We welcome anyone to contribute to Hinduism Today. Over the years, our contributors have ranged from professional reporters to notable Hindu religious leaders to lay Hindus and engaged youth. Together they have allowed us to produce an educational and informative magazine issue after issue. If you would like to join this band who make Hinduism Today possible, please click here to submit an article or opinion piece. Manuscript submissions can also be e-mailed to letters@hindu.org. Submissions must be in English and include a two-sentence bio, including mailing address and a photograph of the author.
Hinduism Today is a 86-page international quarterly magazine written for English-speaking Hindus, the general public interested in Hinduism, and the scholastic/interfaith community dedicated to Hindu-related studies. Our magazine is considered “the voice of Hinduism” and—many tell us—is the best Hindu news journal in the world, in content, design and world-class production values. We are published quarterly in North America and Russia and distributed worldwide. The magazine is posted regularly on the Web, with archives back to 1996. We also distribute Hinduism Today in a free, online digital form and as a free app.
While it is not necessary that contributing writers be Hindu, they should empathize with and support Hindu thought, practice and culture.
Appropriate subjects range from current (non-local) events, human interest stories, profiles, interviews, trend analyses, the arts, social issues, lifestyle pieces, cultural explorations, spiritual and philosophical insights, yoga, opinion pieces, travelogues and special feature reporting. We solely cover the spiritual, humanistic and cultural dimensions of Hinduism. We do not discuss politics. For an overview of our approach, writing style and typical subject matter we suggest that potential writers study back issue of the magazine. Personal narratives, storytelling and anecdotal events are most welcome and interesting to our readers.
Queries on article proposals are invited. We encourage a well-written query letter outlining your proposed subject and describing its characteristics and special appeal. Completed articles are also most welcome for consideration.
Young Writers program
In 2021, Hinduism Today started a “Young Writers” program for middle and high school students age 12 to 18 under which they work directly with the magazine editors to develop articles on topics of their interest. The program is off to a great start already. If you’d like to join, contact ar@hindu.org. Be advised, however, that the program is selective and you must have your parent’s permission and be a devout Hindu.
Article Guidelines:
Length for short to medium pieces run between 700 and 2,000 words. Longer articles run 2,000 to 6,000 words. All manuscripts are edited prior to publication.
High-quality, high-resolution photos are necessary with every story. We work with writers to obtain quality imagery. If a writer has limited photographic skills, we often hire a professional to fill this need.
Payment: We pay US10 cents per word and $20-100 for each photo we publish, depending on size. Rates for professional photographs are negotiated on a case by case basis. Payment is made upon publication. If arranged in advance, we can reimburse travel and other expenses.
Rights: Hinduism Today retains all rights of publication in all media, unless other specific arrangements are worked out with the author. Everything published in the magazine (including photographs) goes on our website.
The Fine Print: We consider everything except a direct assignment to be submitted on a speculative basis. If an article has been assigned, we reserve the right to reject it if it is not acceptable.
Too Many Details
Types of stories we include:
• Profiles of Hindu gurus, swamis or lay leaders who are contributing in a dynamic or unusual way to the Hindu/yoga community. These are primarily contemporary people, but on occasion can include those from recent past.
• In-depth reports on Hindu or yoga-related institutions. This would include monastic, educational, specific research and academic institutions; and would include non-Hindu institutions that are studying or teaching Hindu-related areas.
• Investigative reports on ethical and social issues pertinent to and including the Hindu perspective: abortion, euthanasia, genetic engineering, vegetarianism, animal rights, global pollution, environment, appropriate technology, agriculture, etc.
• In-depth treatments of special facets of Hindu practice and knowledge: sects or schools of Hinduism, systems of yoga, astrology, ayurveda and health, the arts, sciences, social structure, diet, scriptures, architecture, etc.
• The interface, both positive and negative, between Hinduism and other faiths. Occasionally, we run feature pieces on Sikhism, Buddhism, Taoism, and other religions, with an effort to reveal links with Hindu history, knowledge or present-day concerns.
• The religious life of indigenous tribals in India.
• The interface between Hinduism and science/technology; Hinduism in the 21st century.
• Family concerns about men, women, adolescents and children, Hindu family customs, acculturation for immigrants, discrimination, education, lifestyle, helpful domestic and social hints; wife and child abuse, and the consequences of mothers working outside the home, breakup of the joint family, divorce, etc.
• Reports on extraordinary events, projects and discoveries, such as magnificent new temples, huge Hindu religious statues, amazing archeological finds and Guinness Book of Records type events.