India Day Parade in Fremont – Aug 12th & 13th

14th Festival of India is a 2-day celebration of India’s diversity and culture. Consisting of 120 booths depicting art, crafts, literature, garments, jewelry, food, and businesses, the celebration also includes a health fair, cultural program, parade, and gala awards with a grand marshal and other dignitaries. Different states of India are represented by over 50 floats.

This years chief guest is Amrita Rao.

 

Organized by the Federation
of Indian Associations. 39439 Paseo Padre Pkwy., Fremont. Aug. 12, 9 a.m.-8
p.m.; Aug. 13, 9 a.m. Fremont. www.fiaonline.org

Security tightened at Kashi Vishwanath temple

Varanasi: Pens and toys will not be allowed into the Gyanwapi-Kashi Vishwanath complex here.

Additional Police Superintendent (Gyanwapi-Security) Jugal Kishore Tiwari said here on Wednesday that taking pens inside the complex — housing the world famous Kashi Vishwanath temple — had been banned with immediate effect. The move followed intelligence inputs about a security threat from explosives in pens.

“Similar explosives have been used by some militants in the United States and other countries, and the decision to ban pens in the complex has been taken keeping this in mind,” he said.

Mr. Tiwari, however, said the ban would not apply to those residing in the red zone of the complex, the most sensitive of the three-tier security. Besides, accredited journalists would be allowed to carry pens into the complex.

All types of toys, especially electronic ones, had also been banned for security reasons, he said. — UNI

via Hindu 

LeT threat to blow up Golden temple

Amritsar: The Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) has threatened to blow up the Golden Temple, the holy Sikh shrine which is visited by thousands of visitors every day, on October 6.

A hand-written letter, signed by one Karim Ansari, which was made avaliable to the UNI stated that explosives would be used to blow up the Golden Temple as well as the Amritsar railway station and the general bus stand.

The letter in Hindi was received by post at the SGPC headquarters on Tuesday, SGPC secretary Harbeant Singh confirmed on Wednesday.

Harbeant Singh said that the letter was handed over to SSP, S S Srivastva.

The letter further threatened to blow up the Raghunath temple in Jammu and the railway station there on October 7 and said on the following day the holy Hindu shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi would be targeted.

more

Thames immersion for Hindu idols

Idols of Hindu gods were immersed in the river Thames in west London, as hundreds from the Hindu Bengali community attended the ceremony. This is the first time the community was allowed to give a traditional send-off to the deities by London’s port authorities. The idols, belonging to a tableau measuring 18ft by 20ft, were made from clay, straw and vegetable dyes.

The submergence marked the end of the week-long festival of Durga Puja.

The installation – comprising of the main female goddess Durga, the demon she is depicted slaughtering and her children – were built at the British Museum by craftsmen who were brought in from the Indian state of West Bengal.

The idols were then moved to the Camden Town Hall where the week-long festival was held. more

Hindu prisoners observe Ramzan fast in Bihar jail

Setting a perfect example of communal harmony, 23 Hindu prisoners, four of them women, of Bhagalpur Central Jail are observing the Ramzan fast along with Muslim inmates, jail sources said on Monday. A total of 303 inmates are observing the Ramzan fast in the high-security Bhagalpur Central Jail, jail superintendent PK Jha said. Special food arrangements have been made for prisoners on fast, he said, adding that the gesture by Hindu prisoners should set an example to others who want to divide society on communal lines, Jha said.

via Hindustantimes.

Durga Puja and Sharod Mela 2006 at Sunnyvale Hindu Temple

5 days of Puja, Aaarti and religious rituals according to the “tithi” organized by Paschimi at Sunnyvale Hindu Temple. Participate in Durga Puja and Sharod Mela again this year. For all the the 5 days… be part of this grand festival, feel the true spirit, and enjoy attrative cultural programs!

Here is the schedule, more information here

•  MahaShasthi, September 28th (Thursday)
  - Bodhan, MahaSasthi Puja – 11:00 AM to 2:30 PM.
  - Amantran & Adhibas – 7:00 PM – 8:00 PM.
  * Childrens Talent Show – 6:30 PM onwards.
   
• Mahasaptami, September 29th (Friday)
  - Naba Patrika Snan, & Stahpana – 11:00 to 11:30 AM.
  - Maha Saptami Puja – 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM.
  - Pushpanjali – 12:30 PM.
  - Annabhog – 1:00 PM.
  - Bhog and Prasad Discribution – 1:00 PM.
  - SyandyaAaarti – 6:00 PM
  * Sharod Arghya (Day 1) – 6:30 PM onwards.
• Mahashtami, September 30th (Saturday)
  - Mahashtami Puja 9.00AM to 1.30PM
  - Pushpanjali 11.00AM to 1.30PM
  - Annabhog 1.00PM
  - Sandhipuja 1.30PM to 2.00PM
  * Sharod Arghya (Day 2) – 2:30 PM onwards.
  - Sandhyaarati and Prasad 7.00PM 8.00PM
• Mahanabami, October 1st (Sunday)
  - Mahanavami Puja – 9.00AM to 12.30PM
  - Pushpanjali and Arati – 11.00AM to 12.00Noon
  - Annabhog – 1.00PM
  - Kumari Puja – 12.30PM to 1.30PM
  * Sharod Arghya (Day 3) 2:00 PM onwards.
  - Sandhyaarati – 7.00PM to 8.00PM.
• MahaDashami, October 2nd (Monday)
  - Mahadashami Puja – 9.00 AM to 11.00 AM.
  - Aparajita Puja – 11.00 AM to 11.30 AM.
  - Pushpanjali and Arati – 11.30 AM 12.00 Noon.
  - Shanti Jaal O Prasashti Banran 12.30PM 1.00 PM.
  - Sindur daan O Pratima baran – 1.00 PM.
  - “Sindur Khela” (Vermillion game) – Evening 6:00 PM.

NavaRatri Celebrations at Sunnyvale Hindu Temple

Sunnyvale hindu temple has an ameded schedule for Pooja from Sep 22nd to Oct 2nd 2006.

• 6:30PM – 7:30PM Devi Puja (LalithSahastranamavali)
• 7:30PM – 8:30PM Dance Program (Natya Utsav by various Groups)
• 8:15PM – 8:30PM Kumarika Puja
• 8:30PM – 9:00PM Arati & Prasad

Gandhi on Hinduism

It is clear from the foregoing, that Hinduism is not an exclusive religion. In it there is room for the worship of all the prophets of the world. It is not a missionary religion in the ordinary sense of the term.It has no doubt absorbed many tribes in its fold, but this absorption has been of an evolutionary imperceptible character.

Hinduism tells everyone to worship God according to his own faith or dharma, and so it lives at peace with all the religions.

Mahatma Gandhi – Hindu Dharma, Orient Paperbacks, Published 1991, page 15.

Hindu Blog: Quote for the day

HARIKATHA UPANYASA at Livermore Temple – Sep 23rd

HCCC & South India Fine Arts

Present

HARIKATHA UPANYASA

By Udayallur Kalyanaraman & Party

Date: Sept 23^rd, Saturday, 4pm, Venue: HCCCAssembly Hall

Contact: Kala Iyer (510) 796-5252

K S Srinivasan (408) 556-9343

* ALL ARE WELCOME * DONATIONS WELCOME *

More Information

Hindu temple leader in Minneapolis asks judge to be lenient on vandals

Two men who vandalized a Hindu temple in Minneapolis got a break when the leader of the temple helped persuade a judge to give them lighter sentences.

“In this day and age of ‘Eye for an Eye,”’ Dr. Shashikant Sane told Hennepin County District Judge Kevin Burke, the two men deserved a chance to become “productive citizens,” not “hardened criminals.”

Both men pleaded guilty earlier to smashing statues of deities at the ornate Hindu Manir Temple, causing about $200,000 in damage a few months before the temple was to open.

The vandalism was a shock to the growing Minneapolis-area Hindu community.

“When we saw the decapitated and dismembered sculptures … our feelings were akin to seeing the shattered bodies of brutally murdered family members,” said Sane, chairman of the temple’s board of trustees.

Three weeks ago, Spakousky and Tuomie stood before about 50 temple members asking their forgiveness, and they were remorseful again Thursday.

viaThe Hindu