Understanding Hinduism

Learn about the significance of various rituals, festivities, meanings of sanskrit words.

Celebrating Holi: Embracing Diversity and Unity in Today’s World

In a world marked by diversity, where cultures and traditions intertwine, the Hindu festival of Holi stands as a beacon of joy, color, and unity. Originating in the Indian subcontinent, Holi transcends geographical boundaries to become a global celebration of harmony and togetherness. As we delve into the significance of Holi in contemporary times, we uncover its timeless relevance and the profound message it carries for humanity.

The Relevance of Raksha Bandhan in Today's World

One of the foremost aspects that render Raksha Bandhan relevant today is its emphasis on family bonds and the importance of nurturing relationships. In an era marked by technological advancements and social media, where virtual connections often overshadow real-life interactions, festivals like Raksha Bandhan serve as reminders to cherish and strengthen familial ties. It provides an opportunity for siblings to come together, reminisce about shared memories, and reaffirm their love and support for each other, fostering a sense of belonging and unity within the family unit.

Raksha Bandhan: An Overview

Raksha Bandhan is derived from two words: "Raksha" meaning protection and "Bandhan" denoting a bond. In Sanskrit, this translates to "a bond of protection."

In The Joy of Others Lies Our Own HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj

In the Joy of others lies our own

A short glimpse of the life and achievements of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj

There are hundreds of coaching books that teach you various ways of dealing with life situations. Never ever has there been a book written about the life of a Hindu Sadhu containing lessons from his life.

This is a unique educational tool as the readers gets a glimpse of the life of a Sadhu and even more unique is that we will share some incredible basic life lessons from someone that actually practises them.

To start off, how many teachers do you know that work for nothing other than to help humanity, have only one purpose in life which is to introduce all individuals from all walks of life to the God within him.

This book is all about humility, purpose of life, love and respect, patience and working to benefit everyone - all unheard of life lessons. You will not learn to make more money, or how to have more of everything, you will simply learn about how to become happy by actually not wanting anything!

HH was born in an average family home in a village in India (photo) and when he died at the age of 96 he had established temples, schools and hospitals in almost all the continents of the world. The Sanstha(2) has a following of over 10 million devotees worldwide, each one an ambassador of his virtues. He has received accolades from various Parliaments etc. and, most importantly, built a workforce of over 100,000 volunteers who had been inspired to give time (seva) as part of life.

Yet he personally had two pairs of Dhotis, no bank account, and practised 5 vows of detachment - his attachment was only to God and his purpose was to introduce everyone to God, help all to live a life free of addiction, commit to spreading harmony and truly understand that the purpose of life is to be responsible for all that is around us and be a good sevak(3), never expect to receive credit and only to participate in making the world a happier place without waiting for the result. One piece of advice he gave was not to engage in breaking someone else's stick or trying to make your stick bigger, not to bully nor to bring someone else down, only to show that you have a higher purpose of reconciliation, forgiveness, harmony and love.

The life lessons we will explore are from his childhood right up to his death.

I hope you will enjoy reading about this wonderful soul who I was privileged enough to know and serve. Many individuals from all walks of life, even those who met him for as little as 5 minutes, have commented "if God was to exist on earth, it would be in him because he and his action can only be described as divine".

It would be appropriate to end this short introduction by summarising his life’s message:

In the joy of others, lies our own

In the happiness of others rests our own,

In the progress of others rests our own.

Tabla for Beginners | Online Course

A Tribute to Pramukh Swami Maharaj

His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj (1921-2016) was the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the inspirer of millions. He dedicated his life to selflessly serving others for the greater good of humanity, travelling across the world as an ambassador of love, peace, harmony, righteousness and faith. Pramukh Swami Maharaj was loved and respected as one of the great spiritual leaders of our time, who taught and embodied the timeless, universal wisdom: “In the joy of others lies our own.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj Centenary Festival NAGAR INTRODUCTION

Tribute to Jay Lakhani: British Hindus reflect on his enduring legacy that will live on for generations

heoretical physicist and global speaker Shri (Dilip) Jay Lakhani passed away peacefully at home on December 4, aged 72. It was a sad day for the British Hindu community as they bade farewell to the adored and well-respected scholar and pioneer of Hindu studies in the UK.

Author of 'Hinduism for Schools' (2005), 'Primary Hinduism' (2006), 'Special Times: Hinduism' (2009) and 'A Journey Through Life in Hinduism' (2010), Lakhani was the first Hindu tutor at Eton College and was known for his popular GCSE and A-Level Hinduism classes, which he ran up and down the country.

The Growth of BAPS in the Islamic World – A Case Study of Religious Harmony

Among many examples of positive progress towards religious harmony and mutual respect is BAPS – a socio-spiritual organisation which has led the effort to bring about dialogue between different faiths and promote the values of unity in diversity.

Freedom of Hindu Beliefs 2022 Events

The British Sanatan Dharmic Alliance organised events called Freedom of Hindu Beliefs. It was a first of its kind event, bringing together prominent parliamentary figures, community leaders, Hindu rights activists, academics and members of the diverse Hindu community

Why You Need To Know Your Ayurvedic Body Type

Discover how to harmonize your Body, Mind & Spirit, and rewire yourself for rapid healing and rejuvenation in this Free Masterclass here 👉https://go.mindvalley.com/WulzmmsT What if your kitchen was your pharmacy. Imagine being so in tune with your body and nature, and transforming the relationship you have with food and even with other people. That's just a little of what having an understanding of Ayurvedic body types can do.

Understanding Hinduism

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Diwali in London 2023

Freedom of Hindu Beliefs

The British Sanatan Dharmic Alliance organised an events called Freedom of Hindu Beliefs. It was a first of its kind event, bringing together prominent parliamentary figures, community leaders, Hindu rights activists, academics and members of the diverse Hindu community.

Tolerance over Interference

The farmers protest has taken a violent turn last week when thousands broke through the main protest and invaded one of India’s iconic sites – The Red Fort. And if that was not bad enough, they did it on India’s Republic Day celebrations.

The Pioneer Lawyer

One of the worst years in humanity’s history is coming to an end it is very sad to see that many key events and anniversaries have been marginalised. One such key date is the anniversary of women’s rights which has been rarely mentioned in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.

Diwali like no other

The pandemic has changed the boundaries of what we can do, and what we cannot. Diwali no longer means that thousands of people out on the streets of Leicester or on Trafalgar Square.

Faith Leaders write to PM over lockdown

Coronavirus - Are we winning?

Vegetarian & Vegan Kitchen - Healing Our Earth

It is another must-watch. Healing Our Earth group of volunteers are bringing another seven hours of in-depth insight into vegetarian and vegan cuisine. You can watch it at https://m.facebook.com/healingourearth and www.healingourearth.com

Coronavirus latest

The amount of information available on coronavirus is astonishing, but with it comes confusion, mixed messages and a whole lot of fake or inaccurate news. So here we are here again hoping to simplify the key information impacting the ethnic communities currently on the news agenda.

The global online summit to combat COVID-19

Life in the era of the COVID-19 pandemic is severe, stressful and in many cases fatal with the UK death rate rising above forty-four thousand. It is during this time; you see and hear about the brave and enduring individuals who find ways to beat the odds against the virus.

The Coronavirus Jigsaw Puzzle

Alpesh Chauhan, New Music Director of Birmingham Opera Company

It is breath-taking to see a young role model making his mark into the mainstream of British arts and culture. The Birmingham Opera Company has appointed locally born Alpesh Chauhan as their new Music Director.

Coronavirus Latest - India joins the Global Vaccine Mission

The crisis of Coronavirus continues worldwide. Even countries with low mortality rates are not safe, as they are either lacking increased testing or they are fearing a second wave of the spread which could further bring chaos within the health and economic systems.

Coronavirus - Humanity ahead of politics and profiteering

What we took for granted only a few weeks ago, now is a completely different world where we cannot even touch our loved ones.

The legacy of an Asian media pioneer

Commonwealth Games

So, after India threatens to boycott the Commonwealth Games, the officials negotiate and buckle down to a deal where India will host the archery and shooting events and pay the bills.

Arvind Krishna CEO of IBM

Indian professionals continue to make their mark on the top echelons of the world's tech companies. The latest one is Arvind Krishna taking up his post in April 2020 as the new CEO of IBM.

UK India Technology Innovation Fund

Talented Indian techies have an opportunity get funded with a new British Government fund launched to support collaborative research under the UK-India Tech Partnership.

British Museum snaps up Indian masterpiece

The British Museum has managed to raise around £440,000 to buy a painting by one of India’s greatest painters which was earmarked to be exported abroad. It has been bought with support from the Art Fund, National Heritage Memorial Fund and the Brooke Sewell Permanent Fund.

Never to be Forgotten

India has adopted the marigold as a symbol to commemorate the Indian soldiers who died in WW1.

Diwali - a new dawn

It’s a sight of a new dawn. Indian culture is extending across the globe. Where Indian culture has been tolerated for the sake of diversity and community relations is now embraced by the mainstream.

Let us not forget Gandhi's legacy

Two years have been marked to celebrate Mahatma Gandhi’s 150th anniversary and there have been many celebrations all around the world.

A Parliamentary First

Britain ethnic minority population is nearing 14%. There has been a steady rise in how ethnic minorities are represented in public life at around 8% in parliament.

Places of Worship under attack

The threat to places of worship has been mainly targeted toward mosques and synagogues. It would be an oddity that other places of worship would face any kind of hate from vandals and criminals. But in the last year or so, things have changed, and no places of worship are safe from being hit.

Kumar Iyer appointed Chief Economist at FCO

The Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has appointed Kumar Iyer as their Chief Economist thereby making him their first BAME origin member of the Board of Management.

New Government measures to update crematoria facilities

The Hindu community has welcomed the Government’s decision to help update crematoria facilities so that the needs of different faiths can be accommodated.

World's largest 'Bhagavad Gita'

The Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world's largest and heaviest Bhagavad Gita at the ISKCON temple in New Delhi. It is the world’s “largest principle sacred text ever to be printed.”

Gandhi Peace Centre Inauguration

More than 300 guests attended West Midland's Shri Venkateswara Balaji Temple for the opening of the Gandhi Peace Centre.

Diwali in the European Parliament

Following on from Diwali in Trafalgar Square and Belgrave Road, Leicester, the wider Europe has begun taking notice of the importance of Hindu Festivals outside India.

Diwali on the Square

In its 17th year, the Diwali festival on Trafalgar Square attracted thousands of people for an afternoon of spectacular celebration and commemorating the legacy of Indian soldiers during WW1.

UN Environmental Accolade

For years India has had to be stuck with the labels of unhygienic, dirty and not taking environmental issues seriously. Are such views justified?

Looking to the Future

In its 72nd year of Independence, India is a country with thousands of years of heritage. So how is this diverse nation progressing?

Government backs off from caste

After years of debacle, political scrutiny, community disharmony and blame from all sides, Theresa May’s government has finally decided to ditch the caste legislation.

UK India Week 2018

In a special event dedicated to the UK India-Week, there is much hope that this special relationship will only get stronger as Brexit beckons and Britain needs a major trading partner. With India progressing as an economic hothouse, it is no wonder that the UK-India Week is gaining new gravitas.

Pukaar Community Concert

A prominent women’s organisation ‘Pukar Group’ in Leicester managed to raise over a thousand pounds by organising a community concert.

The Commonwealth in Highlights

In a democratic country, people have a right to protest. And there were plenty of protests during the recent visit of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London.

Commonwealth

Heads of Government Meeting, London 2018

Hanuman Jayanti

It is Easter time in the Christian calendar and people are breaking up for the Easter break. But this year, March 31st also represents a major festival in the Hindu calendar. It is dedicated to the birth one of the great superheroes of civilisation – Lord Hanuman.

Insight into Akshardham Temple

Around 10,000 labourers and craftsmen helped build one of the greatest places of worship in the world?

First Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi

The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha is endowed to construct the first Hindu Temple in Abu Dhabi.

100th Indian Satellite Launch

The Indian space programme ISRO has reached another landmark by launching its 100th Indian satellite.

It is another must-watch. Healing Our Earth group of volunteers are bringing another seven hours of in-depth insight into vegetarian and vegan cuisine. You can watch it at

https://m.facebook.com/healingourearth

and

www.healingourearth.com