Bhagwan Rama: Embodiment of Dharma and the Triumph of Good Over Evil

The birthday of Bhagwan Rama, known as Rama Navami, is very important for Hindus all around the world. Bhagwan Rama is regarded the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, one of Hinduism's most important deities, and he is adored as the personification of justice, virtue, and an ideal ruler.

Navigating Religious Tensions: Sadhguru's Call for Peace, Unity, and Spiritual Understanding During Durga Puja Attacks in Bangladesh

Sadhguru's reaction to the violence offers much-needed perspective in a world where religious and cultural differences continue to separate civilisations. His message extends beyond the immediate context of the attacks on Durga Puja celebrations, expressing a worldwide need for harmony among all communities. Sadhguru provides a thorough grasp of a difficult problem by delving into the cultural background of Durga Puja, its spiritual value, and the importance of respecting various faiths.

The Role of Foreign Actors in the Independence of Bangladesh

Following the independence of the Indian Subcontinent in 1947, the region was divided into two major entities: India and Pakistan. Pakistan, which was initially a single nation, was comprised of two geographically and culturally distinct regions—West Pakistan and East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). The relationship between these two regions was fraught with tension, with East Pakistan experiencing severe political, economic, and social oppression from West Pakistan.

The struggle for independence in East Pakistan culminated in a nine-month-long liberation war, which began on March 26, 1971. The roles of various international actors during this conflict were crucial and multifaceted. Major global players, including India, the Soviet Union, China, and the United States, each had their own strategic interests that influenced their involvement in the conflict.

Media Bias and Its Implications in UK

In recent years, the portrayal of Hindus in UK media has sparked significant debate and concern within the community. This blog delves into the nuances of media bias against Hindus, examining the prevalence of stereotypes, underrepresentation, and negative framing. We explore the impact of these biased narratives on public perception and community cohesion. Additionally, the blog highlights efforts being made to address and counteract this bias, offering a pathway towards fair and balanced representation. Join us as we uncover the challenges and advocate for a more accurate and respectful portrayal of Hindus in UK media

"Deciphering the Distinctions: 'Hakenkreuz' vs. 'Swastika'"

Find out why the Lawmakers, Human Rights orgs, USCRIF,  Academia, including Harvard Business School's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiative, must take the initiative to lead in ending the miss-association of sacred Hindu symbols.

Hindus:- The Everlasting Impact of Hindus and Hinduism on World Civilisation

Throughout history, Hinduism has been more than just a religion; it has been a way of life, a philosophy, and a cultural beacon that has illuminated the world with its profound wisdom and timeless teachings. From ancient scriptures to modern innovations, Hindus and Hinduism have made significant positive contributions to the world, shaping both the spiritual and material realms. Let us explore some of these enduring contributions that continue to enrich 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.

A Victoria Cross to a Sikh Soldier

The son of the Sikh soldier Naik Gian Singh who died in 1996, was awarded the highest award for gallantry from King George VI in October 1945 for his part in the Burma campaign was left “in tears” when he found out his father’s World War Two medal is worth an incredible £250,000

"Colonial Oppression and Humanitarian Crisis: The Great Famine of Madras in 1877.”

The Great Famine of Madras in 1877, during the dark ages of colonial India, was a catastrophic event that brought untold misery and suffering to the people of the region. The famine, triggered by a combination of factors including prolonged drought, failed monsoons, and widespread crop failure, resulted in widespread starvation, disease, and death.

As the harsh drought persisted, rivers and lakes dried up, leaving parched lands and withering crops. Agricultural communities were devastated, and food became scarce and unaffordable. People were forced to sell their possessions, beg, or resort to extreme measures to survive. Hunger and malnutrition were rampant, leading to widespread health issues and diseases such as cholera and dysentery.

The British colonial administration, which controlled the region, proved ineffective in addressing the crisis. Relief efforts were poorly organized and insufficient, failing to reach many of those in need. The suffering was exacerbated by the exploitation of the poor by the rich, who hoarded food and raised prices to exorbitant levels.

The famine took a heavy toll on the vulnerable, including children, women, and the elderly. Many families were torn apart, as people migrated in search of food and water, leaving behind their homes and loved ones. The scenes of suffering were heart-wrenching, with emaciated bodies, despairing faces, and cries of anguish echoing through the streets.

The Great Famine of Madras in 1877 left a lasting impact on the region, as countless lives were lost, communities were shattered, and the socio-economic fabric was severely damaged. It stands as a tragic reminder of the suffering and neglect faced by the Indian population during the dark ages of colonial rule, and the urgent need for equitable and just governance.

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.

LES response to HMB review of Opendoors report

LSE's response to HMB's review for the 

HMB Review of the Report commissioned by Open Doors and conducted by researchers at the London School of Economics

and our Counter response ...

Image Credit 

Tabla for Beginners | Online Course

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.

A Case Study of Religious Harmony and Dialogue

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.

The Christian population in the UK has declined, for the first time, below the 50 percent mark

The Christian population in the UK  has declined, for the first time, below the 50 percent mark.

UK population by religion - In one of the most notable takeaways from the latest census data released by Britain, the UK's Muslim population has shown a 'rapid' rise, even as the Christian population has declined, for the first time, below the 50 percent mark. Interestingly, there is also a sizeable portion of the Hindu population in the UK - the UK population data has shown. This is the first time that the country's official religion - Christianity - has been followed by a minority population.

According to the excerpts of the data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), some 46.2% of the population of England and Wales described themselves as Christian on the day of the 2021 census, down from 59.3% a decade earlier. The Muslim population grew from 4.9% to 6.5% of the population, even as 1.7% identified as Hindu, up from 1.5% - news agency PTI cited.

How British colonialism killed 100 million Indians in 40 years

Between 1880 to 1920, British colonial policies in India claimed more lives than all famines in the Soviet Union, Maoist China and North Korea combined.

Recent years have seen a resurgence in nostalgia for the British empire. High-profile books such as Niall Ferguson’s Empire: How Britain Made the Modern World, and Bruce Gilley’s The Last Imperialist, have claimed that British colonialism brought prosperity and development to India and other colonies. Two years ago, a YouGov poll found that 32 percent of people in Britain are actively proud of the nation’s colonial history.

India’s Vaccine Dilemma: Serving the nation vs Diplomacy

India has recorded the second-highest numbers of COVID-19 infections behind the USA. It is a sad state of affairs, but with a country of over 1.3 billion inhabitants, it is not surprising. What is perhaps more surprising, to at least the rest of the world, is that the country has the capability and the capacity to manufacture the vaccines and show the rest of the world why it is called the pharma capital of the world.

Faith and the Enviironment

Faith groups have the capacity to do much more when it comes to nature and climate change.

Hinduism itself has much to offer and in practice, there are some amazing projects around the world where green values are in the forefront. But how much of this is accessible in the public domain and how are faith groups pushing the importance of the environment?

Ranjit's win was announced on the 3rd December 2020, in London, UK

From less than 2% attendance to 100% - An inspiration to ALL #teachersaround the world.
Indian village teacher Ranjitsinh Disale, who transformed the life chances of young girls at the Zilla Parishad Primary School, Paritewadi, Solapur, Maharashtra, India, has been named the winner of the Global Teacher Prize 2020, in partnership with UNESCO.
Ranjit's win was announced on the 3rd December 2020, in London, UK
The impact of Ranjitsinh’s interventions has been extraordinary: there are now no teenage marriages in the village and 100 per cent attendance by girls at the school. The school was also recently awarded the best school in the district with 85% of his students achieving A grades in annual exams. One girl from the village has now graduated from University, something seen as an impossible dream before Ranjitsinh arrived.

Brahmaviharidas Swami brings his exploration of belief to a climax by introducing ultimate faith.

Abdul Kalam learnt the value of ....

- reasoning and thnking from Socrates "

- truth from Galelio

- non-violence from Mohandas K Ghandhi

- of forgiving from Nelson Madela

- equality from Abraham Lincoln

- compassion from Buddha

... find out who did he learn the value of "faith in God" from?

Success Through Self-Belief

In the second part of this sequence of 'Timeless Hindu Wisdom' talks, Brahmaviharidas Swami explores the idea of self-belief and its role in a successful life.

Never to be Forgotten - or are they?

It was in amazement to hear that Google Doodle celebrated the 80th birthday of an Indian swimmer. It is a story that most people would not have heard about and certainly most Indians would be very proud of – if they knew! So, thank you Google.  

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

Wisdom from the Upanishads

Wisdom from the Upanishads. Secular in their content and universal in their appeal, these compositions have life affirming secrets that contain ideas about life, the universe and everything relevant from the 700BCE to the 21st century. Computer engineer, journalist and children's author, Roopa Pai is the co-founder of Bangalore Walks and the winner of the Crossword Award for "The Gita for Children". She has published over 20 books, including the fantasy-adventure Taranauts. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community

Celebrating the Silver Jubilee of Neasden Temple

People say that Hinduism is more than a religion, it is a way of life. This certainly is true of one of its greatest symbols in the UK. That is the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in the London borough of Brent which has been the centre of faith, seva, education, culture and community harmony for a generation.

KRISHNA JANMASHTMI

Join us to celebrate the Birthday of the Bhagwan Krishna .

Syncing to God’s Playlist: Winning the War

BAPS's Pujya Bhaktivardhan Swami continue to explore popular Hindu bhajans about the power of prayer.

Syncing to God’s Playlist: Winning the War

BAPS's Pujya Bhaktivardhan Swami continue to explore popular Hindu bhajans about the power of prayer.

The last of the Hindus and Sikhs of Afghanistan

The last numbers of Hindus and Sikhs are to leave Afghanistan as soon as the Indian Government makes the necessary arrangements. This action comes amidst the continuous spate of attacks on religious minorities by Islamist fundamentalists.

Breathing techniques and mudras for well-being

Kamu has been practicing Yoga for the last 15 years on and off. She became an instructor about 8 years back. Kamu runs her own business in UK, a Tour operator company called Golden Tours and she an Accountant by profession. Yoga is her passion and she wants to give all she can to the participants. Kamu has been teaching yoga in a very authentic way and also specialize in Breathing, Asanas, Chakras, and Mudras. Mudras are done with the fingertips of both hands and brings amazing results in the very acute disease and small ailments. Some mudras can bring results within minutes and some take a bit longer. They are good for participants who are not very flexible or mobile due to their illness or inflexibility or because they had an operation or surgery. Mudras can be done any time, some of course have special times but generally can be done at all times. And you don’t have to wait for three hours after the meals!!!

Scientific religion

Why many renowned intellectual beilieved that the origin of scientific thoughts was the Vedas

Syncing to God’s Playlist: Draupadi’s Prayer

Bhaktivardhan Swami explore popular Hindu bhajans about the power of prayer. With his upbringing in the US, Bhaktivardhandas Swami earned a degree in Economics from Rutgers University in New Jersey before being ordained as a sadhu by Pramukh Swami Maharaj in 2004. He spent the next 8 years training as a sadhu in India where he studied Hindu scriptures, Swaminarayan literature and philosophy. Bhaktivardhandas Swami currently serves at the BAPS Swaminarayan mandir in Houston. He regularly delivers talks on Hindu values and teachings and is an accomplished singer having performed around the whole as well as on BAPS audio publications. His insightful talks infused with his melodious singing have enthralled people around the world.

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.

Guru Purmina

Pujya Swami Yogvivivek Das from the BAPS Neasden Temple enlightens the significance of Guru Purnima. 

Will Britain learn?

It has taken yet another negative event in society for the masses to take heed and protest against the wrongs of the past to correct the present. The death of George Floyd has sparked fury internationally, but will it really help to offer any significant change? And is it primarily a Black Lives Matter scenario or do All Lives Matter?

Life Changing Yoga Philosophy & Lifestyle Courses

Essential Learning for all Truth Seekers

THE OXFORD CENTRE FOR HINDU STUDIES

The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies (OCHS) is an academy for the study of Hindu cultures, societies, philosophies, religions, and languages, in all periods and in all parts of the world.

The Diabetes Tsunami

South Asians are tainted with the blight of diabetes. It is a shame which the community needs to do more and help reverse this dangerous trend. This drift is no longer just in the United Kingdom, but it is reaching wherever the community diaspora locates.

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. 

Women of influence, power and beyond

It is astounding times for Indian women globally as they are breaking through the glass ceiling and make it to the top jobs in politics, finance, science and many other spheres. In some cases, it would be apt to say that the sky is no longer the limit.

How a Temple's facade tells the story of Hindus

Ranging from adapted historic buildings to ornate cultural centres, London’s Hindu temples tell of waves of immigration to Britain and increasing visibility, writes Erica X Eisen. 

One Voice Celebration Concert

Around 2000 children gathered at Manchester Bridgewater Hall to celebrate peace and send out the message of love and hope.

Rajgauri Parwar

Rajgauri Parwar may only be 12 years old, but she had made history by scoring two points higher than the most famous geniuses Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking in the Mensa IQ Test. She has not been invited to join the exclusive Mensa club.

The Brexit Dilemma and Indian Students

People may be tired of hearing about ‘Brexit’, but unfortunately it is the buzzword of 2019 that has international implications. It’s not only going to impact our lives in the UK, but globally in key areas like trade and education.

Gujarati GCSE to be axed

There are proposals to axe qualifications for various foreign (mother tongue) languages – including Gujarati - from 2016 -17.

Faith Schools

Faith schools can be defined as educational institutions that have a specific religious ethos or a formal link with a religion.

Britain losing the Indian student market

The number of Indian students coming to study in Britain has declined by 50% since 2010.

Bittersweet Report

It is no longer would come us a surprise but Britain’s ethnic minorities continue to make inroads into the heart of the British career ladder.