Voluntary Assisted Dying and Hindu Council of Australia

By: Surinder Jain. Voluntary assisted dying schemes have been in effect in the following states; -Victoria since 19 June 2019, -Western Australia since 1 July 2021, -Tasmania since 23 October 2022, -Queensland since 1 January 2023, -South Australia since 31 January 2023 and -New South Wales since 28 November 2023. [1] An eligible person can […]

What is Prasada or Hindu Religious Food

Prasāda, prasadam or prasad is a religious offering in Hinduism. Prasad is cooked in large quantities during major festivals.  Deepavali is one such festival during which Prasad is cooked for thousands of devotees and requires more Pujaris (priests) than other times. Most often Prasada is vegetarian food especially cooked for devotees after praise and thanksgiving to a god. Mahaprasada (also called bhandarā),[1] is the consecrated […]

Maha Kumbabishegam Volunteer request for Sri Venkateswara Temple Helensburgh

  Dear Devotee(s), Sri Venkateswara Temple depends and thrives on the dedicated involvement of volunteers to assist the Management in conducting and performing the daily activities of the temple. Your efforts in keeping the temple precincts and the adjoining areas clean and tidy, upkeeping the Archana bowls and Prasada utensils by washing them at regular […]

Yadagirgutta Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy Darshanam

Blessed is Australia and blessed are us, Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy is here to bless us all. The Hindu Council of Australia is very happy to be part of this program of bringing the deities of Yadadri  (Yadagirgutta, Telangana)  Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy to Sydney Australia and performing a celestial wedding on Saturday, 11th February […]

Tulasi Pujan in Perth 25th Dec 2022

Hindu Council of Australia WA Chapter invites you for Tulasi Pujan on 25th December 2022. See details below. Related Images:

Arpan – Fundraiser of North Queensland Hindu Community Inc

It is with great pleasure that the North Queensland Hindu Community Inc cordially invites you all to “Arpan … an offering”,  The annual fund-raising cultural event showcasing Indian classical art forms. The 10th-anniversary stage of Arpan will be graced by renowned Kathak artist, Sanchita Abrol, founder and artistic director of Kathaprana Dance Academy, Melbourne. She […]

Janmashtami Celebrations in Darwin

Hindu Council of Australia is celebrating Janmashtami for the first time in Darwin, along with Darwin Yoga & Meditation Australian School of Meditation and Yoga (ASMY) Let your family & friends Darwin know about the event and encourage them to participate and enjoy the celebrations along Keertain and Bhajan. Related Images:

Hindu Marriage Ritual – Vivah, a right of passage

By : Surinder Jain. A rite of passage with yajna ceremony often marks a Hindu wedding. Vivaha (Vivāha, Sanskrit: विवाह) is the rite of passage and rituals associated with marriage. While there are many rituals in Hinduism, vivaha (wedding) is the most extensive personal ritual an adult Hindu undertakes in his or her life.  The wedding rites […]

9 things to know about Navaratri

9 things to know about Navaratri By Syama Allard October 16, 2020       1) Navaratri celebrates the Feminine Divine A nine-night festival during the Hindu month of Ashwin, Navaratri is a celebration of the Feminine Divine. According to the Vedas, everyone and everything originates from an absolute spiritual source referred to as Brahman (Divine), which is both the […]

HCA Victoria Media Statement on Swastika

By: Makarand Bhagwat, Hindu Council of Australia. Related Images:

Like Ganga and Yamuna, Australian rivers should be given rights of a legal person

By: Mark Pearson, MLC Parliament of New South Wales. Following the precedent set by India which granted personhood to the Ganges and Yamuna Rivers and New Zealand with the Whanganui River, a bill introduced in NSW Parliament by Mark Pearson, establishes the river as a ‘legal person’ with rights that can be enforced by guardians […]

Shirdi Sai Mandir Sydney – Online Ganesh Mahotsav Festival

Author: PANDIT SIVA SRINIVASAN. Greetings from Shirdi Sai Mandir, Sydney, Sai Mandir has organized to have the 10 day Ganesh Chaturthi Celebrations as ONLINE Event. You and your Family can book and participate in virtual celebrations through our temple Facebook page. Attached the Ganesh Mahotsav event flyer.   Related Images:

Why do Hindus Ring Bells in their temples?

Every ritual & tradition of Hindu culture has a deep meaning in it. The things used during puja rituals play very important role in healing the body, mind & soul. During your visit to temples & puja ceremonies you must have witnessed ringing bell. Bell popularly known as ghant or ghanti in Sanskrit. Ghanti is […]

Donate during Pitru Paksha – Help Corona sufferers

We are appealing to community again to support us with donations during second wave of Corona crisis.  During Pitru Paksha we are supposed to remember our fore fathers and perform Daan (दान) .  Please use the link below to donate and no amount is small . Your donation will be used to help the needy. […]

Why Hindus clap everyday?

Since ages its our Hindu ritual that we clap our hands during aarti & singing bhajans everyday. There is a reason behind doing this, Our hands have cosmic energy which creates positivity & we get more positive energy within us while clapping. Clapping hands forcefully recreates joy & can also keep us healthy. Clapping strengthens […]

Making Chanting Shlokas Relevant

These days most people question the reason why we perform various rituals, e.g., chanting various Shlokas. Asking them to “just do it” or not providing believable explanation will only result in them viewing these rituals with disdain. For example, explaining that one chants Shlokas to appease God so that one can get some immediate reward […]

Why Hindus do Circumambulation (प्रदक्षिणा) around the Deity?

Hinduism is the oldest Civilization & only one which is based on Science. In Hinduism whatever is practiced is not only based on beliefs but there are scientific reasons behind each & every tradition. All of us visit temple & has done Circumambulation (प्रदक्षिणा) around the Deity & temple. Walking around the innermost chamber of […]

Research Survey on Mantra chanting by Macquarie University

By: Gemma Perry, Macquarie University’s PhD student and a yoga expert.   Name of Project: Online Survey about Chanting Chief Investigator: Professor Bill Thompson, Director of Music, Sound and Performance Lab, Department of Psychology  You are invited to participate in a study of chanting practices. We are conducting an online survey in order to find out […]

How we worship – Religion in Australia, By: Emily Clark, ABC

By Emily Clark with photography by Brendan Esposito  ABC From organised religion to casual spirituality, faith in Australia is different to anywhere else in the world. Diversity — of people and their practice — is something only Australia can call a tradition. Despite our religious diversity, 66 per cent of respondents to the Australia Talks […]

USA law makers call Hindu Gods “false”

North Dakota Parliament opened its 2nd April 2019 session with Hindu prayers. Several Republican members of the Parliament protested the opening of the session with Hindu prayers. The Senate and House convene daily with a prayer by the chamber’s guest chaplains followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Lutheran pastor and freshman Rep. Jeff Hoverson of […]

VIEWPOINT: Discovering Hinduism in Āratī

Click here to view original web page at VIEWPOINT: Discovering Hinduism in Āratī Each Sunday evening as I enter Georgetown University’s Jewish prayer room, Makóm, for weekly Āratī , herbal incense and the soft hum of the harmonium greet me. After I grab a comfortable pillow and find a spot, I close my eyes and […]

Bali Hindus in Denmark celebrate Nyepi festival

By: Akrut.co. Original article is in Indonesian language and is published at http://akurat.co/news/id-550558-read-umat-hindu-bali-rayakan-hari-suci-nyepi-di-kopenhagen Nyepi is a Bali Hindu festival Saka New Year Celebration. Read English translation below : Pensosbud of the Indonesian Embassy in Copenhagen, Dieny Maya Sari, said on Sunday (10/3) that the Saka New Year Celebration was attended by around 100 people from […]

How Bali’s non-Hindus show religious tolerance and respect on Nyepi

Click here to view original web page at How Bali’s non-Hindus show religious tolerance and respect on Nyepi Western tourists are not the only people in Bali expected to accommodate the Hindu holiday of Nyepi, which took place yesterday, marking the first day of the Balinese New Year with a full 24 hours of quiet […]

Hindu Symbols vandalized during Nyepi religious celebrations in East Java

Translation from Indonesian to English of Jelang Nyepi, Tiga Ornamen Simbol Umat Hindu Dirusak Orang tak Dikenal by Google Translate. “LUMAJANG – The tranquility of the Tenggerese Hindus in Lumajang, East Java is disturbed ahead of the Nyepi celebration. There was destruction of three religious symbols in the form of patmasari or ornaments on the edge […]

Java Hindus celebrate Hindu Festival Melasti

By:Aman Rochman. Thousands of members of the Hindu Tengger community, who live on the slopes of Mount Bromo, carried offerings, heirlooms and other items to the Widodaren spring to perform the Melasti ceremony on Sunday, March 3, 2019 . Hindus will perform an ogoh-ogoh (giant effigy) parade on Wednesday afternoon and then perform Nyepi on […]

Why You Should Perform Rudra Abhishek This Maha Shivaratri

Why is Maha Shivratri celebrated? Maha Shivratri, which literally translates to “great night of Shiva” is a Hindu festival largely celebrated in India as well as in Nepal. The festival is celebrated on the new moon day in the month of Maagha according to the Hindu calendar. The day […] Click here to view original […]

Finding himself in festivals – Book review

Blogger-turned-author Chithiraveethikaran talks about his fascination for festivals and his first book Thiruvizhakkalin Thalainagaram Madurai It was the night before Lord Kallazhagar’s entry into the Vaigai and the blinding lights made Madurai look like the moon on earth. Men dressed in the attire of guardian deities, danced around the […] Click here to view original […]

Books to Help With Rituals (Puja)

By: Ambaa Choate.   I was browsing on Amazon and I realized that there are quite a number of books these days with detailed instructions for various puja rituals to do yourself at home. Ritual worship isn’t for everyone and you don’t have to do it to be a Hindu, but it’s a special part […]

Menstruation is Far From Taboo in Hinduism

By: Sunila Goray Raj (edited by : Surinder Jain) Menstruation is Far From Taboo in Hinduism.   There is so much to be said about it all – but here I only want to focus on the leftist’s latest favorite topic : Menstruation.   A survey conducted in USA in 1981 showed that a substantial […]

Kalyanam ceremonies being held in Sydney

By : Neelima Pravastu. The Priests and Deities arrived on 26th October 2018 at night 9 PM from Bhadrachalam along with the celebrity Kuchipudi dancer Dr Padmaja Reddy and her group. The Deities and priests were taken to host at Rohin Ji’s house on their first stay in Sydney. Pre-wedding ceremonies started next day with making of […]

Hindu rituals under attack in Australia

By: Smith Jones. Australia is a very tolerant society. Hindu practices are not only encouraged but participated by a large number of white Australians and elected Australian representatives from all shades of political spectrum. Hindus feel at ease and encouraged to become Australians. Surprisingly, attacks on Hindus are not coming from other religions or from […]

Significance of Sri Sitarama Bhadrachalam

रामो रामो राम इति प्रजनामभवन् कथााः | रामभूिं जिभूद्रमे राज्यं प्रशासति । तनत्यपश्ु पा तनत्यफलास्िरवस्र तनर्व्नर ााः | कामवशी च पजन्र याः सखु स्पशश्र च मारुिाः । Sri Vaalmeeki Ramayana – Yuddha Kanda – CXXVIII. 103, 104 Under Sri Rama’s rule, people rejoiced everywhere hailing Rama ! Rama! Rama! in jubilation and recounting his deeds; […]

Sri Sitarama Kalyanam

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Interfaith prayers for Rain

Australia is going through a severe drought. Religious leaders of various faiths including Hindus participated in rituals to bring about rains. Hindu Priest is Pandit Prakash Pandey recited the prayers in Sanskrit. Mr Basu Banka explained the rituals and spoke at the Prayer Service.   A sum of $260 was collected for Buy a Bale […]

Take a quiz on Hindu Rituals

Please enter your email: 1. Every Hindu must perform Rituals? Yes/No  Yes  No 2. A Hindu must do all the rituals inside a temple only? Yes/No  Yes  No 3. Puja (worship) can only be performed by a Brahmin priest only? Yes/No  Yes  No 4. Puja should have either mantra or bhajans sung in the praise […]

Why sprinkle water around food before eating

Have you ever wondered why did your grand parents sprinkle water around their food before eating. Well, here is an explanation. Watch the video.   [Click here to read more ….] Related Images: