IndianTimes ZA

06/12/2024

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26/08/2024

May Lord Krishna steal all your worries and give you peace, and happiness on this holy occasion of Krishna Janmashtami!

18/08/2024

To honor and please Goddess Lakshmi in your daily life, it is essential to cultivate an environment that embodies her virtues.

The Goddess of wealth, prosperity, and fortune dwells in places where righteousness, truth, and compassion are upheld. She favors peaceful, harmonious, and loving surroundings. Respecting women and elders is also an important aspect of inviting her blessings into your life.

Daily Practices to Please Goddess Lakshmi

Cleanliness is Key: Goddess Lakshmi is deeply connected to cleanliness and orderliness. Keeping your home and surroundings clean is a simple yet powerful way to invite her presence. This includes ensuring that your living space is free from clutter and maintaining personal hygiene. Particularly avoid sleeping in a messy environment, as it is believed to repel her blessings.

Respect and Virtue: Uphold virtues such as honesty, kindness, and respect in your interactions, especially towards women and elders. These qualities are cherished by Goddess Lakshmi and are essential in creating an atmosphere conducive to her presence.

Lakshmi Puja: Regularly perform Lakshmi Puja to honor the Goddess. Offer her food, flowers, and incense. Lotus flowers or leaves are particularly sacred to her.

Fridays hold special significance for worshipping Goddess Lakshmi. On this day, you can chant her mantra 108 times using a lotus seed mala:

Aum Mahalakshmyai Cha Vidmahe
Vishnu Priyaye Dhimahi
Tanno Lakshmi Prachodayat

Engaging in both morning and evening Aarti, ideally with your family, is a way to strengthen your connection to her.

Worship Tulsi: Plant and care for a Tulsi (Holy Basil) plant in your home. Tulsi is sacred to Goddess Lakshmi and is believed to bring prosperity and peace. Light a lamp next to the plant regularly and offer your prayers.

Celebrate Dipavali with Devotion: The festival of Dipavali (Diwali) is particularly auspicious for worshipping Goddess Lakshmi. On this night, perform a special Lakshmi Puja, welcoming her into your home with offerings of kheer (a sweet rice pudding) and red flowers. Illuminate your home with lamps and candles to symbolize the victory of light over darkness, inviting the Goddess’s blessings of wealth and prosperity.

Additional Practices
Charity and Compassion: Engage in charitable activities, especially towards those in need. Acts of generosity and compassion align with the qualities of Goddess Lakshmi and attract her blessings.

Meditation and Mindfulness: Regularly practice meditation, focusing on inner peace and contentment. A calm and balanced mind is more receptive to the Goddess’s blessings.

Recitation of Sacred Texts: Reading and reciting verses from sacred texts that glorify Goddess Lakshmi can deepen your spiritual connection with her. The Lakshmi Stotra and Lakshmi Ashtakam are particularly revered.

By incorporating these practices into your daily life, you can create a strong spiritual connection with Goddess Lakshmi, inviting her divine blessings of wealth, peace, and prosperity into your home and life.

17/08/2024

The construction of a monument in Durban to honor the Indian indentured laborers who arrived in 1860 is back on track after several delays. These laborers were brought to South Africa to work on sugar plantations and played a crucial role in the country’s development. The idea for the monument has been around for some time but faced setbacks due to funding and logistical issues.

Community leaders and organizations are now pushing for the monument's completion, recognizing its importance in preserving the history and contributions of the Indian community in South Africa. The monument is seen as a symbol of the hardships and resilience of these early workers and their descendants.

There is a call for the process to be halted for greater consultation with the Indian community. Among the concerns was that the majority of the Indian community did not know about the proposal to build an 1860 monument and that the current design of the monument, to mark the arrival of the Indians as indentured labourers, had not been approved by the majority of the Indian community.

Why has there been so much secrecy and lack of transparency surrounding this project? Indians have patiently awaited for nearly 14 years, and we are more than willing to extend that patience for another year if it means ensuring the best possible outcome. It's crucial that this project embraces transparency and actively involves the community throughout the process. This approach will help prevent any single person or organization from abusing their position or offering undue benefits to friends and connections. Ensuring an open and inclusive process will safeguard against favoritism and ensure that the project truly represents the interests of all.

17/08/2024

O Mahalakshmi, may You kindly drive away any fear of poverty and inauspiciousness from my home. Bless me always with abundance and joy. I invoke that supreme Goddess Lakshmi to dwell in my home forever. She is the supreme power of protection and Goddess of all the universes and cosmic elements.

03/07/2023