(RNS) — Tucked away on a hill beyond a vast commercial landscape are the first two Dharmic temples to exist in the Midwestern state of Wisconsin.
The 22 acres that are home to the Hindu and Jain Temples of Wisconsin were situated in “the middle of nowhere” when they were built in 2001, according to Sarvesh Geddam, the secretary of the two congregations. Now, the area is laden with fast-food restaurants and surplus warehouses, and Pewaukee, a village next to Waukesha in Milwaukee’s far-west suburbs, has become home to two more groups: devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba, a 20th-century Hindu saint, and BAPS, or Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, a larger Hindu denomination that follows gurus, or swamis, and is often recognizable for its grand temples.
When the Hindu and Jain temples were finished 20 years ago, the community was decidedly unmarked by South Asian culture. Even today, outsiders might wonder that the Wisconsin suburbs — and a state known predominantly for its freezing temperatures (as well as its dairy farming and its importance in national elections) — would draw people from the homelands of Hinduism and Jainism.
In fact, the Indian population of Wisconsin is the second-largest minority Asian group after the Hmong and has grown in population by more than 80% since 2000-2010, according to Wisconsin’s Asian American and Pacific Islander Health Forum.
The midwest offered the members of the four temples what it has offered any immigrant: space to call their own.
Of the nearly 2 million Indians in the United States today, more than half identify as Hindu. The earliest immigrants to arrive worshipped at makeshift shrines in people’s homes, but with the expansion of immigration quotas from Asian countries in 1965, more than 1,450 temples now exist in the U.S. In New Jersey, California and Texas, where the majority of South Asian Americans live, there are enough adherents to populate temples dedicated to particular deities, as is common in India.
Although Jainism also contains multiple sects within it, the JAINA society now has more than 80 Jain centers nationwide and an estimated population of 30,000 worshippers.
“This is a pan-Indian umbrella,” said Geddam. “We are helping people who are struggling to cope with the change of coming here.” When the first worshippers came to the temple, said Geddam, they felt grateful and amazed to find a slice of home.
To cater to the nearly 1,000 Wisconsinites who attend the Pewaukee Hindu temple, the building was built to accommodate what Geddam calls an “arcade” of deities — a collection of marble statues depicting the many manifestations of God that Hindus worship, Krishna, Shiva and Ganesh being just the most widely recognized of dozens of forms of the divine known as deities or gods.
The Hindu temple initially offered to host Jain idols as well, but it soon became apparent that different sects had different needs. The Jain holiday Samvatsari and the Hindu one of Ganesh Chaturthi often fall on the same day, for instance. While the Jain holiday is about quiet meditation and reflection, the latter is an event of great jubilation and noise.
As the South Asian community continued to grow, the two other Indic faiths began to meet at the Hindu temple. The Sai Baba devotees and BAPS members used to schedule worship around each other at the Hindu temple, but soon they, too, wanted their own spaces.
In 2013, the Sai Baba devotees walked into a nondenominational church that had come up for sale in downtown Pewaukee and saw a great hall with no benches or pews to remove. The followers of Sai Baba, who also center themselves on serving others, raised $200,000 in just two days from the small surrounding community, many of whom had never stepped foot in an Indian house of worship.
The location, now the Wisconsin Shirdi Sai, has the feeling of visiting Baba’s home temple in Shirdi, India, say its new owners, who claim on their website that it was selected by their founder, Sai Baba himself.
“It was not magic, it was a miracle,” said Satya Karri, the temple’s main trustee. “We were waiting, and with Baba’s grace we got it.”
The BAPS’ Swaminarayan temple got its start in 2018 on the same street as the Hindu and Jain temples in what used to be a mattress warehouse. BAPS temples are nearly uniform wherever they are found, with a store offering Indian snacks and books, classrooms separated by gender and a large assembly hall.
The idea is to create continuity with not only the faith but the culture of western India, where BAPS originated. “When they come here, it gives them a feel of where they grew up,” said Mayur Brahmbatt, the teenage son of the temple’s head priest, about its elder members.
For larger events that cater to a wider audience, like Diwali, the Hindu temple is still the hub. Thousands of Indian Americans, young and old, flock to this little epicenter of Midwestern India.
The ornate entryway into the Hindu and Jain temples located next to each other in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. RNS photo by Richa Karmarkar
The surrounding community, more than 70% Christian and many of them evangelicals, responded with typical midwestern hospitality and practicality, mixed with curiosity. Teachers in the local school district attended seminars at the temple to learn more about their Indian students. The temples have given back to the community as well: In 2020, they hosted clinics that administered 5,000 COVID-19 vaccinations, more than 87% of them to non-Hindus.
“We believe we can attain “moksha” here in this lifetime,” said Geddam, referring to the devotion to service that characterizes Dharmic beliefs.
While the temples have helped anchor new South Asian American families in the U.S., Kamal Shah, president of the Jain Temple, said they also foster hope that basic Jain teachings, like vegetarianism and ahimsa, will pass down to following generations.
“When I first came here, people said, ‘When you come to this country, you can’t continue to be in the old religion,’” said Shah. “Though our belief is very, very ancient, we are able to keep this up in America. That is the biggest transformation.”
“Our analysis demonstrates that there is an alarming, recent rise in the use of key terms — particularly, anti-Hindu slurs and slogans — that both connote and disseminate Hinduphobia on popular social media platforms,” the report said. “Accompanying this increase is the proliferation of anti-Hindu genocidal memes in Islamist, white nationalist, and other extremist sub-networks online. While such developments are often mistakenly categorized as anti-Indian xenophobia, we show that the specific content of these memes, hashtags, and derogatory messages very clearly targets decidedly Hindu symbols, practices, and livelihoods. In so doing, these online communities are adapting a pre-existing, albeit understudied, playbook of Hinduphobic tropes to a new sphere of communication.”
The Dalai Lama said only a few Chinese hardliners considered him to be a separatist. “Some hardliners in China think I’m a separatist,” Dalai Lama said, adding that there are now more and more Chinese people who are realizing that the 
The Dalai Lama is treated as a guest in India, according to the government’s consistent policy, the External Affairs Ministry stated in response to China’s complaint.
However, many defenders of “life” are comfortable with taking human life in situations such as war or 
The pillar is three feet long and one foot wide and on all four sides, there are inscriptions. The first side, according to scholars, has 21 Tamil lines, the second side has 14 lines while the third side has 15 lines. The inscriptions on the fourth side are not clear.
Manimekalai calls “Kaali” a “performance documentary” — a personal and poetic meditation on the female divine. In a six-minute excerpt shown at a multimedia exhibition in Toronto last week, Mother Kali, Hinduism’s powerful goddess of death and the end of time, wanders through a pride festival in Toronto at night. She observes groups of people out on the town, takes a subway ride, stops in a bar. People take selfies with her. In the last frame, she is on a park bench where a man gives her a cigarette. The poster for the film shows the goddess smoking a cigarette and holding a pride flag. 
The event was organized by the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations of North America (FIACONA), a forum of Christian organizations in response to the insidious attempts to alienate and attach the Christians through the propaganda that the Christian faith was left behind by British colonialism in India, despite its two thousand years of tradition.
Fiacona President Koshy George pointed out in his welcome speech that our established belief is that Saint Thomas has brought the gospel to India and was martyred in AD 72. To mark its 1900 years, the government of India issued a postage stamp in 1972. So this year marks the 1950th anniversary of the martyrdom of Saint Thomas. Mr. Koshy also expressed his deep concern on the growing persecution of Christians in India as the fundamental religious freedom guaranteed under India’s constitution is no longer guaranteed under the BJP rule under the Indian Courts’ eyes. Last year alone 761 cases of persecution have been identified which have been published in a book form by FIACONA. He said that the purpose of the meeting is to express our pain against such atrocities.
Rt. Rev. Dr. Dharmaraj Rasalam, the Moderator of the Church of South India, spoke about how the arrival of St. Thomas not only impacted the lives of Christians and paid tribute to the sacrifices of the Christian community to the nation in uplifting the poor and oppressed. Rev. Dr. Ruben Mark, the Deputy moderator Bishop spoke about the love Indian Christians in the Diaspora have for India and encouraged them to continue with the unity they have exhibited at the gathering. He described how the arrival and activities of St. Thomas influenced India. The works of St. Thomas is crucial in the Christian faith. He also extolled the diaspora’s love for India. He said that we are proud to be Indian Christians. He said the willingness to sacrifice for the faith was part of the Christian faith. Despite being a persecuted community, Christians are not united. But today, all the sects of Christians are happy to attend this event.
Bishop Johncy Itty, Bishop of the Episcopal Church in Long Island, New York, said that India, along with the rest of the world, is going through a serious crisis today. However, our faith should sustain us in such a time as this. He pointed out that India and the world are in various conflicts. There is no time in life without conflict. But now it is too much. But God leads us by the hand. We may not be able to change the times, but we can make changes.
CSI Church General Secretary Adv. Fernandez Rathinaraja pointed to Saint Thomas as a social reformer. It was work against human sacrifice and caste system that led to his martyrdom. Secularism is enshrined In the preamble of the Indian Constitution. There have been concerted efforts to undermine it. Religion should not be a part of political life. The state should be neutral in religious matters. Protests against these are taking place in the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra and Kerala. He pointed out that the administration is able to suppress the voice of protest in other states.
The Lamp Lighting ceremony was performed by the dignitaries, Sunil Shah, Hitesh Gandhi, Dr Reddy, Dr Murthy, Ajeet Singh, Keerthi Revoori, Vinod Gautam, along with the sacred chanting of the auspicious Sanskrit hymns & mantras by Anu Malhotra, praying for the peace, good health and wellbeing of this entire world.
Echoing Bansal’s sentiments, Amitabh Mittal, General Secretary, World Hindu Council of America said, “I encourage our brothers and sisters in Dharma to spread the message of Hindu Heritage Month around the world.”
Organizers of the event say that the idea of a neighborhood Eid festival came about last year to bring the Muslim community, of the White Eagle neighborhood, together with its non-Muslim neighbors after COVID. One of the golden rules in Islam is to love your neighbor as you love yourself. The organizers wanted their non-Muslim neighbors to see who their Muslims neighbors were, share in their celebration and clarify a lot of misconceptions people have about Islam and Muslims. 
Amidst the series of remarks, State Representative Jim Durkin (R,82nd District) said that he would table a resolution on the floor of the Illinois General Assembly to declare June 26th as the World Peace Day and celebrate its observance in the State of Illinois every year – which elicited sustained applause. Mayor Lori Lightfoot also sent a proclamation to the event, which was read by Alderman David Moore in which she declared June 26 each year to be “I Stand for Peace” Day.
Indicating the esteem with which St. Devasahayam is revered, in attendance were four ministers of the Tamil Nadu state cabinet, led by the speaker of the state legislature, and Hindu leaders.
He recalled, “Finally seeing my pitiable condition of being carried around like a baby, my mother relented. It was after weeks of stay and prayer at the care center [at the martyrdom spot] I had a vision of a man in a beard coming and asking me for water. I told him, ‘I cannot walk.’ He said, ‘You can walk’ — and, amazingly, I walked, after months, to bring water for him. But he was gone. Only then I realized it was the saint.”
Some pieces are as old as 600 years! Some of them are the oldest historic Qurans in the United States. This collection includes almost a 100 Qurans and Quranic manuscripts, all written by hand and some of them on bamboo, palm trees and leather!!!
Sixteen of those who will receive the prestigious red cardinal’s hat from Francis in a consistory ceremony at the Vatican on Aug. 27 are younger than 80 and thus would be eligible to vote for his successor if a conclave — in which pontiffs are secretly elected — were to be held.
Due to their historical power and influence, they are still called the “Princes of the Church”. It is a reference to those who held the equivalent role of a royal prince and in feudal times ruled a principality. However, 
Dr. Jain dwelt on Lord Mahavir who was born in 599 B.C. during the program entitled, “Non-Violence “A Message of Lord Mahavir” on this his 2,620th birth anniversary. She noted the 5 basic principles of Jainism – Non-violence, truthfulness, non-stealing, self-control, and non-possession. She stressed on teaching children the 5 Jain principles to make the world a better place. She also said the Lord Mahavir is the one who told the wotld that “Non-Violence is the Supreme Religon”
Sister Sabita from Brahma Kumaris at U.N. led the gathering in a moment of contemplation and meditation through breathing exercises. Ambassador Nitzan in his speech, also said on how leaders in several countries had followed the teachings of nonviolence and Ahimsa, which if adhered to by everyone, would not lead to tragedies like the killings in Buffalo or the war in Ukraine. Consul General Jaiswal said he has a special connection to Lord Mahavir because he was born in the same town, Trishala, in Bihar. The Consulate celebrates Mahavir Jayanti every year, he noted, but this year it was even more important as it was part of the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, India’s 75th independence year. “Walk on the path of Lord Mahavir so that we can build a better world to live.
What made this year’s fundraising event exceedingly more memorable, was the attendance of famed Member of Indian Parliament and esteemed Bollywood actress, Hema Malini. She began her career as a bharatanatyam dancer. Hema Malini was able to land her first film role as a dancer in 1963 and starred in over 200 movies throughout her career. 
Invited guests Alderwoman Debra Silverstein, Alderman Andre Vasquez Jr of Chicago’s 40th ward, Mr. Ranjit Singh Consul Chicago, Mandala Board President Dr. Umang Patel and Paragi Patel, Pranita Nayar an Indian classical dancer, choreographer, company director, curator and producer, officials from the West Ridge Chamber of Commerce and Rogers Park Business Alliance, and senior officers from the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, and the John. D. And Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.
In his letter and in a separate 
The chief guest of the event was the Indian Ambassador in Dublin, Akhilesh Mishra, who distributed prizes to the winners of the art competitions held during the event.
He said, “Aishwarya is a complete woman and a beautiful person. As I got to know her through the process, I discovered a wonderful, spiritual person who is really connected to her soul and is elegant. That purity in the absolute sense of beauty inspired me to think of the concept of the Birth of Venus.”
“Saint Devasahayam stood for equality and fought against casteism and communalism. His sainthood comes at a time India is facing a surge in communalism,” said retired Indian civil servant M G Devasahayam, who had written to the Vatican, seeking removal of Devasahayam’s caste name.
Hon CG Shree Randhir Jaswal welcomed the guests and said that the Indian Diaspora from both the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra, not only in America but in other countries as well, continues to contribute towards the economic and social progress of the countries they live in.
One minute silence was observed in the memory of founding member, Past President and Vice Chairman Emeritus Late Mr. Yashpal Soi. Mr. Vaidya remembered him for his selfless service and dedication to the cause of FIA and lamented the loss FIA has suffered in his passing away.
Event Chair, Past President, and member of Board of Trustees of FIA, Sh. Srujal Parikh said it’s a great honor to celebrate the event and took pride in the fact that Gujarat is the Land of Lord Krishna & Mahatma Gandhi. He recognized and felicitated the sponsors, supporters, partner associations, and members in their effort to make the event successful
AAPI, the largest ethnic medical organization in the country, representing the interests of over 100,000 physicians of Indian origin, has been focusing on ways to help AAPI members, who have been in the forefront helping millions of patients around the nation, to take care of self and find satisfaction and happiness in the challenging situations they are in, while serving hundreds of patients everyday of their dedicated and noble profession, Dr. Anupama Gotimukula said.
“Our practices include heart-based meditation,” said Dr. Chandra Koneru, an Internal Medicine Professional, AAPI member, and Heartfulness Trainer. “Our values align with the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) mission to facilitate and enable Indian physicians to improve patient care and engage in research that brings distinctive contributions from India.”
The government also clarified that packed food items used in day to day life for dietary purposes, such as pulses, rice, floor or vegetables etc. shall not be covered under this.
He said keeping in mind the spirit of Ek Bharat Shresth Bhara , Midwest Punjabi Association has decided to pay tribute One author from Punjabi ,one from regional language and one from regional language and one from our national language Hindi. We will continue and take forward the spirit of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav in all years to come.We all know Gurmeet Singh Dhalwan is a well-known name in the media industry and the Founder President of Adbhhut Media Newspaper and Channel. Dhalwan is an entrepreneur with more than two decades of experience in wholesale & retail business. He is the Founder President of Midwest Punjabi Association, (MPA) a Non-Profit Organization. He is also a member of cultural inclusion and diversity committee/commission Village of Hanover Park, IL. He is a community leader, social worker, and a Philanthropist.
The Sikh Parade returned to the Big Apple after being on hiatus for the past two-years due to COVID-19. The Parade had added poignancy and significance in light of recent violent incidents in which Sikhs have been attacked in their own residential areas and near Gurudwaras over the last few weeks.
Music and vibrant decorations adorned floats all throughout the parade. Many Sikh members wearing traditional colored garments and turbans. “It’s a symbol so mostly you will see people today especially wearing blue or yellow turbans otherwise you can wear any color — there is no issue with that,” said Hirdepal Singh member of the Sikh Cultural Society in Queens.
A magnificent stage, which was made of myriad colours of flowers, including rose, marigold, tulip and others, was set up in the middle where 
In New York, such a rapid and large-scale loss of life meant that the city’s engine sputtered to an even more devastating halt; in other places, like Mexico and Ecuador, Bangladesh and Nepal, it meant that many families could no longer rely on support from relatives in Queens who were suddenly out of work, or worse. 
Since the 1990s, and especially after major climbing disasters on Everest, Sherpa have left Nepal in large numbers. Many have come to the area around Roosevelt Avenue, where they often work as taxi drivers, or restaurant cooks and supermarket employees. The United Sherpa Association is a central meeting point of worship and community—where people chant and pray, gather for meals of dhal and root-vegetable stews, and share opportunities for work or study.
India’s multilingual Bollywood actor Prakash Raj has responded strongly to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent remarks that Hindi should be accepted as an alternative to English. “Amit Shah ji, I want to know where do you want us to speak Hindi, learn Hindi,” asked the actor. The actor joins us on this episode of ‘Left, Right and Centre’.
If Hindu unity is a facade, it also follows that the Hindu-Muslim binary, while a common framing for the discussion of Indian politics, cannot be as straightforward as it appears.
Anushree was recognized at Trumbull High School in 2021 for earning the Outstanding Vocal Music Achievement Award. Her passion for music and art goes to her very young age. The older daughter of Unni and Radha Thoyakat, Anushree started singing for Freshmen Choir and was lucky to be a student of Ms. Anne Tornillo, the pervious Choral Music director at Trumbull High who retired in May 2020. Encouraged by her current music teacher Mr. Chris Wasko in her current endeavors. “None of her musical accomplishments in and out of school would have been possible without the foundational guidence and support from the Trumbull High Music Department. I am forever grateful to all who have shown their love and kind words,” Anushree says with modesty.
“He recently completed all formalities pertaining to the donation of land belonging to his family for the construction of the temple at the registrar office of the Kesharia sub-division (East Chanmparan),” Kunal, a former police officer, told reporters.
Indian adults nearly universally say it is important for women to have the same rights as men, including eight-in-ten who say this is very important. At the same time, however, there are circumstances when Indians feel men should receive preferential treatment: 80% agree with the idea that “when there are few jobs, men should have more rights to a job than women,” according to 
Meanwhile, nearly nine-in-ten Indians (87%) completely or mostly agree with the notion that “a wife must always obey her husband.” This includes a majority of Indians (64%) who completely agree with this sentiment. Women are only modestly less likely than men to say that wives should obey their husbands in all situations, and most Indian women express total agreement with this sentiment (61% vs. 67% among men). (Throughout this report, differences in opinion between men and women are modest. In other words, Indian women typically are not much more likely than Indian men to express egalitarian views on gender roles.)
The main highlight of the event came when participants picked up colored powder and chased each other, tossing colors into the air and covering friends and strangers alike. They joy and excitement filled the air and created a memorable experience for all.
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Traditionally celebrated on the last full moon in the lunar month of Phalguna, which falls this year on Friday (March 18), Holi commemorates the triumph of good over evil. In Hindu mythology the demon king Hiranyakashipu commands his subjects to acknowledge him as the supreme God, but his son Prahalada, a devotee of the god Vishnu, refuses. In a rage Hiranyakashipu gives his sister, Holika, a protective cloak and instructs her to take Prahalada in her lap and sit on a burning pyre.
Caru Das, director of the Krishna Temple, said that after the first celebrations started at the temple in 1995, festivities soon moved outdoors to accommodate a rock band, and more people started to come as word got around.
Known among his priest friends and the larger Catholic community in Kerala, the state with the maximum number of Christians in the country, having as many as 20% of the state’s population being Christian, the newly consecrated Archbishop Netto is known for his simplicity, goodness at heart, down to earth approach and cordial relationship with one and all.
Delivering the benediction, Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop-Catholicos of Malankara Syrian Catholic Church, called upon the new Archbishop to lead the coastal population from the front for their rights and betterment. The benefactors of such efforts must not be the parishioners alone, but the entire community in the region. He also recounted the selfless deeds of the fisher-folks in rescuing those stranded in the floods of 2018.
During his long pastoral ministry, serving the Church, Archbishop Netto has held the following offices: He was the parish vicar in Peringamala (1990-1991) and of the Cathedral of Palayam (1991-1995) and executive secretary for ecumenism and interreligious dialogue (1994-1995). He then served as parish priest in Pettah (1999-2003), and executive secretary for the Basic Christian Communities (2000-2004) and rector of Saint Vincent’s Minor Seminary in Trivandrum (2003-2010).
The diocese of Trivandrum was established by His Holiness Pope Pius XI on July 1, 1937 through the Bull “In Ora Malabarica” with the four taluks of Neyyantinkara, Nedumangad, Trivandrum and Chirayinkeezh bifurcated from the diocese of Quilon.
The WHO GCTM will be established in Jamnagar under the Ministry of AYUSH. A Joint Task Force (JTF) is constituted for coordination, execution and monitoring of activities for the establishment of this Centre.
The programme started with rendition of Gurbani Kirtan with classical Indian string instruments – Taus and Dilruba by youth from Chicago suburbs. Several noted Punjabi academicians, authors, and representatives of Punjabi linguistic/cultural organizations gave presentations on their initiatives to preserve linguistic and cultural heritage of Punjabi immigrants in the US. These included Mr. Ashok Bhaura, Punjabi writer and journalist in California, Dr. Pinderjeet Kaur Gill, Lecturer, Hindi and Punjabi Languages at University of Michigan, Dr. Gurbakhsh Singh Bhandal, a Physicist at Cleveland State University, Ohio, and Mr. Manmohan Grewal, TV Anchor from Utah.
Speaking about “the fundamental theology of the priesthood” at the conference, which was organized by the Vatican’s Congregation for Bishops and the Center for the Research and Anthropology of Vocations, Pope Francis identified “mercenary” attitudes that emerge during crisis.
Head coverings are relatively common among Indian women. About six-in-ten women in India (61%) say they keep the practice of covering their heads outside of their homes, according to a 
These regional differences are largely driven by Hindu women, as Muslim women tend to keep the practice of covering their heads in public regardless of what region they live in. This leads to large differences between Muslims and Hindus in the South in particular.
Nationally, head coverings tend to be more common among women who are older, married, more religious and who have less formal educational attainment. The practice is also more prevalent in rural areas.
“This is a great moment for India to see the Sacred Ensembles of the Hoysalas temples being submitted for inscription in the World Heritage List.”
Brijendra Singh, a 77-year-old tour guide, has shown visitors around the famed Khajuraho group of Hindu and Jain temples for 52 years.
They say the book is for anyone who is looking to reset their food habits which are in sync with their own body, mind and health.
At a time when several Opposition-ruled states complained that their tableaux were not selected for the Republic Day parade, even as the government insisted that the decision was taken by an expert committee and there is no political intervention, the tableaux of four of the five poll-bound states made it to Rajpath on Republic Day.
The Air Force tableau paid homage to the victory over Pakistan in the 1971 War, with models of MiG 21, Gnat — both of which were used in the war — and the Light Combat Helicopters. DRDO showcased major weapon platforms developed by it, including the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and an Air Independent Propulsion system it is working on for the submarines.
Meanwhile, Goa showed symbols of its heritage and Haryana had a simplistic tableau with several sportsmen from the state on a “victory chariot” carrying the national flag. The idea was to highlight that although it occupies only 1.3 per cent of the country’s landmass and 2.09 per cent of the population, sportsmen from the state have brought maximum medals for the country in various international sporting events, including the Olympics.
Maharashtra showed the rich biodiversity of the state, with 15 animals and 22 plants as a part of the tableau, including large models of the Blue Mormon Butterfly and more.
“When I first wrote this book of my heart, I wasn’t sure whether anyone else would want to read it or care about it. Seeing it recognized in this way is so incredible and humbling. The world needs all kinds of stories!” LaRocca says on her eponymous website rajanilarocca.com. “This story was inspired by aspects of my own life and childhood, and is dedicated to my parents, who are my heroes,” she adds.
The President of FIACONA, Mr. Koshi George said, “The Modi government has sunk to a new low, just when you thought it could not possibly sink any further. The act of removing the hymn from India’s Republic Day Parade to be held this Wednesday (Jan 26), shows the silliness and deep-rooted hatred of this party against anything that resembles the Christian faith”.
Rev. Peter Cook, the Executive Director of the NY State Council of Churches, a part of the National Council of Churches (NCC-USA) said that, “The action of the Modi government is not only an insult to the sentiments of over 100 million people who follow the faith in India but also to millions of other people from all faith backgrounds. With this kind of open hostilities against people of faith in India, it’s no wonder people like Dr. Gregory Stanton of Genocide Watch warn that India would be where the next genocide takes place”.
Thirteen rounds were conducted on the DD National channel between 7 and 7:30 am. Many leading Yoga gurus and institutes like the Indian Yoga Association, National Yoga Sports Federation participated. In his address, Sonowal highlighted the advantages, “Scientifically, the Surya Namaskar has been known to develop immunity and improve vitality, which is significant to our health during the pandemic conditions.”
My family traces its lineage to the Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, where our faith was shaped by thousands of years of rituals and rites of worship, some of them germane only to Tamils.
Born in the historical year of India’s Independence, 1947, to Shri Govind Lal Kothari and Smt. Sharda Kothari, in a small town of Gujarat called Kadi, Hasmukh finished his education with a degree in Civil Engineering, after which he procured a job as an assistant lecturer in Mumbai. In 1968, Hasmukh married Usha to start a blissful family life.
This reformative initiative requires the schools to display language outside of restrooms, informing students, whether male or female, that they may use the restroom that aligns with their gender identity. CPS prompted others, “We require all schools to adopt new signage to make our restrooms more inclusive. This is a big step forward for gender equity for our students and staff.” Is it going to influence the schooling practices themselves, or will it just be ignored?
While COVID-19 clearly played a role in this near-zero population growth, that growth had begun to plummet even before the pandemic. The 2020 census showed that from 2010 to 2020, the U.S. registered the 
According to India Tourism Statistics 2019, a government of India publication, in 2017, Goa had 68,95,234 domestic and 8,42,220 foreign tourists while in 2018, the respective number of 70,81,559 and 9,33,841 showing a growth rate of 2.70 per cent and 10.88 per cent, respectively. Of course, the pandemic changed the situation, and the tourism sector was the hardest hit. In 2021, even when the domestic sector has picked up slowly, foreign tourists’ numbers are no match.
“Life is better with friends,” Jacob Abraham told the participants in his welcome address, providing insight into the objectives of creating the Hedge Social Club. “Friends are the ones who know you and are always there when you need them most. During the pandemic times, a sense of community is more important now than ever before. People near you are looking to form connections and find support.”
Senator Kevin Thomas of the New York State greeted the audience. Guest of Honor was Dr. Freemu Varghese, Founder and CEO of Freedia Media. Minos Abraham served eloquently as the Emcee for the program. Biju Chacko, a BOD member of IAPC introduced Jacob Abraham to the audience.
Stating that Hedge Club is a forum to “Meet new people at the Hedge Club, which is the ultimate group” Jacob Abraham said, “HEDGE CLUB is the one you always wanted to be part of. A group that you feel you belong to, and you believe it to be an integral part of who you are.” The Club members meet every month and celebrate and enhance their fellowship and joy. To join the Group and expand one’s friends circle and spend quality time with people, please call Saji Abraham at: 516. 606.3268.
‘Kashi and Ganga belong to all. The invaders attacked this city, tried to destroy it. The history of Aurangzeb’s atrocities, his terror tried to change civilization by the sword.
The documentary, which will air in the early evening, is one piece of a campaign launched by NSC to bring more awareness to the Sikh faith, the world’s fifth-largest religion, and to garner acknowledgement of key dates in the life of the faith’s founder. The film is set to be broadcast in 15 of America’s largest metropolitan areas including Houston, San Francisco and Washington, D.C.
Faithful Miss America organizers and enthusiasts contend the annual ritual is here to stay and will keep changing with the times. And even though they may not have indeed devised a plan for world peace, many participants say the organization — a large provider of scholarship assistance to young women — has been life-altering, opening doors for them professionally and personally. Others should have the same opportunities, they say.
Miss America President and CEO Shantel Krebs, a former South Dakota secretary of state who does not take a salary, contends the Miss America organization is “committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.”
The need for Democrats to manage resources between federal and state races could create some uncomfortable conversations over the coming months.
The tireless efforts of the county and founding members along with a dedicated Hosts committee of Dr. Bobby K. Kalotee, Chairperson Indu Jaiswal, Beena Kothari, Flora Parekh, Jasbir (Jay) Singh, Mukesh Modi, Shashi Malik, Sunita Manjrekar, Deepak Bansal, Indu Gajwani, Anju Sharma and several volunteers and supporters, contributed to the success of the event keeping up the spirit of Diwali.
“The things we hold sacred unite us and transcend distance, time, and even the constraints of a pandemic: faith, family, and friendship; a love of the arts, learning, and nature; gratitude, service, and community; unity and peace. These are the gifts that tie together the heart strings of our lives.”
The Red Room, decorated to represent the gift of the performing arts, includes brass instruments hanging from the mantel. Ballet slippers, tap shoes and musical notes are strung around the tree.
Mr Chouksey’s replica – nestled deep inside his sprawling 50-acre property, which includes a hospital, has also been attracting a steady stream of visitors.
The initial $1 million pledge will create The Houston Tamil Studies Chair, Inc. Research Endowment in the UH College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences. These funds will support research program costs, equipment and seminars with invited scholars who are experts on Tamil societies and the Tamil diaspora in the United States.
Directed by TJ Gnanavel, the film stars actors 
A man named Rajakannu from the Irular tribe was falsely framed in a theft case. The horrific death of Rajakannu due to the custodial torture was a challenging and landmark legal battle for K Chandru when the victim’s wife Sengani (real name Parvathi) came to the lawyer for help.
Americans are known the world over for saying “thank you” 
In American English, many of the expressions of gratitude are couched in transactional language that involves expressions of 
The celebrations offered attendees an opportunity for darshan of the annakut and divine murtis of God while arti and thaal were sung throughout the day. Visitors were also inspired through an exhibition on with informational posters and decorations describing different traditions and stories behind the multi-day festival. In expressing the warmth and goodwill of Diwali, prasad in the form of sweets was distributed to all those joining in the celebrations. The festivities were open to all members of the local community.
For 16 years he has been working to repatriate gods and goddesses looted from India over the years, and the challenges remain huge, he tells us in today’s episode. For example, in 2020, police seized 19,000 stolen artefacts in an international art trafficking crackdown. 101 suspects were arrested with treasures from around the world, including Colombian and Roman antiquities. One activist estimates that in France alone there are 116,000 African objects that should be returned.
The event started with a Diya lighting ceremony by executive committee and board of trustees members led by Dr. Subhash Pandey and Chief Guest, Mr. PK Mishra, and was followed by a beautiful sitar instrumental presentation of bhajan medley by Mr. Paneesh Rao. The program was organized and coordinated by Mr. Sunish Mittal and Mr. Raj Kumar Upadhyay, treasurer and president of the UP Association, respectively. 
The Association brought in several renowned artists from Chicago who presented a range of traditional, modern, and contemporary Indian performances, including an outstanding dance (Ganesh Vandana and Shri Ram stuti) by Mrs. Gauri Jog, director & teacher, India dance school. This was followed by several melodious songs by two well-known singers, Mrs. Ananya Ghosh and Mr. Sreepathy that were accompanied by an outstanding musician team. This was followed by a program called “Saaz aur Alfaaz” by Mr. Rakesh Malhotra, a famous poet, and Mr. Sunish Mittal, a well accomplished singer. Two children’s performers, Mr. Shlok Jaiswal and Ms. Anavi Ghosh also sang melodious songs for this occasion. The program ended with a presentation of a colorful group dance to a Bollywood movie song.
Diwali – known as the festival of lights – is one of the major festivals celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and even some Buddhists. Each religion has its own historical narrative behind the holiday. Diwali is widely observed among more than a billion people from a variety of faiths across India and its diaspora. The five days of Diwali are marked by prayer, feasts, fireworks, family gatherings, and charitable giving.
“May the lamps (Diya) of Diwali (Deepavali) illuminate everyone’s life with happiness, peace and good health. Wish you and your family a very prosperous Diwali and a happy new year! On this Diwali, let’s make a promise to bring lights in people lives who suffered during this pandemic, and also pray to God for a good health and fortune for everyone! Looking forward to celebrate Diwali back again at City Hall next year with more joy of having it as NYC public school’s holiday!,” said Dr. Neeta Jain District Leader and co-organizer.
“New York is no stranger to Diwali and its symbolic relevance. It is very heartening to see the festival of lights being celebrated here with great joy and fervor – not only by the South-Asian community, but also by members of diverse ethnicities and nationalities just like the Indian-American community celebrates Christmas and other festivals passionately and with great merriments,” said Deputy Consul General of India, Dr. Varun Jeph, who was in attendance at Saturday’s festival. “It truly reflects the American and Indian values of celebrating diversity and of embracing different cultures. May the festival of lights bring joy, love, peace, prosperity and good health to everyone.”