KAUAI, HAWAII, July 24, 2017 (HPI): Hinduism Today is preparing a story on the religious views of today’s youth in India raised by Hindu parents, including those who no longer consider themselves religious.
We’re prepared a questionnaire in google forms (”source” above) to get a general idea of what each believes, and this is intended to explore a range of religious belief and non-belief. The questionnaire may be followed up by telephone/skype interviews for selected participants.
If you’re interested in participating, fill out the form at ”source” above. It will take you 15 or 20 minutes to complete.
We’re interested in gathering the widest range of responses as possible, so even if you were raised a Hindu but don’t consider yourself one any more, we’d like to hear from you.
BANGKOK, THAILAND, August 17, 2017 (The Independent): Mythical creatures, angels and Gods are coming to life near Thailand’s Grand Palace, thanks to the tireless, devout and often volunteer work of artists and craftsmen. They are building a monument for a single moment: the cremation of a beloved king. More than 100 sculptures and statues will be placed inside a crematorium complex for King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who reigned for 70 years before his death Oct. 13, 2016. The structure represents Mount Meru, the place where Buddhist and Hindu Gods reside.
Bhumibol was revered by many Thais as their father and a demigod. Huge crowds lined the route when a cortege took his body to the Grand Palace the day after his death, and millions have paid their respects at the throne hall where his body rests in a royal urn. He will be cremated this Oct. 26 in a ceremony that is expected to be beamed around the world and will be one of the most expensive in history with a budget of 1 billion baht (US$30 million). Afterward, the crematorium will be dismantled.
INDIA, August 18, 2017 (Press Release): With Ganesh Chaturthi just around the corner, Ford is all set to celebrate it in style with a unique installation of Lord Ganesha, made of auto spare parts for the upcoming festive season. Aimed to highlight the importance of using genuine parts, the installation – consisting of disk brakes, fender, spark plugs, and clutch plate among others – will be open for public viewing from August 18-20, 2017 (Friday- Sunday) at the Oberoi Mall in Goregaon.
Created by artist Madhvi Pittie from Workshop Q in collaboration with Nishant Sudhakaran, a metal artist in Mumbai, the 6.5 Feet installation was unveiled by Saurabh Makhija, General Manager, Sales for Ford India. Speaking about the unique installation, Madhvi Pittie from Workshop Q said, ”As a green product design company, we often experiment with discarded objects and materials from the city’s streets, factories, households and proud to have made a beginning with auto spare parts – thanks to the challenge given by Ford.”
INDIA, August 18, 2017 (NDTV by Gunjan Bajaj): A symbol of prosperity, a magical ingredient of Ayurveda and an important part of religious customs and traditions, the refreshing and evergreen creeper, commonly known as Paan Patta, holds a special place in Hindu tradition. Native to South-East Asia, betel leaves are as important as the sacred Tulsi plant which is worshiped in many households. But we never think of the reasons behind the connection of betel leaf with many traditions despite the fact that it is used in almost every religious custom.
In South India in a region known as Old Mysore, it is a tradition to offer two betel leaves to the guests on every auspicious occasion. Also, a betel nut and a coin are placed on a betel leaf to be offered as dakshina for priests and elders in South India. Likewise, Assamese offer a betel leaf to guests after having a meal. It is a custom to chew paan ke patte especially after meals as it acts as a digestive. Betel leaves are also used to embellish the Kalash (pot) used for performing various religious rituals as it purifies the water.
Read more at ”source” above.
Can you weep for Him with intense longing of heart? Men shed a jugful of tears for the sake of their children, for their wives, or for money. But who weeps for God?
— Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa (1836-1886)
