Latest Hindu News

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 21, 2007: (HPI note: These proposed regulations could have a dramatic impact on the ability of Hindu temples to bring in religious workers on the R-1 visa. Hindu organizations are advised to download the proposal at the URL above, and have it studied by their immigration experts. There are proposed changes that state the petitioner for the R-1 visa be the "same religious denomination" as the US employer, and that a "religious denomination" is a group of believers "administered under some form of ecclesiastical government." What would this mean with respect to Hinduism? Only some traditions have what could be construed as an "ecclesiastical government," which is a very Christian form of religious organization. The word "ecclesiastical" is defined in the dictionary as "of or relating to the Christian Church or its clergy." Comments on the proposals will be taken until June 25, 2007, see here.)

SOUTH HADLEY, MASSACHUSETTS, April 17, 2007: Mount Holyoke College's Hindu student organization, Sisters of Hinduism Reaching Inward (SHRI) are holding a conference on the college campus between April 20-22. The conference "Moving Beyond the Body" is the first of its kind on campus and in the Pioneer Valley (Western MA). The Keynote speaker, Dr. Arun Sharma, M.I.I.N.T., N.D., Director of the International Institute of Mahayoga & Natural Hygiene (IIMANAH) will be leading a series of workshops relating to different disciplines of yoga that enhance wellness of the mind, body, and spirit. The conference is open to all Mt. Holyoke College & 5-College students, faculty, and staff as well as community members. For registration details click on url above.

WASHINGTON, D.C., April 10, 2007: The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) is currently accepting applications for participation in its third annual summer internship program. Motivated interns will work with members of the Hindu American Foundation Executive Council to complete self-contained projects over the course of the summer. Internships are designed for 20 hours of work per week and will last for 8-12 weeks during the summer of 2007. Possible summer projects include web marketing, website development, public relations, interfaith dialogue, drafting of press releases and position papers, preparation of Hindu educational material, graphic design and various research projects.

Hinduism is one of the oldest religions in the world. Mahabharata was written more than 5000 years back. The Hindus call God as Brahman. Brahman is our soul. Brahman makes the whole world. There is no...

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND, March 30, 2007: Islamic countries pushed through a resolution at the U.N. Human Rights Council on Friday urging a global prohibition on the public defamation of religion -- a response largely to the furor last year over caricatures published in a Danish newspaper of the Muslim Prophet Muhammad. The statement proposed by the Organization of Islamic Conference addressed what it called a "campaign" against Muslim minorities and the Islamic religion around the world since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States.

NEW JERSEY, USA, March 23, 20077: (HPI note: above URL is corrected from yesterday's item to take you directly to the Summer Hindu Studies Program web page.) Perhaps for the first time in summer, Rutgers University is including four new credit courses under religion department about Hindu culture and religion: 1. Hinduism through its Narrative Tradition; 2. Hindu Rituals, Festivals and Symbols; 3. Hindu Philosophy; and 4. Hinduism and Modernity. In addition, Sanskrit, the ancient Indian classical language is also offered as a credit course. All these courses can be taken by anybody without any pre-requisites. For more info, please visit URL above. (HPI note: Our thanks to Pankaj Jain for this information.)

NEW JERSEY, USA, March 23, 20077: (HPI note: above URL is corrected from yesterday's item to take you directly to the Summer Hindu Studies Program web page.) Perhaps for the first time in summer, Rutgers University is including four new credit courses under religion department about Hindu culture and religion: 1. Hinduism through its Narrative Tradition; 2. Hindu Rituals, Festivals and Symbols; 3. Hindu Philosophy; and 4. Hinduism and Modernity. In addition, Sanskrit, the ancient Indian classical language is also offered as a credit course. All these courses can be taken by anybody without any pre-requisites. For more info, please visit URL above. (HPI note: Our thanks to Pankaj Jain for this information.)

NEW JERSEY, USA, March 23, 20077: (HPI note: above URL is corrected from yesterday's item to take you directly to the Summer Hindu Studies Program web page.) Perhaps for the first time in summer, Rutgers University is including four new credit courses under religion department about Hindu culture and religion: 1. Hinduism through its Narrative Tradition; 2. Hindu Rituals, Festivals and Symbols; 3. Hindu Philosophy; and 4. Hinduism and Modernity. In addition, Sanskrit, the ancient Indian classical language is also offered as a credit course. All these courses can be taken by anybody without any pre-requisites. For more info, please visit URL above. (HPI note: Our thanks to Pankaj Jain for this information.)

NEW JERSEY, USA, March 23, 20077: Perhaps for the first time in summer, Rutgers University is including four new credit courses under religion department about Hindu culture and religion: 1. Hinduism through its Narrative Tradition; 2. Hindu Rituals, Festivals and Symbols; 3. Hindu Philosophy; and 4. Hinduism and Modernity. In addition, Sanskrit, the ancient Indian classical language is also offered as a credit course. All these courses can be taken by anybody without any pre-requisites. For more info, please visit URL above. (HPI note: Our thanks to Pankaj Jain for this information.)

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, March 17, 2007: Hinduism, one of the oldest religions of the world, is now a subject of study at the University of Sydney. Julian Droogan, a lecturer with the department of studies in religion, will take a group of his students for a tour of the local Sri Venkateswara temple to introduce them to the vibrant, dynamic and colorful world of Hinduism. The tour will help them to understand the significance of art, architecture and symbols in the Hindu religion and culture, major Gods, their incarnations and the use of gestures and facial expressions, and the functions of the temple, according to Indian Link, an ethnic magazine. To understand how Indian culture and Hinduism are becoming significant in 21st century Australia, Droogan and his students will also hold a discussion with brahmin pundits at the temple.

NEW DELHI, INDIA, March 12, 2007: "Karan Singh : A Tryst With History, a Pictorial Biography" was launched with grand fanfare by Shri Pranab Mukherjee, India's Union Minister For External Affairs, in the Rose Gardens of New Delhi's India International Center on Friday, March 9, the 76th birthday of Dr. Karan Singh.

KAUAI, HAWAII, March 9, 2007: Himalayan Academy Publications, publisher of Hinduism Today and HPI, has collected over its 46 years an enormous archive of digital imagery. For decades the Hinduism Today staff photographed, scanned, collected, invented, designed, bartered and exchanged Hindu art. Working with gifted artists from India, Bali, Malaysia and anywhere talent could be found, a treasure-trove of traditional spiritual paintings and imagery was assembled. Himalayan Academy now releases two royalty-free treasure chests of Hindu graphics. These resources will empower parents, teachers, web designers and communicators in passing on the great Sanatana Dharma to the next generation.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, March 6, 2007: AskAsia.org is an online resource produced by the Asia Society, an international educational organization founded by John D. Rockefeller over 50 years ago. The site helps teachers and students explore critical questions about Asia and global themes. Besides scholarly content about Asia and US-Asia relations, teachers can find expert K-12 teaching and learning strategies and learning resources.

This site is an excellent source for additional material to complement Hinduism Today's recently published 6th grade lesson plans on Indian history. For teachers sensitive to the anti-Asian cultural biases found in many middle and high school history textbooks, this site offers a more objective and realistic historical look at Asian history.

Tibetan Om or Aum is of great importance in Hinduism. This sacred syllable is used to represent the Brahman, the impersonal Absolute - omnipotent, omnipresent and the source of all existence. In its e...