Brij Bhoomi is a place associated with Sri Krishna and we get to hear a lot of about people visiting Brij Bhumi. So, Where is this Brij Bhoomi? Is there a place called Brij? Actually, Brij is an area of nearly 2325 sq km and Sri Krishna lived here during his childhood and performed the numerous leelas. Brij Bhoomi includes Mathura , Raval, Baldeo, Gokul, Mahavan, Vrindavan, Madhuvan, Radha Kund, Govardhan, Barsana and Nandagaon. River Yamuna flows through the heart of Brij Bhoomi. Brij Bhoomi extends from Banchari to Agra in Uttar Pradesh. Apart from the popular places, Brij also includes 12 forests and 24 groves and numerous other sacred ponds and ghats. Brij is the name given to the region and not to any exact spot or place.

Written by Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj, Dnyaneshwari is the most popular commentary on the Bhagavad Gita in Marathi. The Dnyaneshwari has now been translated into Japanese by Sixty-year-old Yuriko Ikenoya – Japanese and a Pandarpur yatra warkari for over 30 years and a Vitthal Bhakt. Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj is one of the greatest saints of Maharashtra and it is his Marathi commentary of Bhagavad Gita, the Dnyaneshwari that is read and studied in homes in  Maharashtra .   Times of India reports The devoted 'Vitthal bhakt' just completed translation of Dnyaneshwari (a commentary on Bhagwad Gita by Sant Dnyaneshwar) into the Japanese language. Besides, she is a permanent member of the Acharya Vinoba Bhave Ashram in Wardha and has translated Bhave's 'Geetai Pravachan' into Japanese. The book has already sold 1,000 copies and the second edition is awaited.   About the translation of Dnyaneshwari, Ikenoya said, "I published this book for today's generation of Ja

Narasimhi is an incarnation of Mother Goddess that is associated with the Narasimha avatar of Hindu God Vishnu. She is also popularly known as Goddess Pratyangira. There are two schools of thought regarding the origin of Goddess Narasimhi. The Vaishnava School of thought suggests that Goddess Narasimhi appeared from Goddess Lakshmi me to keep in control Narasimha whose fury was about to engulf the universe. The Shaivite School of thought suggests that Goddess Narasimhi is an incarnation of Goddess Shakti and she appeared from the wings of Sharabha – the form Shiva took to subdue the anger of Narasimha. Narasimhi has the face of a lion and she has four arms. One of the ancient temples associated with Goddess Narasimhi is located at Aivar Padi near Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu. Here the deity is popularly known as Pratyangira Devi and has 18 hands.

Shri Veda Bharathi, a Public Charitable Trust in India dedicated for research in Vedas and Sanskrit, as part of its mega project of Preservation and propagation of Vedic wisdom as brought out an audio DVD containing more than 10 thousand mantras from the Rig Veda. The Rg Veda DVD is priced at Rs 500/- in India and ad US$ 50/- in other countries. The DVD contains the traditional chanting, by an authoritative Vedic scholar, of the entire Rigveda Samhita, which is the most voluminous part of the sacred Vedic literature. It has audio files of all the 10,552 mantras, belonging to the  1028 Suktas of Sakala branch of Rigveda,  distributed under  64  chapters/ Adhyayas. The DVD starts with a prayer highlighting the glory of Rigveda. This is followed by an introduction narrating the status of Vedic literature and the need for preservation and propagation of Vedic knowledge. The DVD further contains chapter wise introductions, for all the 64 chapters of Rigveda, and provides encyclopedia i

Trishul Bhaint Yatra is organized annually to the Chandi Mata Temple at Bhaderwah region in Jammu and Kashmir . The temple is located at Chinote Village . Chandi Mata Temple is dedicated to Goddess Shakti. This is a very old sacred place. The temple was renovated recently. Trishul Bhaint Yatra starts every year on July 1 from Doda in Jammu . The yatra has numerous ceremonies and rituals and is received by people throughout Bhaderwah. You may also like to read Goddess Chandika

NDTV Imagine Channel will be featuring a serial titled Dwarkadheesh: Bhagwan Shri Krishna based on the life of Bhagavan Sri Krishna. The new Ramayana will air from Monday to Friday at 8:00 PM on NDTV Imagine starting from July 4, 2011. The tile role of Sri Krishna is played by new actor Vishal Karwal. The serial will narrate the famous episodes from the life of Krishna – highlight being 3D and songs. This Dwarkadheesh: Bhagwan Shri Krishna Serial is from the Sagar Arts, which brought India to a standstill on Sundays during the 1980s with the mythological serial Ramayana on Doordarshan.

Urdhva Ganapati is counted among the 32 forms of Ganesha. It is believed that this form will help a devotee from all sorts of difficulties by giving refuge in his feet. Urdhva Ganapati mantra is - Kalhaara shali kamalekshuka chapa bandanta Prarohakagadi kanakojwalangaha Alinganaodhatakaro harithangashtaya devya Karotu shubhaha murdhva ganadhipo mey!! Form Urdhva Ganapati is a tantric form of Ganesha and is with a consort who sits on his lap. The goddess on the lap is of green color. The body tone of Urdhva Ganapati is golden. He has eight hands and holds, blue flower, paddy, lotus, sugarcane, bow and arrow, goad, broken tusk and grass sprout. There are no popular temples exclusively dedicated to Urdhva Ganapati form of Ganapati.

Fridays in Ashada month as per traditional Kannada calendar followed in Karnataka is of great importance at the Chamundeshwari Temple . Special pujas will be held during Ashada Month 2023 Fridays falling on  June 23, June 30, July 7, and July 14. Fridays are of great significance in many temples dedicated to Goddess Shakti in South India . Origin of Goddess Chamundeshwari is mentioned in the Devi Mahatmya and Markandeya Purana. While Goddess Durga was engaged in a battle with demons Chanda and Munda, Goddess Kali emerged from the forehead of Durga and killed Chanda and Munda. Pleased with Goddess Kali, Durga called her Chamunda.

Amar Chitra Katha is currently creating a new series of comics on the important Hindu temples in India . The first in the series is on Tirupati Balaji Temple . The comic book focus on the origin and the stories associated with the temple and how the present day temple came into being. The stories in the book are meant to help children understand about the world’s most visited place of worship . From the flyer of the comic book When Vishnu returned to Vaikuntha after his Krishna avatar, Brahma, the creator, began to worry about the earth. Without Vishnu, he was afraid, chaos would ensue. So he and his son Narada, the wandering sage, set in motion a plan to get Vishnu, to return to the earth.  A talking anthill, an arrogant sage, an irate cowherd, and even the asura king Ravana, each have their parts to play in these stories that describe the founding of the Venkateshwara temple at Tirupati. Set amongst the lovely Tirumala hills, this temple to Lord Vishnu, is one of the most beauti

Rig Veda is one of the holiest texts in Hinduism and is the earliest of the four Vedas. Now you can download Rig Veda in Hindi thanks to the archive project. The entire Rig Veda in Hindi is in pdf format and you can download it for free. It is popularly believed the Vedas is of divine origin and composed by no man. Popular belief is that the divine words were first compiled Veda Vyasa. Vedas are considered to be an eternal text and is rediscovered during each new cosmic era. Link:   Download Rig Veda in PDF format You will need pdf reader to download or read online. Note – The pdf file is big nearly 210 MB.

The book titled ‘Vishnu Hinduism's Blue-Skinned Savior’ explores the murtis (idols), paintings and sculptures of Hindu God Vishnu – including the ten avatars and numerous other minor incarnations – from antiquity to modern times. Illustrations and discussions in the book reveal the influence of the murtis of Vishnu in rituals, art, literature and religious culture in India . The highlight of the book is the 230 color illustrations of Vishnu from numerous collectors and museums around the world. Articles in the book by noted historians of South Asian art delve deeply into the regional and sectarian traditions of Vishnu worship in India . A sad part is that most of the beautiful murtis of Vishnu are not in temples but in museums and with art collectors around the world. Vishnu Hinduism's Blue-Skinned Savior Edited by Joan Cummins Published by Mapin Publishing Price – Rupees 3500/- / $ 75.00 / £ 45.00 The book is available online at Mapin Publishing at a discount price. More

Panvati, or Panoti, is a woman mentioned in Hindu scriptures and she symbolically represents the all the bad astrological influences caused by the Navagrahas or nine planets. The most popular image of Panvati is that of Hanuman trampling on her and holding her hair. As per Hindu astrology or Jyothi Shastra, the Navagrahas play very important role in the fate of a man. The good alignment of nine planets is very important for prosperity and peaceful life as per horoscope. But usually the planets are never in good alignment and cause lot of trouble and these troubles are symbolically represented by Panvati. The popular belief is that Hanuman has the power to overcome the Navagrahas. Therefore people pray to Hanuman to find solutions to troubles caused by the nine planets. Thus Hanuman overpowering Panvati represents his ability to keep the Navagrahas under check and help his devotees.

Cities in India are growing but without finding answer to basic needs like water, waste management etc. Even worse is the issue of cremating the dead in cities in India . Most of the crematoriums maintained by government are unhygienic and lack proper facilities. Many concerned citizens of India are making serious efforts to give the dead a dignified exit from earth. Thrikkakkara Panchayat near Kochi in Kerala is planning a Eco-friendly fetus-shaped Crematorium. Deccan Chronicle Writes The unique project comes under Thrikkakkara Crematorium Trust of which Georgekutty is the chairman. The design of the crematorium has been inspired by a spiritual quest. Shaped in the form of a foetus, it's been conceived and designed by world renowned architect Gurjit Matharoo. Matharoo, in fact, has specialized in crematorium designs.  “Those interested can join us as members. We want to convert this into a people’s movement”, says Georgekutty.  “ Kochi is a city of apartments. But, many of th

Hudh Mata Trisandhya Yatra is held annually Hudh Mata Temple atop Brahma Peak in Kishtwar District in Jammu and Kashmir . In 2023, the yatra organized by Hudh Mata Trisandhya Yatra (Dachan) is from June 21 to June 26. The most important date is June 26 - Ashada Shukla Paksha Ashtami. The shrine is also  known as Sarthal Devi  Temple Yatris have darshan at Hudh Mata Temple and Brahma Sarovar and the holy waters of Trisindhaya Nadi. The Trisandhya River flows from the top of a hill near famous Brahma peak thrice a day. The unique aspect of the River is that it starts drying from down level towards upper level. The shrine here has murtis of Shiva, Parvati and Ganesha. Hudh Mata Trisandhya Yatra begins on the third day of the Shukla Paksha of Ashada month as per traditional North Indian calendar. The Chhari Mubarak starts on the Panchami tithi. The main prayers are on the Saptami and Ashtami Tithi.

Neither by action nor by progeny nor by wealth but by renunciation alone one attains immortality (or Self-knowledge). That in which all this universe exists together and into which it dissolves. That in which all the gods remain enjoying their respective powers – That certainly is whatever that has been in the past and whatever indeed is to come in the future. This cause of the universe, Prajapati, is supported by His own imperishable nature described as absolute ether. Right is austerity. Truth is austerity. Understanding of the scriptures is austerity. Subduing of one’s senses is austerity. Restraint of the body through such means like fast is austerity. Cultivation of a peaceable disposition is austerity. Giving gifts without selfish motives is austerity. Worship is austerity. Mahanarayana Upanishad

One of the world’s oldest surviving rituals, Vedic Yajna Athirathram was held from April 4 to April 5, 2011 at Panjal in Thrissur District in Kerala. Scientists who studied the effects of yajna on atmosphere, soil and other aspects of environment are of the opinion that, the Vedic Yajna had a positive impact on environment. Vedic Yajna (Yajgya or sacrifice or ritual) is performed for the prosperity of human race through peaceful co-existence with nature by energizing the various forces in nature – especially sun. Agni (fire) represents Sun, the Prathyaksha Brahman or Visible God, in Sanatana Dharma, and it is worshipped during the Yajna. This vedic ritual is known as Athirathram and is one of the world’s oldest surviving ritual. The Hindu Writes The “Athirathram” ritual held on April 4— 15 at Panjal village in Thrissur district was the focus of a detailed study by a team of scientists led by Prof V P N Nampoori, former director of the International School of Photonics, Cochin Univer

Indian Railways have announced a 34-day long tour of 12 Jyotirlinga temples dedicated to Shiva including Pashupatinath Temple in Nepal . Apart from these Shiva temples, the tour also includes some of the important temples like Tirupati, Madurai , Kannyakumari, Haridwar, Kashi and Puri. The tour is from June 26, 2011 to July 28, 2011. The journey is on a special train and the cost is Rs 17,442/- The features of the package includes accommodation in Non AC Dormitories/ Hall, comfortable Non AC road transfers (using 55 seater buses), vegetarian food (breakfast, lunch and dinner).One glass of packaged drinking water will be provided to each client during lunch and dinner per day. Further, there would be tour escort and security on train. You can get the details of this exhaustive journey which covers some of the important temples in India here at the official website of Rail Tourism India . 

G L Bhat an eminent Sculptor from Bangalore , India , is conducting classes on wood and stone carving. This is an ideal opportunity for sculpture enthusiasts and for those people who want to make sculpting as a profession. The course is held at Sanathana Kalakshetra in Bangalore . Monthly fees of the course is Rs 1000/-. There is also an admission of Rs 1000/-. Uma Swamy writes about the course in Citizen Matters Bangalore It is a special opportunity as G L Bhat is training in wood and stone carving for the very first time. He will conduct these classes in Sanathana Kalakshetra, a centre for training in different arts and crafts, located in 9th Main Road , 4th Block Jayanagar (adjacent to the Telephone Exchange) Sanathana Kalakshetra is conducting evening classes every Tuesday and Friday. Apart from a one time admission fee of Rs. 1000, the fee for the classes is Rs. 1000 per month. The classes began last fortnight but sculptor enthusiasts should hurry if they want to learn. The stu

Mundeshwari Bhawani temple, located in Kaimur District in Bihar , belongs to the Gupta Period. It is believed to have been built in 343 AD and is believed to be the oldest surviving Hindu Temple in the world. A book titled - Mundeshwari Mandir: The oldest recorded temple in the country – was released in March 2011. Now the Bihar State Religious Trust Board is planning to make film on the temple. Times of India reports   According to administrator, BSRTB Acharya Kishore Kunal the film will depict the historical characters of Sher Shah, the afghan ruler of Bihar , Mahakavi Banabhatta, Mahasamanta Udayasena, Kulapati Bhagudalan, Dandanayaka Gomibhatta, generals of that time and other characters who were witness to the developments at this temple, known for its divine powers. The film on this 1,652 year old temple will beautifully depict its architectural features specially its octagonal construction on shree yantra which is unparalleled and is not found elsewhere in India or abroad

Chinmaya International Foundation is offering a postal Sanskrit course for beginners. The study material for the Sanskrit course will be mailed through post and is primarily meant to help those who are interested in learning the basics of Sanskrit. This is not a free course – the fees for Indian Citizens is 2000/- and for foreigners it is $200. On successful completion of the course, students will be awarded a course completion certificate. The course comprises 40 lessons to be covered at the rate of two lessons a month. A total duration of 20 months is required for the completion of the course. However, depending on the entry-level capability and aptitude of a student, the course plan can be modified to suit specific skill sets. You can find more details about Postal Sanskrit Course from Chinmaya International Foundation here.

Vijaya Ganapati is a unique form of Hindu God Ganesha as he is seen riding a mouse. This is one among the 32 forms of Ganesh. The popular belief is that worship of Vijaya Ganapathi will help in the instant removal of problems in life. Vijaya Ganapati mantra is Pashankusha Svadhantamra Phalavan Akhuvahanah! Vighnam Nihantu Nah Sarvam Raktavarno Vinayakah!! Vijaya Ganapati Form Vijaya Ganapati is depicted as having four hands – the hands hold rope, hook, broken tusk and a mango. The body color of this form is blood red. Another speciality of this form is that it is shown riding the mouse – the vehicle or vahana of Ganesh. Benefits of Worshipping Vijaya Ganpati Form Vijaya means victory or success. This form Ganapati grants its devotees success in all ventures.

Jai Jai Jai Bajrangbali, a new television serial on Sahara One Channel, is based on stories of Hanuman from various Hindu Scriptures. The serial will be telecast from Monday to Friday at 8:30 PM IST.  Jai Jai Jai Bajrangbali Serial will follow the story of Lord Hanuman from his birth to his meeting Sri Ram, the battle against Ravana and the rescue of Mata Sita, to his desire that he remains on earth as long as Rama’s name is venerated by people. A new approach to the story is to tell the purpose of Lord Hanuman’s coming to the mortal world as the eleventh Rudravtar of Lord Shiva, the destroyer and transformer among the trinities. Jai Jai Jai Bajrangbali is produced and directed by Sagar Arts.

Hanuman Chalisa is one of the most popular prayers dedicated to Hindu God Hanuman. The prayer was composed by Goswami Tulsidas and chanted daily by millions of Hindus. This is a pdf version of the Hanuman Chalisa in Telugu.  This free version of the lyrics in Telugu text is provided by website Prapatti. You can download  Hanuman Chalisa in pdf in Telugu here. You will need to have pdf reader installed in your browser to read or download the text. 

The Illustrated guide to the Vedic universe is an art book project which aims to create an illustrated reference guide depicting the people, places, things, and beings mentioned in the Vedic literature. The project aims to create authentic drawings of the places, gods, beings, animals and people as mentioned in the various Vedic literatures. The project is by Rasikananda from Mayapuri in India . If you are interested you can help in the project and also fund the project. More details about The Illustrated Guide to the Vedic Universe project can be found here.

Philosophy of the Upanishads by Dr S Radhakrishnan is an attempt to bring the spirit of the Upanishads to readers and to kindle inquiry and self realization. Philosophy of the Upanishads by Dr S Radhakrishnan (1924) was one of the first books in English language that introduced the true teachings of Upanishads to the English speaking world. Archive Website is now offering the opportunity to read the entire book Philosophy of the Upanishads online for free. You can read it online but there is no option to download. Link - Philosophy of the Upanishads by Dr S Radhakrishnan The book has a forward by Rabindranath Tagore. 

There is an interesting story associated with the birth of Radha as a blind child. Radha was hesitant to take birth on earth before the birth of Sri Krishna. Vishnu tried to convince Lakshmi but she was not ready to appear on earth when Vishnu was still in Vaikunta. Finally, She agreed on the condition that She will open her eyes on earth only when Krishna appears before Her. Vishnu agreed to this condition. Days later, Vishabhanu, a local chieftain, finds baby Radha floating on a huge lotus in Yamuna River. Vishal Bhanu was happy to see the baby girl and took her home. He and his wife named the baby girl Radha. But the couple soon noticed that Radha is not opening her eyes. The couple then constantly prays for the eyesight of the child. Radha is now five years and Sage Narada pay visit to the home of Vishabhanu. The worried father asks for a solution to his child’s blindness. Narada who knew the reason for Radha not opening her eyes asked Vishabhanu to invite Nanda Rai and

Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) and Chinmaya International Foundation is offering an online Sanskrit course for beginners. This is an online course and is primarily meant to help those who are interested in learning the basics of Sanskrit. The course is not free – the course fee for Indian citizens is Rupees 1500/- and for foreign citizens it is $150. This is an Online Certificate Programme in Sanskrit. IGNOU Certificates are recognized by all the member institutions of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) and are at par with Certificates of all Indian Universities/Deemed Universities/Institutions. The last date of the course has been extended to June 10, 2011. The course will begin from July 2011. You can find more about the Online Sanskrit Course here at the official website of IGNOU Sanskrit.

Sthapati is the official name of a Hindu temple architect and there is great demand for experienced Sthapatis as Hindus are today building temples around the world. Sthapati R. Selvanathan too has built many temples around the world but what makes him different is his efforts to protect ancient temples and murtis – His mission is resurrecting and restoring the old Hindu temples as they are our heritage, important reference points and each temple is a store house of knowledge. The Hindu writes about Sthapati R. Selvanathan’s efforts Selvanathan’s heart lies in restoring ancient temples on the verge of collapse. “These temples represent our heritage, a testimony to the expertise of our ancestors. Besides, they are reference points. It is fine to build a new temple but in Tamil Nadu, a place of over 40,000 temples, resurrecting and renovating old ones would be more appropriate,” says the master craftsman. Wife Ponni helps her husband with research and has facts on her finger tips.  It is

Written by Steven J. Rosen, The Jedi in the Lotus – Star Wars and the Hindu Tradition explores the Hindu symbolism in the Star Wars films. This book is a must read if you are a Star Wars fan and wants to know about the use of the universal wisdom of Hinduism in the series. For a practicing Hindu (with a knowledge of Star War Series), the book provides with information about the parallels between Star Wars and teachings, ideas and situations from Hindu scriptures like the Ramayana, Mahabharata (especially the Bhagavad Gita), Puranas (especially the Srimad Bhagavad Purana) and Upanishads. If you have no idea about the Star Wars series but is still interested to know about the use of Hindu symbols in the films, the author has provided an exhaustive introduction and synopsis of the Star Wars. Similarly, if you are new to Hindu religion, the author provides a simple introduction to the oldest living religion in the world. The book is undoubtedly the result of a painful research of both th

Varad Laxmi Vrat is observed in the Shravan month as per traditional Sindhi calendar. The Vrat, rituals and pujas are dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi. Varad Lakshmi Vrat 2023 date is August 27. Varad Laxmi Vrat is observed on the eleventh of the waxing phase of moon (Shukla Paksha Ekadasi) in Shravan month. Please note that a popular Vrat of similar name – Varalakshmi – is observed throughout India in Shravan month.

Temples dedicated to the Varaha Avatar, or Boar Incarnation, of Hindu God Vishnu are far and few. One of the most popular temples dedicated to Varah Murti is located at Tirupati – on the west bank of the Swami Pushkarini at the Tirupati Balaji Temple . It is believed that the murti of Varaha at Tirupati is older than the murti of Venkateswara at Tirupati Balaji Temple . Tirumala Tirupati is also referred as Varaha Kshetra in many ancient texts. The puja at the Varaha Temple is observed first – before the puja at the Balaji Temple . The food offerings are made at the same time.

Upanishads contain the basic teachings of Hinduism and it needs no introduction to Hindus. Upanishads are today available today in all regional languages in India and also in most of the important languages around the world. Those wishing to read Upanishads in Malayalam, the language spoken mainly in Kerala in India , can now download it in pdf format or read online at the archive project. The book is the Malayalam translation of the famous book titled 108 Upanishads. The translation is done by V Balakrishnan and Dr Leela Devi. You can read it online or download it in pdf format at the archive site. Note – you will need pdf reader installed to download or read it online.

You need not look for external help, because it is all within you. You only have to change the direction of your mind. Once you put yourself in the right direction, you are sure to realize the goal of understanding. Happiness begins with you, wherever you are, in whatever conditions or country or circumstances. Your happiness lies within you, not without; it is a state of mind. Swami Premananda Baba

Malacca is one of the 13 states in Malaysia and Indian Tamil traders arrived in Malacca over 400 years ago. The first Hindu Temple at Malacca was built in 1781 AD and is known as Sri Poyyatha Vinayagamoorthy temple. The main deities worshipped are Ganesh and Shiva. Today, the temple also has murtis of Murugan with Valli and Deivani, Mariamman, Sundareswarar, Sanieswarar, Vyravar, Rama and Sitha. This video, produced by Aum Muruga Society of Sydney , Australia , on the 29th May 2011 shows the inside of the temple, puja performed by the priest and an interview with the priest. You can view the Video here or in the embedded format below. Visit to the OLDEST Saiva Temple in Malaysia from Aum Muruga Society on Vimeo. Thanks to Dr R Sri Ravindrarajah for providing this information. 

Bhaum Vrat is observed on the first Tuesday after the Amavasya or no moon day in the Shravan month. Many Hindu communities in North India observe special rituals and prayers on the day. Bhaum Vrat 2023 date is August 22. Bhaum Vrat is observed on the first Tuesday during the Shukla Paksha of Shravan month as per traditional Hindu calendars followed in North India.