Hinduism
Revitalization of India’s ancient sacred city of Varanasi leaves some longtime visitors cold
By Richa Karmarkar — December 22, 2023
VARANASI, India (RNS) — Prime Minister Narendra Modi's efforts to revitalize the city's historic sacred sites have increased domestic religious tourism, but for some foreign spiritual seekers, the shiny new hotels, landmarks and tourist-centered rituals have made the experience of visiting a hollow one.
In India’s holiest city, Hindus worship the nation of India
By Richa Karmarkar — December 20, 2023
VARANASI, India (RNS) — The Bharat Mata mandir in India’s holiest city has come to represent an ideology that many in Narendra Modi’s constituency hold — a distinctly religious allegiance to the personified mother goddess of India.
How Henry Kissinger enabled the Bangladeshi Hindu genocide and let us forget it
By Murali Balaji — December 8, 2023
(RNS) — The late Henry Kissinger left a legacy of supporting policies that led to disaster for millions — including those who died in the 1971 Bangladeshi genocide.
How sacred images in many Asian cultures incorporate divine presence and make them come ‘alive’
By Michael Naparstek — December 6, 2023
(The Conversation) — Through the power of rituals, inanimate objects can be understood to transform into agents who can see, hear, taste and respond to the concerns of those who worship them.
Hindu nationalists notwithstanding, barring caste discrimination is not anti-Hindu
By Mark Silk — November 29, 2023
(RNS) — A new federal court decision said it found no evidence of bias in Cal State’s policy.
Houston’s Hindu youth will soon have a summer campsite of their own
By Richa Karmarkar — November 24, 2023
(RNS) — The Texas Hindu Campsite is set to open by the summer of 2024, just one year before the Hindu Heritage Youth Camp's 40-year anniversary.
How a massive all-granite, hand-carved Hindu temple ended up on Hawaii’s lush Kauai Island
By Deepa Bharath — November 21, 2023
KAPAA, Hawaii (AP) — Less than 1% of Hawaii’s 1.4 million residents are Hindus and on Kauai, the number of Hindus may not even exceed 50, according to some estimates.
From India’s Bihar to California’s Bay Area, Hindus celebrate ancient sun festival
By Richa Karmarkar — November 16, 2023
(RNS) — The ritual celebrating the rising and setting sun predates the Hindu gods that are more commonly known today, and stems from the earliest tradition of Hinduism, known as Vedic Hinduism.
Millions of Indians set a world record celebrating Diwali as worries about air pollution rise
By Biswajeet Banerjee — November 13, 2023
LUCKNOW, India (AP) — Air pollution level is expected to soar again after the celebrations end Sunday night because of the fireworks used.
For New York’s Indo-Caribbean Hindus, Diwali is a fusion of East and West
By Richa Karmarkar — November 10, 2023
(RNS) — More than 300,000 West Indians reside in Queens. Among them, observant Hindus celebrate Diwali with a special fervor and distinct cultural flair.
Pope Francis to join other clergy at first ‘Faith Pavilion’ at climate summit
By Adelle M. Banks — November 9, 2023
(RNS) — ‘This demonstrates the significance of the interfaith movement in helping to tackle the climate emergency,’ said one faith leader about the pavilion.
What is Diwali, the Festival of Lights, and how is it celebrated in India and the diaspora?
By Deepa Bharath — November 9, 2023
(AP) — It is celebrated across faiths by more than a billion people in the world’s most populous nation and the diaspora.
When it comes to defusing Hindu-Muslim tensions, college kids may know best
By Richa Karmarkar — November 9, 2023
(RNS) — The Interfaith Harmony Student Fellowship, an inaugural initiative from progressive Hindu organization Hindus for Human Rights, aims to prove that the younger generation will lead the cause into lasting change.
India bars protests that support the Palestinians. Analysts say a pro-Israel shift helps at home
By Sheikh Saaliq and Aijaz Hussain — November 8, 2023
SRINAGAR, India (AP) —The restrictions reflect a shift in India's foreign policy under populist Prime Minister Narendra Modi away from its long-held support for the Palestinians.
How a Hindu architect became the ‘mosque man’ of Kerala
By Priyadarshini Sen — October 31, 2023
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India (RNS) — With no formal training, Govindan Gopalakrishnan built at least 114 mosques, four churches and a Hindu temple.
