Tattva

Namaste,

Chhatrapathi Shivaji Maharaj was born on February 19, 1630. However, according to the Hindu calendar, this year his birthday falls on March 3rd. Among many things, Shivaji is known for his uncompromising values, courage to act on those values, and extraordinary grace and tact in his actions. The Indian TV Channel STAR Pravah airs a series based on Shivaji Maharaj called “Raja ShivChatrapati.” The show calls Shivaji’s life an “immortal story of courage and self-respect…” The title sequence of the show thrills and inspires with various scenes from Shivaji’s life. Find yourself some motivation to look into the depths of this character by following the link below to the title sequence on youtube.

Raja ShivChatrapati Title Song

The title sequence features a poem written by the 17th century Indian poet, Kavi Bhushan. Let us close by sharing the poem with you.

Jai Bhavani, Veer Shivaji!
(Victory to Goddess Bhavani, Strength to Shivaji)

- Tattva Team

This summer, Sewa International USA is offering volunteer internships in India and USA through the Yuva for Sewa (Youth for Service) fellowship program.

YFS aims to connect young adults with service projects in the fields of education, self-employment, healthcare, women’s empowerment, environmental awareness, micro-finance and others. Read the rest of this entry »

Since its inception, Tattva Magazine has released one printed edition each year. While this has been observed in the anniversary month of September in the past,  the last printed edition fell a little later on the calendar - January. The January 2010 edition of Tattva Magazine was inaugurated on January 17 in Orlando, Florida. The ceremony took place during Hindu YUVA’s National Youth Conference, in which 54 college students and young professionals participated. The inauguration ceremony was honored by the presence of chief guest Dr. Anoop Reddy of Tampa, Florida, and several other prominent well-wishers of the magazine. Two thousand copies of the magazine have been printed and will be distributed across the United States. In this online edition, you will find 8 of the articles that were printed in the January edition.

The following Hindu American leaders were present at the inauguration ceremony:

Dr. Anoop K. Reddy, M.D., P.A is a successful neurologist in Tampa, Florida.

Shri Braham Aggarwal is a successful Florida-based businessman and a founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hindu University of America.

Dr. Srikumar Rao is a best-selling author and an adjunct professor at London Business School and the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley.

Shri Abhinav and Dr. Kalyani Dwivedi. Shri Abhinav Dwivedi is Vice President of the Hindu University of America. Dr. Kalyani Dwivedi is a Samskrit scholar.

Dr. Yashwant Pathak is Professor and Assistant Dean of Research at the Sullivan University College of Pharmacy in Louisville, KY. He is the International Coordinator of the International Center for Cultural Studies (ICCS) and Joint International Coordinator of Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh.

As young Hindu Americans, we have a responsibility to contend with. A responsibility of being the inheritors of the oldest and the most inclusive culture in existence.The young and energetic karyakartas (volunteers) of Hindu YUVA (Youth for Unity, Virtues, and Action) have been working hard on university campuses across the United States to do justice to do this great responsibility.

Read the rest of this entry »

Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh, USA (HSS) wishes you, your family and friends a happy and healthy makar sankraman of the Sun or  the commencement of the Sun’s northern course - the Uttaraayana. The festivities of Makar Sankranti are celebrated all across Bharat and by expatriates abroad, by exchanging sweets and best wishes.

Since the last three yearsin the United States, HSS is celebrating the time of Makar Samkraman by means of a unique nationwide project, to create awareness about Yoga. This year, Surya Namaskar Yajna (SNY) or Health for humanity Yogathon began on January 16 and will run through January 31, 2010. It is now in full action in 48 States of the United States. Read the rest of this entry »

Namaste,

So this is it, the last edition of Tattva Magazine for this decade. On this unique occasion, I suppose I can send the strongest message to our readers by letting the articles do the talking.

Take it easy,

Tattva Team

Avowal is how I portray myself: I am Ramesh, an Indian-American, a Hindu, an associate professor, a husband and son and father. In contrast, ascription is how others attribute identities to a person. I am a South Asian for some, a Hindutvavadi for some others, a discriminated brown for yet others, and an oppressor Brahmin for my politically inclined detractors.

Read the rest of this entry »

Namaste,

In this edition of Tattva Magazine, we have 3 articles, each focusing on a different level of Hindu activity in this world. The piece on the Diwali celebrations around the world reminds us that this way of life that has been dubbed “Hinduism” is an entity that has a religious, cultural, social, and political impact on this world, and a significant one at that. The report on the University of Cincinnati Hindu YUVA trip to Red River Gorge exemplifies the notion that this Hinduism functions at the local level. And Jayant Avva’s investigation into the differences, or rather, the similarities between Jnana and Bhakti Yogas is significant in our individual lives. However, can an individual practice Hinduism at just one of these levels? If an attorney carries an honorable practice from 8am to 5pm, but does not seek to live the personal life of a Hindu, is she a Hindu? If a young professional performs yoga and regularly visits the temple, but does not pursue service to society, is he a Hindu? And where do you stand; in what social arenas are you a Hindu? Or do the connotations of being Hindu implicitly negate this question itself? Think about it…

Graciously,

Tattva Team

The Hindu community outside India numbers around 60 million, making the Hindu diaspora one of the largest in the world. Hindus have taken their separation from their motherland as an opportunity to share Hindu culture with the mainstream community. Hindus outside India are fulfilling their role as cultural ambassadors, spreading the invaluable knowledge that the Hindu traditions and beliefs have to contribute to the world. Again and again we have seen the tremendous positive influence the Hindu community has when it comes together, and this year’s Diwali was no exception. Hundreds of Hindu organizations and groups around the world organized Diwali celebrations, getting the festival recognized on university campuses and even by national leaders. Following are a few examples of the ways Diwali was recognized by leaders around the world: Read the rest of this entry »

Jnana Yoga means turning the negative part of your mind inward to achieve identification with formlessness; Bhakti Yoga means turning the positive part of your mind outward to achieve identification with formlessness. Read the rest of this entry »