[caption id="attachment_4127" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Jawaharlal Nehru, First Prime Minister of Independent India[/caption] India became an independent nation on August 15, 1947. It was on this day that India's prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru gave his famous "Tryst with Destiny" speech… “Long years ago we made a tryst with...

Levitating Monkey recently spoke with Assamese singer, composer and record producer Angaraag Mahanta, (aka Papon). Papon is currently in New York City, gearing up for his heavily anticipated upcoming Bollywood Musical Night 2014 show this Friday, July 11, in Edison, New Jersey. Levitating Monkey: With both your...

Goddess Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material and spiritual. The word ''Lakshmi'' is derived from the Sanskrit word Laksme, meaning "goal." With that in mind, Lakshmi, represents the goal of life, which includes worldly, as well as spiritual prosperity. In Hindu mythology, Goddess Lakshmi...

Seva comes from the ancient language of Sanskrit meaning, “selfless service.” In the context of Hinduism, it means selfless service rendered as a community action, done for the goodwill and benefit of others. The underlying Vedic philosophy, often quoted by Mahatma Gandhi is “Service to Man...

Brahma is the god of wisdom. It is said that the four Vedas were delivered from each of his four heads. Brahma is the first god in the Hindu trimurti. The trimurti is comprised of three gods who are responsible for the creation, preservation and destruction of...

[caption id="attachment_3883" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Summer of 1968, Formentera. All those featured here had been in India during 1967-1968. The couple in the front are Wolfgang and Mary, who are well-known, as early residents of the expat community in Goa. Brice Bowman standing in the rear on...

The beauty of the Shanti Mantra lies in its simplicity of message, "May all beings be happy and healthy." It is also referred to as a mantra for peace (shanti). Shanti Mantra Om sarveshaam swastir bhavatu
 Sarveshaam shantir bhavatu  Auspiciousness (swasti) be unto all; Peace (shanti) be unto all; Sarveshaam poornam bhavatu
 Sarveshaam mangalam...

Known as the preserver, Vishnu is one of three supreme Hindu deities, along with Brahma and Shiva. Vishnu, whose name means "All-Pervading," is the protector of the world and the restorer of moral order (dharma). He is peaceful, merciful, and compassionate. To Vaisnavites, Vishnu is the Supreme Lord. [caption id="attachment_3851" align="aligncenter"...

[caption id="attachment_3825" align="aligncenter" width="235"] Durga Das (aka David Newman)[/caption] We had the recent pleasure of talking with Durga Das, a kirtan chant artist, sacred singer songwriter and a practitioner and educator of Bhakti Yoga - the Yoga of Love.  David travels extensively sharing kirtan, devotional music and...