Video: Donor Appreciation Reception in Palo Alto
Here is a video, created by Ravi Vinayak, of our recent donor appreciation reception in Palo Alto, California, October 31.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfUyzhI_gQo
Hinduism Today January 2010
The next issue of Hinduism Today is almost ready to go to press next week. This is another beautiful issue full of fascinating stories. The main feature this issue is the tale of Bhutanese Hindus, from their ejection from Bhutan, decade long stay in refugee camps in Nepal, to their happy arrival and the cultural challenges they face in the US which recently agreed to accept them into the country.
At Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami’s request we have done an extensive 8-page article on silk. It is researched and written by a new correspondent for Hinduism Today, Matthew McDermott in New York, who is a full time reporter and writer for Discovery and its well known Tree Hugger website.
The article contains almost all you could want to know about silk except how to weave it or wear i.
Our First Film Is Being Made in India
Gurudeva's legacy of authentic Hindu resources is astonishing. He worked with the monks for years on the Insight Sections in each issue of Hinduism Today. After decades of such work, there emerged the book, "What Is Hinduism?"
In 46 chapters it outlines the philosophical, cultural and religious dimensions of Hinduism. Two years back we asked, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if the book was all in film, on the screen, maybe to be distributed by PBS or the History Channel?"
So, we set about to do just that, and found the Ajay and Anasuya Shetty family in New Delhi to undertake the ask. Anasuya's father and mother are the theater and film couple that took India by storm in the 80s when he produced the Ramayana tales on Indian TV. It captivated the entire nation. Now they are all working together on our first episode, a 22-minute film on The Nature of God.
Today they sent some stills from Delhi. That's Ajay at the camera, setting up the narrator of the story. She is Geeta Chandran, the most famous Bharatnatyam dancer in all of India.
Geeta will be the voice that takes us through the film as we discover the profound vision that Hinduism has for the divine. Next year, we will have the film to show you.
Indian Dance that Bedazzled the West
The GK is working on a precious little story about Ruth St. Denis, the inspired, revolutionary dancer who enchanted the West with her Indian dances at the turn of the 20th century. It turns out that the dances were not Indian at all, but inspired by Ruth’s own reverence for Hindu religion and mysticism.
Eventually, she would boldly take her troupe to perform in India, to Maharajas and Ranis—but that is a story that you can read about in the magazine!
Her husband, the also legendary Ted Shawn, was inspired while in India to create one of his most famous performances: The Cosmic Dance of Shiva. Above, Shawn in Germany as Shiva. And below, Ruth St. Denis visits a Hindu temple in 1926.
The interesting part is, both Ruth St. Denis and Ted Shawn knew Gurudeva. Ruth even created choreographies for him. In a letter of recommendation dated December 16, 1944, she says of young Gurudeva, “He is a very good dancer—capable of lending his talent to any occasion.”
This is a short video of Ted Shawn dancing his interpetation of The Cosmic Dance of Shiva:
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1jyD0QiTsQ&w=640&h=505]
Hinduism Today receives award for HPI
It's always heartening to receive acknowledgement of our work. Today we were informed that HPI was chosen to be among the Top 100 Religion Blogs on the web! See their note below.
Congratulations! Your readers have submitted and voted for your blog at The Daily Reviewer. We compiled an exclusive list of the Top 100 religion Blogs, and we are glad to let you know that your blog was included! You can see it at http://thedailyreviewer.com/top/religion/2 Cheers! Angelina Mizaki Selection Committee President The Daily Reviewer http://thedailyreviewer.com
New Natchintanai Book Now Available
The long awaited book with 73 songs by Siva Yogaswami is now available at our minimela store.
Click here to buy your copies today! It was just recently printed in Malaysia and is available there in Malaysia itself, copies are also being shipped to Mauritius and will be available at the Spiritual Park Minimela shop soon.
The back cover says:
“The profound tradition of Saivism migrated to Sri Lanka centuries ago. It was transmitted in recent times through a lineage of siddhars of the highest order. The late 19th and early 20th century master, Siva Yogaswami of Colombuthurai, left a rich heritage of songs known as Natchintanai (“Good Thoughts”) that contain the essence of Siva worship and Saiva philosophy. This selection of 73 of those songs is meant to serve as an introduction and learning tool for those who would integrate this veritable fountain of divine wisdom into their hearts and lives.”
Below is a sample page showing the Tamil script, transliteration and literal translation.
Sivakatirswami put this book together after several years of work in “off hours.” He wants to thank especially, Professor Manickavel in Chidambaram, Sheela Venkatakrishnan in Chennai, Rishi Thondunathan in Florida for their dedicated collaboration. Every line was painstakingly crafted and edited. That is not to say there may not be a few errors and if you find any please email swami with your notes at studyhall@hindu.org.
This is part of an on-going project to preserve and promote the songs of Siva Yogaswami. In conjunction with the book we also have a launched a web site with recordings of most of these 72 songs. Go to http://www.himalayanacademy.com/natchintanai/
For the recordings we also have to send a special Mikka Nandri to Mrs. Meena Thavaratnam in Toronto who did a recording of each song in this book for the web. Below you can listen to her sing one of the songs in simple easy to follow Tamil.
Again, to buy the book go our web store… Click, here to add the Natchintanai to your cart
Video Summary of Hinduism Today's Oct/Nov/Dec 2009 Issue
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djSRJkAst0o
When you open the newest issue of Hinduism Today, get ready for some seriously good reading. Those editors in Hawaii have teamed up to create yet another how-do-they-keep-this-up magazine, full of savvy reporting, lucid writing and wowy photographs.
Two features provide the main course: The first is our Hindu history lesson. Our academic associates tell us that this is tough stuff to research and write, and tougher still to get right. In 16 pages the lesson explores India’s history between 1100 and 1850, a time of vicious Muslim attacks and greed-driven British conquest. In response, Hindus embraced heart-transforming bhakti. Talk about reacting to tragedy in the highest possible way. Most historians gloss over the massive slaughters, the brutal reign of outsiders who had no love of Hinduism. Our lesson does the impossible: tells the true story fairly, without demeaning the aggressors. Plus, it focuses on the armed resistance and spiritual resolve that made it possible for India to survive such dark days into modern times, while virtually every other ancient society succumbed to similar forces and disappeared.
The second is the Insight Section, where you’ll discover the masterful work and personal account of Dr. Stephen Huyler who visited countless villages to bring us an insider’s tale of rural life, religious practice and family in his “Honoring the Spirit of Community.” Ever seen the giant guardians outside of Indian villages or the popular tree shrines and wondered just what they represent? It’s all here: how villagers live in communion with the spiritual world, how their gramadevatas protect them (and, in fact, are thought to be the very spirit of the village), complete with Stephen’s real-life stories that take you there. This is storytelling at its best. And, yes, Stephen’s stunning photography brings this earthy village mysticism all to life.
Oh, right! We haven’t even talked about the main article yet! Meet Sri Swami Gopal Sharan Devacharya, our 2009 Hindu of the Year. Raised in an ashram from childhood, Swamiji has grown to become a global leader of the Nimbarka Sampradaya, inspirer of over 70 temples and builder of an ashram outside of Delhi that is a dharmic oasis and citadel. How well known is he? At the opening of one of his temples in the UK in 2007, the Queen of England dropped by (the monarch’s first ever visit to the opening of a Hindu holy place) and was given a shawl by Swamiji. Reading his story can’t help but charm us and give hope that the future of Hinduism is in good hands.
You’d think that would be enough for one issue, but you’d be wrong! Publisher Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami takes us on a flight of faith, forcing us to rethink our simplistic take on the concept, guiding us from blind faith, to informed conviction to the pinnacle of personal realization. A young Malaysian Hindu tells of his encounters with the cunning tactic called friendship evangelism which, like friendly fire, isn’t very friendly after all, followed by our in-house sleuth’s unveiling of the twisted politics behind a government takeover of the great Saivite temple in Chidambaram. Both sides of that conflict are voiced. In an opinion piece, a mother talks about how to get Hindu children through the traumas and temptations of the Christmas season.
New Natchintanai Book
After our mention yesterday, we received a lot of queries about the new Natchintanai book. We are not taking any pre-orders. You will just need to stay tuned for the announcement when we have it stocked at our Minimela shop site. If we sell out immediately (which appears likely) don’t worry, we will reprint right away.
From the back cover:
“The profound tradition of Saivism migrated to Sri Lanka centuries ago. It was transmitted in recent times through a lineage of siddhars of the highest order. The late 19th and early 20th century master, Siva Yogaswami of Colombuthurai, left a rich heritage of songs known as Natchintanai (“Good Thoughts”) that contain the essence of Siva worship and Saiva philosophy. This selection of 73 of those songs is meant to serve as an introduction and learning tool for those who would integrate this veritable fountain of divine wisdom into the hearts and lives.”
New Natchintanai Book Ready for Release
After several years work, Sivakatirswami has completed the new book of 73-Natchintanai. All songs contain an easy to follow transliteration for those whose first language is not Tamil, along with a literal translation. Rishi Thondunathan is on pilgrimage to Kauai. He was instrumental in proof-reading the book.
He and swami discussed the next phase of a long term project to move the songs forward to the next generation. Completion of this book was phase 1, phase 2 will be promotion, phase 3 will be to document the melodies and put these into notation form, phase 4 will be to make English and other language lyrical versions. Thondunathan made the good suggestion that the best channel to make Natchintanai popular will be through the existing music and dance teachers and their classes. Fans of Yogaswami’s songs, stay tuned for the official release of this first edition in the weeks ahead. The first version is only 50 copies, hand printed and bound here at the Aadheenam and is expected to sell out almost immediately.
Hinduism Today
Someone sends this photo today of a newsstand in New York City, showing that Hinduism Today magazine is out there, right along with the Bollywood and social periodicals. That might encourage others to get the magazine on the shelves in other communities.
From Our Gurus' Teachings
Archives are now available through 2001. Light colored days have no posts. 1998-2001 coming later.
