal translation. Sarala Das cleverly incorporates culture, customs, folklore and other native aspects of Orissa tradition and purposefully avoids philosophy in order to reach out to the large majority of rural audience. It must be noted here that Sarala was not a Brahmin and to attempt to write a classical text like Mahabharat in the 15th century in a regional

Beware of Fake Swamis and Hindu God Men - Hindus Wake Up - Stop Getting Cheated By Fake Babas and Swamis

Fake Hindu swamis, sanyasis, babas, gurus and godmen thrive in a society which has not understood the true teachings of Sanatana Dharma (Hindu Religion). Therefore Hindus and other sections of the society which provide the opportunity and fertile ground for fraudsters in the guise of swamis to thrive in the name of Hinduism are equally at fault. Ignorant, miracle and fortune-seeking followers are the ones who help such fake swamis to prosper in our Hindu society. Before Going To A Swami Read The Bhagavad Gita - The Greatest Guru The Bhagavad Gita which narrates the essence of Hindu spirituality contains only 700 verses. There are excellent translation and commentary of Bhagavad Gita which cost less than 100 rupees. But majority of the Hindus have no time to read the 700 verses but spend thousands of rupees of hard earned money, energy and time visiting ashrams and spiritual centers of such fake babas and gurus. If you make this an issue, immediately comes the answer, Bha

Sanskrit Blogs – Blogging in Samskritam

One of the less mentioned and less explored aspects of blogging is that it provides an opportunity to revive classical languages – converse and exchange ideas with people from around the world in classical and struggling languages. Although few in number, Sanskrit blogs are today connecting Sanskrit or Samskritam enthusiasts around the world and majority of them rise above the confines of religion. Some of the blogs are written purely in Sanskrit and few others use English to explain the meanings and sometimes Sanskrit texts are also written in English alphabets. Sanskrit Links was started way back in September 2003 and provides links and information on Sanskrit related activities on the internet. Samskrtam , a continuously publishing blog, by Kartik does general musings in Sanskrit. Vyakaranam deals with Sanskrit Grammar. Learn Sanskrit as the name indicates is a blog on its author’s self-learning attempts. Sanskrit Literature forum by Venetia Ansel d

University of Southern California Appoints Hindu Dean of Religious Life

Varun Soni, scholar and the first Hindu spiritual leader on a U.S. campus, has been named dean of religious life at University of Southern California , marking the first appointment of a member of the Hindu faith as primary spiritual leader of an American university. University of Southern California (USC) news reports Soni, whose appointment is effective July 1, is a lawyer and religious scholar. He previously taught in the Law and Society Program at the University of California , Santa Barbara . Soni, a member of the Hindu faith, spent part of his academic career in India , his native country. Soni holds a bachelor’s degree in religion from Tufts University , a master’s degree in theological studies from Harvard University , a master’s degree in comparative religion from UC Santa Barbara and a juris doctor degree from UCLA. He is currently completing a Ph.D. degree in religious studies from the University of Cape Town and is a member of the State Bar of C

Popular Hindu Tattoos – Gods and Symbols in Hinduism

I still vividly remember a small tattoo of Lord Krishna on my grand father’s hand. It was very small, had no designs and was green in color and in local language such tattoo is known as ‘Pacha kuttuka.’ But today body Tattoos of Hindu gods and symbols associated with Hinduism are very popular in the world and are no longer simple figures but are of elaborate designs and many times awe-inspiring. Lord Ganesha continues to be the most popular Hindu God when it comes to body tattoos. ‘ Om ’ or Aum’ is the most favorite symbol. Other popular Hindu gods employed in tattoos include Shiva, Goddess Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Hanuman, Vishnu, Krishna , Durga, Kali and very rarely Lord Vishnu in Anantha Shayanam form (Lying on five-headed snake Anantha in the Ocean). Among symbols after the ‘ OM ’ symbol, it is the trident of Shiva and Sanskrit verses or Sanskrit letters. There are also people who opt for the Swastika symbol and rarely the Poorna Kumbha symbol . India has a strong

Porcelain Figurine Ganesha Diya from Lladro

The porcelain figurine Ganesha Diya is part of the 2008 Spring Lladro figurines. Lladro is a world famous Spanish company noted for its porcelain figurines. The Ganesha Diya is priced at $175 and is available online and in India it is available in select Lladro stores. Diya or lamp is lit daily in Hindu houses and especially during festivals like Diwali. The $175 priced Ganesha Diya would be ideal for display not for lighting. Lladro had earlier released highly quality limited edition porcelain figurines like Bansuri Ganesha , Goddess Lakshmi , Veena Ganesha , Radha Krishna and Lord Krishna . The limited editions were priced above $900. Ganesha is the favorite theme of several noted companies dealing in collectibles. Two years back Lenox had brought out a limited edition Ganesh figurine priced at $2000 .

Lord Shiva is Offered Brooms at Pataleshwar Temple in Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh

Different kinds of offerings are made to please the gods in Hinduism. Puranas are full of description about what can be offered to a particular deity. Hindus have also added to that list a whole lot of new items including broom, which is offered to Shiva at Pataleshwar Temple in Sadatbadi Village near Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh. Many people might consider broom as an unusual offering. But is it? Shiva accepts anything that is given wholeheartedly by his devotee. He even drank the poison halahala during the Samudra Manthan (churning of ocean). So, why are brooms offered? People here believe that those people suffering from any sort of skin diseases get cured after taking an oath to offer broom at Pataleshwar Temple . Shyamlal Yadav writes in India Today The brooms offered to the god are always in circulation. Once offered, these brooms are sold by the temple authorities to the shopkeepers sitting outside the complex, from where they are bought again by devotee

English Translation of Sri Venkateswara Suprabhatam with Paintings

Venkateswara Suprabhatam, or Venkatesa Suprabhatam is the first ritual performed in the morning at Tirumala Tirupati Balaji Temple . The hymns sung during this time is also known as Balaji Suprabhatam and consists of 70 Sanskrit shlokas . It is divided into four parts – Suprabhatam, Stotram, Prapatti and Mangalasasanam. Suprabhatam consists of 28 shlokas. The Tirumala Tirupati temple official website has an excellent English translation of Sri Venkateswara Suprabhatam with paintings which help in interpreting the Sanskrit verses easily. As an example here are the first three stanzas: Suprabhatam Stanza 1 kausalyasuprajarama! purva sandhya pravartate, uttistha! narasardula! kartavyam daivam ahnikam O! Rama! Kausalya’s auspicious child! Twilight is approaching in the East. O! Best of men (Purushottama)! Wake up, the divine daily rituals have to be performed. Suprabhatam Stanza 2 uttisthottistha! govinda! uttistha garudadhvaja! uttistha kamalakanta! trailokya

Hindu Gold Rush Day – Akshaya Tritiya

The most auspicious time to by gold! Usher in prosperity with Akshaya Tritiya collection. Prosperity and wealth will increase manifold if pure gold is bought and worn on the auspicious occasion. Come let us welcome prosperity….These are advertisement captions by jewellery shops which can be found on television, newspapers and magazines. All meant to attract customers on Akshaya Tritiya – the Hindu Gold Rush Day. Majority of the Hindus are ignorant about Hindu scriptures, especially the Puranas which talk about auspicious days and events. Hindus are again confused by astrologers, who make a living by it! Ten years (even five years) back few devout Hindus performed pujas and chose the day to conduct marriages and begin new ventures. Majority of the Hindus even did not bother about Akshaya Tritiya. In fact, very few people knew about it. But the clever managers of jewelry shops made use of the word ‘Akshaya.’ In India , nothing sells like spirituality. We might debate but

Akha Teej

Akshaya Tritiya is known as Akha Teej in North India . It falls on the third day after Amavasi in the month Hindi of Vishaka (April – May). In 2012, the date of Akha Teej is April 24. Astrologically, the day is auspicious because the sun and moon are believed, astrologically, to be at their best position and shower brilliance on earth. Thanks to the crass commercialization of the society, buying Gold is today the main event during Akha Teej. Another bad practice on the day is mass child marriages. Although government has banned the evil practice, it still takes place in small pockets in rural areas in India . Akha Teej is also the birthday of Lord Parashuram, the 6th incarnation of Vishnu. Each moment on the day is considered auspicious. There are numerous myths associated with Akha Teej and each varies from region to region. It is believed that any investment or relationship begun on the day will be long lasting. ‘Akshaya’ means eternal or that which never diminishes. Lord V

Huge 61 feet Hanuman Statue at Hosanadu Kodyadka near Mangalore in Karnataka

A 61 feet Hanuman Statue was consecrated at Shri Annapoorneswari Temple at Hosanadu Kodyadka in Moodbidri near Mangalore in Karnataka. Lord Hanuman is shown as carrying the Mountain with the Sanjeevani herb . The mammoth idol is located near the main gate of the temple. Lord Hanuman is here referred as Hanumantha and the main temple is dedicated to Goddess Annapurna. The temple is maintained by Shri Jayaram Heggade, an NRI business man. The temple also enshrines idols of other major deities in the Hindu pantheon. Hosanadu Kodiyadka village is located a few kilometers off the Mangalore - Moodbidri - Karkala Road (National Highway 13). To reach, take a diversion to the west at Alangar on the highway which is near Moodbidri or Mudbidri. Other huge hanuman statues around the world are the 85-feet hanuman statue in Trinidad and the 108-feet statue in New Delhi.

Book: Devotional Hinduism: Creating Impressions for God

Devotional Hinduism: Creating Impressions for God is written by Mukul Shri Goel, PhD and it touches the core of Hindu spirituality by presenting its devotional feel, which involves directly connecting to God through the surrender of everyday actions or a love affair with the Divine. The book explores the spiritual choices that are available to practicing Hindus, how their beliefs affect their behavior, what they strive for in life, how they plan their evolution, how they progress, and who their role models are. The book has eight chapters which deals with – why saints keep requesting for more and more bhakti, why a single chant of the Lord's name is considered sufficient for liberation, how people adore Vishnu and his incarnations, Shiva and Durga, how our style of interaction with society can help us transcend nature, why our approach of selecting a major in college correlates with our spiritual realization, what happens when love becomes complete surrender, and lots more

French Born Businessman who is now an Avadhuta (Naked Sadhu) and a CEO

A French man by birth and the CEO of $300 million Fashions International Company based in Chennai, Swami Pranavananda Brahmendra Avadhuta has made India his home since 1971 and lives in a hermitage in Kolli Hills, Tamil Nadu, India . An Avadhuta is one who has no possessions and roams around naked. Of course when you are a CEO, you have to respect social norms and therefore Swami Pranavananda when dealing with business in his office in Chennai wears a grab of Sanyasi otherwise he spends much of his time in the nude. Before he was given Sanyas Diksha in 1988, Swami Pranavananda was Christian Fabre. He arrived in Madras in 1971 as an executive in a French trading house along with his wife and a young child. In the early 1980s, his marriage broke and soon business collapsed. Devastated, Christian Fabre, who once wished to be a Roman Catholic priest, stumbled on a man who despite crippling leprosy was full of joy. Eric Ellis writes in The Sydney Morning Herald Devastated,

Simply Ignore the Hollywood Movie The Love Guru and the Controversy

If you had heard about the movie ‘The Love Guru,’ then you must be aware of the controversy surrounding it or it might have been the controversy that introduced the movie to you. Now, if you haven’t heard about the movie, you will hear a lot of it in near future that it lampoons Hindu religion – especially it ridicules the guru-disciple relationship which is held sacred by millions of Hindus – and uses Hindu terms playfully. And people writing against fundamentalists curtailing the freedom of an artist in the name of religion. All this will continue till a better controversy captures the imagination of the people. Now in the comedy ‘The Love Guru,’ Pitka – the character played by Mike Myers famous for the Austine Powers movie – is an American who was left at the gates of an ashram in India as a child and raised by Gurus. Under the Gurus in India , Pitka becomes an expert in teaching spirituality, motivation, bliss, and peace. He moves back to the U.S. to seek fame and for