Namaste Vigesh and welcome to Hindu Voice. Vignesh, what made you join the US army? Usually Hindu children are encouraged to take up careers like Medicine, IT, Accountancy and Law.
I had always wanted to be a soldier. Even as a young child, I was fascinated by all things military, so naturally I followed up on my aspirations as an adult. I prefer to work in a field that I like, not just something I can make money in, which is why I didn’t get into Medicine, Law or Engineering.
Many of you will have heard of the story of Munir Hussain, a businessman from High Wycombe who found himself in serious legal problems after managing to get the upper hand in a struggle with armed burglars who kept him and his family tied at knife point and tried to rob his home.
On 3 Sept 2008 3 armed intruders kept him, his wife and three children hostage. He managed to get the upper hand and…
The Kumbha Mela, Hinduism’s largest gathering, is currently taking place in Haridwar in Uttar Pradesh state of Northern India. It began on the 14th January and will continue until 28th April. To find out more about the festival here is an informative account. Here are some pictures from this years Kumbha.
“Hindu tradition believes in the sanctity of nature….This idea is clearly conveyed in Prithvi Sukta or Bhumi Sukta hymn in the Atharva Veda (12.1.12) which says, “Mata bhumih putro aham prithivyaha” (Earth is my mother I am her son). Therefore, Mother Earth, has to be venerated thus the notion of subjugating or exploiting the Earth is akin to violating your mother’s body.” [Kusum Vyas]
Recently it has been reported that bogus foreign students from around the world have been entering into the UK and other EU countries on student visas. Once in, they sign up with universities or colleges and then disappear to find work until their student visa expires, only to then again to reapply for yet another student visa and then pay off the next institution on their target list. But scant attention has been given to the many British born Hindu and other ethnic women and even men who have been lured into marriage by these bogus students only to be used as “mules” for gaining permanent residency in the UK. But this has in fact been a serious issue that has a huge damaging impact on the lives of many individuals and families over the last few years. This real life story sheds some light on the world of student visa passports jobs and their ‘visa mule’ victims.
The other day I changed my doctor for the first time since my parents had first registered me when I was young. When you register with a GP you need to fill out a registration form which contains the usual information that you would expect from such a form, such as your NHS number, your previous GP’s name and address etc. Amongst this was a section relating to organ donation asking me whether I wanted to donate my organs after my death.
Drawing from my understanding of Hindu principles I had no qualms about what I was supposed to do; our true self is the atman or soul within us which is indestructible and our bodies are just a vessel to enact our earthly purpose or karma. So if my organs could somehow help someone else after I kicked the bucket then why the hell shouldn’t I donate my organs. I knew this from my understanding of Hindu Dharma and, dare I say, believed it too. So, at this juncture I should clarify that this article is in no way about the dilemma I found myself in whether or not to tick the box on the registration form agreeing to donate my organs. It’s about why, despite having a philosophical understanding that I should in fact donate my organs, I still hesitated to tick the damn box.
I went to see the twelve years in making James Cameron epic “Avatar” the other day. There had already been some talk in Hindu circles regarding the movie’s use of the Hindu word/concept as its title. But, being a huge fan of the Terminator movies, this wasn’t my main reason for wanting to go see the movie.
After being told that the tickets were sold out in at least three cinemas, we rode through the freezing cold weather for more than an hour to go to another cinema in the ass-end of nowhere in the hope that we might catch a show there. So was it all worth it? Yes, but I don’t really wanna do a traditional review or even feel that this is a movie that you need me to convince you to go and watch.
Sri Aurobindo (click here to see biography) is one of my greatest heroes and his writings have been one of the greatest influences and inspirations in my life. Particularly useful for a Hindu born in the UK (like myself) is the fact that he produced a large body of works in the English language, and therefore his teachings are relatively easy to access and explore.
A friend sent me this ‘feel-good story’ from the Daily Mail website.
It’s about a BBC presenter, Paresh Patel, who was taunted and harassed by a couple of louts for half an hour in Manchester City Centre while trying to set up a live broadcast. He behaved with self-restraint and dignity, and tried his best to avoid trouble. Eventually Paresh was attacked and effortlessly floored one of his tormentors with a kick to the groin and a punch in the face (turns out that Paresh was a black belt). The police came to the scene and arrested both of the men who had been harassing him, and they were subsequently convicted of affray and harassment.
Couple of musings on this:
- Self-control, restraint and calmness are valid only when wielded by people who are capable of striking back with force when pushed too far.
- Look at the comments on the Daily Mail website. The Daily Mail and its readers are generally considered a bit right wing and anti-immigrant. They all without exception were commenting in support of Mr. Patel. If this is any indication, it shows that ethnic minorities do get support and admiration when they help tackle the biggest problem Britain really faces – mindless drunken yobbery and violent crime.
Most Hindus will have photos, calendars and other items with images of Deities at home. These are often obtained at Mandirs, shops and at events on special occasions. Any representation of the Supreme is deemed holy and is highly revered. Photos and Murti’s help us all focus ourselves and act as reminders of the presence of the Divine around us, and hence may play a significant role in our spiritual journey.
Whilst they are an important focal point for us, has anyone ever though would be should do to these once they have reached of their lifecycle and need to be disposed?