The April/May/June edition of Hinduism Today magazine has been released in digital form and is now available for free on your desktop. The cover story is a fascinating first-person account of the grueling trek to the 13,000-foot-high Ice Cave where Siva is worshipped in winter. The lingam in this cave forms each year from natural water that freezes in the iconic shape that represents Absolute God in His Formless Form. This year a record 700,000 pilgrims made the climb. It’s not easy, and each year lives are lost. Find out how the survivors do it!
The Insight Section is especially for children, an illustrated morality tale called “How Lord Ganesha Saved Little Usha.” In his editorial our publisher bravely wades into deep waters to debunk the myth that Hinduism is not a religion, just a way of life. In setting out the argument, he calls on Swami Chinmayananda whose outspoken views on this issue are tough, humorous and intellectually compelling.
It’s always illuminating to look into the lives of living saints, and our South Indian correspondent, Choodie Sivaram’ takes us on a journey to the Siddhaganga Mutt near Bengaluru, where she follows the amazing daily routine of Sree Sree Dr. Shivakumara Swami, who tirelessly runs a thriving Saivite institution, meeting each morning with 10,000 students. What’s truly amazing is this: Swami is 105 years old! You will be inspired by his example and his secret to longevity.
We love to take on issues that others adroitly avoid, so naturally we engage the controversy of just how conscious animals are. You will discover they are more human than most people know. It’s an area where biological science is advancing rapidly, and you can see it all here. We call on Hindu spiritual leaders and scholars to get the Hindu take on animal consciousness. Did you know that gorillas are learning to communicate through an iPad?
Other articles cover Diwali at a Texas university, how and why we Hindus bless our food, the first Hindu woman elected to the US Congress, and how one disaffected youth discovered her Hindu roots. There’s more, of course: humor, a new crossword puzzle, a global overview of the Hindu diaspora and a survey of what Wikipedia has to say about Hinduism.
