London’s annual Diwali celebration took place on October 15 in Trafalgar Square, London. It was attended by at least 20,000 people. The organizers were the Mayor of London and the Diwali in London Committee, chaired by Nitin Palan.The event began at 4.00pm with messages and prayers for peace. This was followed by a variety of music and dance performances plus spectacular light displays and floating lanterns.
by Sandeep Sharma
One of the greatest conquerors to walk the faces of the earth, Tyrant or Visionary, Alexander to the West and Sikander to the East he remains one of the most enigmatic figures in human history.
A recent survey found that India is not as vegetarian as many people think, although still holding by far the largest vegetarian population in the world. The study carried out by the Hyderabad-based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) questioned a random sample of 20,719 households drawn across India’s 28 states.
Over a century after it was first introduced as a subject for undergraduate study, Sanskrit has been axed from Cambridge University. The decision to remove Sanskrit was taken because there are few takers to study the language, according to university officials.
The British originally took to learning Sanskrit as a means to understand and access India as a country and civilisation. In course of time, this moved beyond its initial utilitarian intentions to acquire the attributes of enlightened learning and scholarship. Universities in those times, in Britain and elsewhere in Europe, encouraged such inquiries for knowledge.
Hindu Voice UK managed to catch up with famous yoga-guru Swami Ramdev towards the end of his recent tour of the UK, to bring you this exclusive interview.
by Suma Rajagopal
Due to the prevailing religious tensions of our times, there is always the risk of coming across hostility on account of one’s religion. This year, during the ‘Freshers Week’ at university, I came across more than my fair share.
It has become a common ritual for every student who turns up at Fresher’s Fair to go around and collect all the freebies from the stalls of various societies.
Gujarat has the only significant population of lions outside of Africa, with a significant number of ‘Asiatic lions’ living in the state.The Asiatic lion, also known as the ‘Indian lion’ used to range all the way from Greece to India. Over time their population dwindled to such as extent that in 1907, there were just 13 left in the entire world. It seemed as if they were doomed to extinction.
Hinduism, as the world’s oldest and most pluralistic civilisation, has given rise to a great many different religious sects, some of which have existed in an unbroken lineage since very ancient times. One large and prominent ascetic order are the Naga sadhus, who have existed since the prehistoric past. They are Shaivas, meaning they worship Shiva as the supreme deity, and are also known as the ‘warrior ascetics’.
The Oracle of Rama is a brief but meaningful adaptation of the Ramayana, designed to be used as an ‘oracle’, meaning an astrological tool that can be consulted to help make decisions in everyday life.
Oliver Stone’s World Trade Centre tells an against-the-odds survival story of two New York Police Officers; John McLaughlin, played by Nicolas Cage and Will Jimeno, played by Michael Pena, trapped under the rubble of the World Trade Centre.
