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Ram Sita Kalyanam Vivah in Parramatta 3rd November 2018
Hindu Council of Australia is celebrating Deepavali festival on 3rd and 4th of November 2018 in Parramatta Park this year also.
A special attraction of this year is likely to be an elaborate performance of Rama Sita Kalyanam or Ram Sita Vivah (marriage of Ram and Sita) being planned for 3rd November in Parramatta park location.
Ram Sita Kalyanam volunteers team meets to plan the event
This is going to be a huge event and the planning has already started. Our Sai Ji is leading the initiative. A team of volunteers has already started preparations for this grand occasion. Some of the suggestions circulating among the team is to
- perform Rama Pattabishekam
- procession/kolatam to carry idols to the mandapam in a palaki
- Kalyanam or Vivhah before sunset.
We welcome your suggestions about this event and encourage you to come and join the volunteers team and shape this event.
To participate in making the event happen, please leave a comment at the bottom of this post. You can also visit Hindu Council web site and sign up as a volunteer specifying your interest in Ram Sita Kalyanam event.
Ashraya Band celebrates International Day of Yoga with concerts in Darwin
To celebrate International Day of Yoga, the kirtan band Ashraya will be joining the festivities in Darwin. On their second tour to the Top End, they bring their world grooves and mellow sounds with beautiful ancient mantras that soothe the soul’s inner-most needs. 
Weaving together the mantras with amazing music, Ashraya brings a unique and creative approach to kirtan – from heart-warming, mellow harmonium chants to upbeat kirtan dance grooves. They will be performing at a number of events:
21st June | Kirtan at Mindil Beach Markets
22nd June | Mystic Journey: Meditation & Sacred Music
23rd June | World Yoga Day – Darwin
23rd June | Sacred Sounds with Ashraya
24th June | Habit Breaker ~ Freedom Maker
Ashraya is a Sanskrit word meaning shelter. In the beautiful, heartwarming mantras sung in kirtan, we find our shelter from the storms of life. They have performed at a number of locations including the MindBodySpirit festival recently in Sydney and with Hindu Balinese community in the north east region of Bali.
The band members are all long term practitioners of Bhakti Yoga in the Vaisnava tradition. Their passion is share the joy that kirtan and the deeper spiritual aspect of yoga bring to others regardless of their backgrounds. They have been inspired to share the yoga wisdom and teachings so that others may apply these in their own lives to optimise their whole well being. You can also catch Ashraya performing regularly on the Gold Coast at the Mantra Room in Burleigh Heads.
Happy Galungan & Kuningan 9th June 2018
By Madya Lila.
This Balinese celebration of the triumph of dharma over adharma is one of the most auspicious days in the Balinese calendar and relates with the Diwali celebration of Hindus in other parts of the world. In Balinese, the word “Galungan” means victory and commemorates Indra’s victory over a tyrant king who prevented his subjects from practicing their religion. Balinese people make offerings, decorate their homes and temples, gather their whole family and visit temples to offer prayers. One of the most distinctive features of Galungan are the beautiful penjor decorations that line whole village streets. Penjors are long bamboo poles decorated with young coconut leaves, fruits and flowers.
The tenth day of Galungan is the celebration of Kuningan when the ancestors and gods and goddesses who have visited the earth return to their heavenly homes. Kuningan is also the day when the Supreme Lord, known as Ida Sang Hyang Widhi, blesses and brings prosperity to the whole world. Balinese make special offerings of yellow turmeric rice on this farewell day as a symbol of their gratitude to God for the life, joy, wealth, health and prosperity given.
Art telling Ramayana, Hindu story, at Carlos Museum
May 3, 2018 by ·
An exhibit of art at the Michael C. Carlos Museum of Emory University is highlighting events told in the Ramayana, a sacred text of Hinduism.
The exhibit opened in January, and Coweta residents have been among the visitors viewing the paintings filled with bright colors and elaborate detail. The paintings date from the 17th-19th centuries.
Wishing you a Happy Vaisakhi, Baisakhi, Vishu, Pahela Baishakh, Bihu and Puthuvarusham
April 14, 2018 by ·
(Compiled by : Madya Lila, ASMY)
Wishing You A Happy Vaisakhi! For many of the world’s Hindus, Vaisakhi also known as Baisakhi, Vishu, Pahela Baishakh, Bihu and Puthuvarusham is an ancient harvest festival that celebrates the beginning of the solar new year. People clean their homes and businesses, prepare special foods, observe sacred customs, visit the temples and participate in unique regional dances, fairs and festivities.
Vaisakhi is an auspicious day all around as it was also on this very day, thousands of years ago, that Goddess Ganga descended to earth. In her honour, the devout celebrate with a dip in her holy rivers at the break of dawn.
Traditionally, Vaisakhi is observed by the farming community as a day of joyfully thanking God for the abundant harvest. The best of the harvest is lovingly offered to God in gratitude. The community also seeks blessings for future prosperity and progress in the coming year.
No matter where we are in the world we too can celebrate this sacred day of Vaisakhi by setting aside our daily concerns and taking a little time to go within our hearts to reflect and give thanks to God for our countless blessings. There are many challenges in life and when things go wrong we find it hard to see things to be thankful for. By consciously practicing thankfulness we open our eyes to the many gifts God has given us.
On this day of Vaisakhi let us make an auspicious beginning to our New Year by filling our hearts with gratitude. In this mood of thankfulness, may we also be moved to share our blessings, our gifts and our talents in the loving service of God and all living beings. Happy Vaisakhi!
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Quarterly update from Victoria Chapter
April 9, 2018 by ·
A quick update from Victoria chapter on activities during the first quarter of 2018
1 Quarterly participation at Multifaith Advisory Group within the Premier’s Cabinet Office
2. Feb 18 : Participation in the multifaith consultation called by the PM on freedom of religion, chaired by Philip Ruddock
3. Presentation of Certificate of Honour to HH Mahant Swami of BAPS by HCA on behalf of participating organisations – 10 Feb
4. Ongoing Chaplaincy funds distribution from Spiritual Health Victoria to volunteer health care chaplains through ISKCON Melbourne.
5. Review of last year’s contact made for prison chaplaincy to identify ongoing needs. Currently ISKCON handles this on their own.
Upcoming events
1. 18 March 18 – Spiritual Discourse by Sri M , visiting accomplished Yogi from India.
2. International Yoga Day 21 June
3. Diwali in Vic Parliament with BAPS – date TBD
