Sacred Chants of Ancient India: Various Artists

Sacred Chants of Ancient India: Various Artists

Incorporating the best of four volumes’ worth of material from previous releases, Sacred Chants of Ancient India (Kosmic Music) is a meditative experience that mixes strains of Western popular music with Eastern devotions. The chanting-singing of various Vedic chants (by talented female vocalists) soar above ambient piano, shimmering strings, and synthesized drumbeats.

One can hear ancient Indian mantras and chants, some of which have been

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Come, oh come, yea tea thirsty

Restless ones; the kettle boils,

Bubbles, and sings, musically.

--Rabindranath Tagore (as quoted in Tea: Legend, Life and Livelihood of India)

Tea is such a part of India’s culture, it’s hard to imagine daily life without it. As scientific research continues to establish the beneficial qualities of tea, it’s popularity continues to soar. The history of tea in the country of India is as fascinating as is the tea industry's important role in the socio-economic life of the people.

Thanks to Tea: Legend, Life and Livelihood of India, the history now comes alive.

Mumbai's entrepreneurial dreams climb as high as the gleaming skyscrapers that define its skyline. This great city of more than ten million people is the capital of the state of Maharashtra and also the commercial capital of the whole country...center of industry, transportation, and communication, its fine harbor on the Arabian Sea makes its one of the world's busiest ports. ....."Bombay” to locals, Mumbai is totally a hip place to be -- from food, to fashion and a thriving nightlife, this town will keep all your senses on high alert.

Gateway of India

Gateway of India

Be sure and visit Colaba, the tourist hub of Mumbai. Colaba starts with the Gateway of India -- the landmark of Mumbai. Colaba is the South Mumbai district filled with cafes, bars, and plenty of shops. Chowpatty Beach is a popular beach where many celebrations of festivals such as Coconut Day and the Ganesh Chaturthi immersions take place. On the beach you'll find statues of India's freedom fighters, Lokmanya Tilak and Vithalbhai Patel who symbolize the freedom struggle. Chowpatty occupies a special place in the life of Bombay, having been the venue of mass political meetings in the pre-independence era. In the evening Chowpatty develops a magical atmosphere

British-born Chinmaya (formerly Stephen) Dunster is a master of the Indian lute known as the sarod....

Indian_Farmer

Indian Farmer

I recently had the pleasure of reading a truly inspiring story entitled, "Sowing Hope" about an amazing humanitarian named Joseph Curiale who is doing tremendous work in India. After having viewed a disturbing piece back in March on CNN about the thousands of South Indian farmers who have committed suicide because of a 7 year drought and their mounting debts, Los Angeles' own, Joe Curiale, made the commitment to make a difference. Due to the drought, more than 150,000 farmers have died countrywide and the numbers only continue to grow. As Joe mentions on his blog, with the desperate situation, many farmers feel that suicide is their only escape, leaving their young widows vulnerable to harassment from moneylenders, "...some of whom charge up to 450% interest (annually) and often demand partial repayment by raping the widows… An Indian film director had told me of one village where the moneylender would rape the women right in front of their husbands, further pushing them to suicide…"

Growing up in an East Indian household, I took much of the beauty and the traditions of the Hindu culture for granted....