“Ram is not fire; Ram is energy. Ram is not a dispute; Ram is a solution. Ram is not just ours; Ram belongs to everyone. Ram is not just present; Ram is eternal.” Narendra Modi January 22, 2024, will forever be a historic, monumental, and magnificent day of Sanatan Dharma revival for the consecration of Ram Mandir. Prime Minister Modi performed “Pran Pratishtha” which was witnessed by millions around the world. It was the grand spectacle of our lifetime.... Read more
Why is Bharat’s Religious Freedom Monitored by Only Individuals of Abrahamic Faith? Background: The world’s topmost religions include Christianity (~2.4 B), Islam (~1.9B), Hinduism (~1.2B), and Buddhism (~0.5 B). The last two religions originated in ancient Bharat with about 5,000 old history and civilization. Today’s Bharat (known as India) has a population of about 1.4 B and is a Hindu-majority nation. Hindus are inherently secular. The religious demography in Christian-dominated America, according to a PRRI report in 2021 (www.prri.org), includes... Read more
The Govardhan Puja, Annakut, and Chhapan Bhog are intimately connected and observed on the day after Deepavali. These are associated with an ancient and legendary story from the times of Lord Krishna dating back to around 3,228 BCE. It is typical that most Hindu festivals connect us to our Divine roots. This article includes the brief history and significance of these festivals followed by how the local Hindu community celebrated them. Most Hindu festivals offer food to God and once... Read more
It was blissful and a blessing to visit the majestic, magnificent, and mesmerizing architectural marvel, the Akshardham Temple in New Jersey. The second-largest in the world and the largest of the three Akshardham temples is the New Jersey temple (mandir). The other two are in New Delhi and Gandhinagar, India. The Akshardham under discussion stands about 191 feet at its highest point, on more than 180 acres of land with nearly 10,000 statues. Interesting to note that the largest Hindu... Read more
The Hindu epic, Ramayana, is about the notable and most celebrated Bhagwan Ram, an incarnation of Vishnu God. Most Hindus grow up with Ram Leela (a two-week-long theatrical depiction of Bhagwan Ram’s life story) in Bharat (that is India). The author himself grew up with Ram Leela year after year in his village. It is believed that Lord Vishnu was ordained to take birth as a human being (Ram) to get rid of the increasingly evil powers of demons on... Read more
This year’s G20 summit was proudly hosted by Prime Minister Modi in New Delhi. It was an unprecedented geopolitical event in which the New Delhi declaration was unanimously agreed by all G20 members. Another political dimension was the unanimity for admitting the African Union as a permanent member of G20. This added 55 African countries with an economy worth about $3 trillion and 1.4 billion in population. The third accomplishment was the revival of the new “Spice Route,” clinched among... Read more
In the Bhagwad Gita, one of the most sacred Hindu scriptures, Lord Krishna states that “forgiveness” is one of the great qualities everyone should practice and aspire for. He, however, cautioned not to use forgiveness indiscriminately. This article is about an act of forgiveness, a higher purpose of Divine faith and Hinduism, by the community in Minnesota. The incidence goes as far back as 2006, a part of the history of the Hindu Temple of Minnesota (HTM) when it was... Read more
In earlier articles, we offered Hanuman Ji’s profile followed by his diplomacy skills in brokering friendship between Lord Ram and Sugriva. The following includes more examples of his diplomacy when Hanuman arrives in Lanka, finds Sita, and meets Ravana. Hanuman Heading to Lanka: Tasked to find Sita, Hanuman asked Ram to give him something to establish his credibility as his representative. Ram offered the wedding ring to Hanuman. With the ability to disguise himself and stay under the radar, Hanuman... Read more
The focus here is on Hanuman’s diplomacy with the ability to disguise. It combines his communication and collaboration skills, and composure. He could analyze the situation, think critically, and make himself aware of his surroundings. His calm personality, unless provoked, is another trait of his diplomacy. Part II will cover Hanuman’s defiant diplomacy when provoked by King Ravana in Lanka. A brief introduction to the Hindu God Hanuman was offered recently Hanuman, the prominent character in the Hindu epic... Read more
THE UNTOLD MYTHOLOGICAL STORY OF “JATAYU”One of the very well-known Hindu epics is Ramayana about the most notable Bhagwan Ram, an incarnation of Vishnu God. Most Hindus have grown up with Ram Leela, about two-week long staged and well narrated life story of Bhagwan Ram, in the rural and urban Bharat (that is India). The author himself grew up with the fascinating Ram Leela year after year in his own village. It is believed that Bhagwan Ram was ordained to... Read more
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