News from Hindu Press International
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Posted
on 2000/11/4 22:49:02 ( 989 reads )
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USA: Robert Redford's latest movie, "The Legend of Bagger Vance,"
which opened in 2,000 theaters across America this weekend, is based upon
the book of the same name. The book is an adaptation of the "Bhagavad
Gita" into the story of a 1920's game of golf. Most viewers won't make
the connection, and most professional reviewers seem clueless, too, though
a few sensed a "Zen" or "Hindu" flavor to the
philosophy. For example, Roger Ebert called it the "first Zen movie
about golf." The movie's plot centers around a has-been golfer,
"Rannulph Junuh" (read "R. Junnuh," as in
"Arjuna"), played by Matt Damon, who is advised by a caddy,
Bagger Vance (read "Bhagavan," i.e. Lord Krishna), played by Will
Smith. Ebert likes the movie, but CNN reviewer Paul Tatara said,
"you've certainly seen worse movies, but Redford really blew an
opportunity here." Steven Rosen has written a book, "Gita on the
Green: The Mystical Tradition Behind Bagger Vance," detailing the
novel's derivation from the Bhagavad Gita. It can be advance ordered at
Amazon.com.
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on 2000/11/4 22:48:02 ( 971 reads )
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LONDON, ENGLAND: In a UK meeting, Conservatives said they would give
churches and other faith communities new opportunities to establish their
own full-time schools to teach their religious values along with providing
a general education. Already the UK has a state-funded Sikh school.
Conservative leader William Hague said, "Close to their communities
and offering role models that pupils can identify with, they would be one
sure way to guarantee diversity, increase standards and give children the
values they need."
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Posted
on 2000/11/4 22:47:02 ( 876 reads )
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Source: Hinduism Today: Anil Mahabir, Trinidad Correspondent
PORT LOUIS, TRINIDAD: Trinidadians will go to the polls to elect a new
government on Monday, December 11, 2000. The two major parties in the race
are: the UNC, widely touted as "the Indian/Hindu party" which is
led by Basdeo Panday and the PNM, which is seen as the
"African/Christian party" led by Patrick Manning. The country is
presently run by a Hindu Prime minister in Basdeo Panday. All the recent
polls seem to suggest that the incumbent government (the UNC) will return
to office, however, it is premature to come to a conclusion. The PNM has
vowed to re-visit all the legislation passed "by the Hindu Prime
Minister," especially the "blasphemous libel law" which
makes it illegal for anyone to publicly criticize any of the world's
religions. The PNM only wants it to protect the "Christian faith
against the pagans"--as did the original English Common Law version in
force up to this year. Things are peaceful in a country which has never
seen a single act of election violence even when, in 1995, the country got
its first Hindu Prime Minister.
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Posted
on 2000/11/4 22:46:02 ( 938 reads )
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JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA: Yogapragasan Naidoo has organized an AIDS
awareness concert with the help of religious, cultural and nongovernment
organizations in South Africa. A float procession through Lenasia will be
followed by a concert of bhajan and kirtan groups (religious singers) and
speakers from various AIDS organizations. "The idea," explained
Naidoo, "is part of the schools initiative run by the South Africa
National AIDS Council, which requires schools to do something about AIDS
education."
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Posted
on 2000/11/4 22:45:02 ( 631 reads )
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"Yoga for Positive Health", 10th International Conference, will
be held in Tampa, Florida in December. The conference is co-sponsored by
sVYASA and The Center for Positive Health at the University of South
Florida, College of Public Health. The main conference will focus on
"Yoga and Consciousness" and "Applications of Yoga for
Health and Diseases" with many nationally and internationally known
experts.
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Posted
on 2000/11/3 22:49:02 ( 724 reads )
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The Hindu Temple Society of North America, which operates the Ganesha
Temple in Flushing New York, has been awarded a place in the "People's
Hall of Fame" for providing excellent cultural example to the
community.
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Posted
on 2000/10/31 22:49:02 ( 724 reads )
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Source: The Tribune, November 1, 2000
PATNA, INDIA: The four day festival of Chatth kicks off Wednesday in Bihar
State, India. Millions of Hindus are expected to congregate along different
rivers and lakes in the state for the do-it-yourself offerings which
require no priests. Similar religious festivals involving millions of
Hindus--a scale never seen in the West--will occur all over India through
the fall, culminating in the once-in-twelve-year Kumbha Mela at Allahabad
in January to March. The Mela will be the largest gathering of human beings
in one place in history, likely numbering more than 45 million Hindus.
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Posted
on 2000/10/31 22:48:02 ( 976 reads )
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Source: Press Trust of India
DELHI, INDIA: Indian Railways announced a special fare for pilgrims from
Delhi to the Vaishno Devi Shrine near Jammu, on the border with Kashmir,
500 miles from Delhi. This famed shrine to the Goddess attracts hundreds of
thousands of pilgrims every year. Now they can travel by train and bus from
Delhi, stay in hotels, have vegetarian meals for just $65/person for a
three-day trip.
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Posted
on 2000/10/31 22:47:02 ( 650 reads )
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Source: Hindustan Times, October 30
DELHI, INDIA: 72,000 Muslims from India will make the pilgrimage to Mecca
this year financed by the Indian government at US$435 each to cover airfare
and accommodations to Saudi Arabia. The subsidy, which totals US$32
million, allows poorer Muslims to make the requiste once-in-a-lifetime
pilgrimage. The subsidy was increased over last year due to increase in
aviation fuel costs.
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Posted
on 2000/10/31 22:46:02 ( 1140 reads )
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COLOMBO, SRI LANKA: In a remarkable development in the long Sri Lanka civil
war, Norwegian special envoy Eric Solheim met the leader of the Tamil
Tigers, Velupillai Prabhakaran, in the jungles of Wannai, northern Sri
Lanka. Norway has long sought to help mediate the conflict, but during the
last state elections it appeared their help was no longer welcome. Now both
the government and the rebels are evaluating the Norwegian contribution.
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Posted
on 1999/11/28 17:00:00 ( 0 reads )
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Posted
on 1999/11/28 17:00:00 ( 562 reads )
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Source: HPI (by G.K. Nair,
correspondent)
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, KERALA, INDIA,
June 30: Mr P. Parameswaran, Hinduism Today's Hindu of the Year 2010, has
received the award from the magazine's correspondent in Kerala, G.K. Nair.
Speaking on behalf of Hinduism Today, Nair said, "to raise India to
the heights Vivekananda spoke of is no easy task, but that is the defining
thread of P. Parameswaran's life."
P. Parameswaran became the recipient of this prestigious award is a result
of his dedication to fulfilling a vision of a strong India forged in Hindu
wisdom and strengthened by dharma. His accomplishments as a creative
thinker, tireless social worker and peerless leader overseeing many
institutions inspire Hindus across the globe. As a thinker, a philosopher,
a reformer and current president of Vivekananda Kendra, P. Parameswaran
strives to defend both India and Hinduism, which to him are inseparably
linked. "He founded several institutions that contribute to this
vision," Mr Nair said during the presentation. In 2004, the President
of India awarded Parameswaran the prestigious Padma Shree, India's greatest
honor for civilians.
Thanking the editorial staff for his selection as Hindu of the Year 2010,
Mr Parameswaran said " selecting me for the coveted award is not a
recognition of my services, but of the organizations such as Bharatheeya
Vichara Kendram, Vivekananda Kendra and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. It
is a beacon of the acceptance of Sanathana Dharma as a perpetual solution
to the problems the humanity is facing today by the Western world"
The Hindu Renaissance Award was created in 1991 by the founder of Hinduism
Today, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, to recognize and strengthen Hindu
leaders worldwide.
(You can read the article about P. Parameshwaran in the latest issue of
Hinduism Today )
Hindu
Heroes
Sri P. Parameswaran, Hindu of the Year 2010
How
a love of India and Hindu dharma drive this octogenarian
To
answer the call of great men is to risk being touched by greatness
yourself. When the call is as bold and compelling as that of Swami
Vivekananda, courage and persistence become requisites. To raise India to
the heights Vivekananda spoke of is no easy task, but that is the defining
thread of P. Parameswaran
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Posted
on 2000/11/7 22:49:02 ( 645 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA: K. Suresh Kurup, a Marxist Member of the Indian
Parliament, has urged Prime Minister A. B.. Vajpayee to instruct the Indian
representative in the UN to object to the entry of Vishva Hindu Parishad
(VHP) into the UN Economic and Social Council. He also appealed to UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan that VHP should not be granted consultative
status in the council. He said the VHP, which "does not at all
represent the lofty and tolerant tradition of Hindu faith," was trying
to get a consultative status in the UN Economic and Social Council. There
are currently more than 1,500 organizations with such status. The Council
was "established by the UN Charter as the principal organ, under the
authority of the General Assembly, to promote: (a) higher standards of
living, full employment, and conditions of economic and social progress and
development; (b) solutions of international economic, social, health and
related problems; and international cultural and educational cooperation;
and (c) universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and
fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language
or religion." (see www.un.org/). A quick
scan of the list of 1,500 organizations (www.un.org/esa/coordination/ngo/)
revealed only one other Hindu organization, the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar
Purushottam Sanstha (the Swaminarayan Fellowship under Sri Pramukh Swami
Maharaj). There were dozens of Christian, Muslim and Buddhist organizations
along with hundreds of social welfare groups and even the International
Federation of Beekeepers' Associations. Hardly any other India-based groups
were noted on the list.
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Posted
on 2000/11/7 22:48:02 ( 546 reads )
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Source: Hinduism Today, Pundit Ramesh Tiwari
EDINBURGH, TRINIDAD: A recent newscast on state-owned television in
Trinidad showed a 15-year-old Muslim girl with a spinal deformity, together
with her parents, making a desperate appeal for financial assistance to
have surgery done in Canada to allow their daughter Saadia to live a normal
life. The Edinburgh Hindu Temple of Trinidad, being an orthodox Hindu
organization, through its spiritual leader Pundit Ramesh Tiwari and temple
committee members, raised US$1,800 at the Temple's Divali 2000 annual fund
raising dinner and presented a check for this sum to Saadia Hosein on
state-owned television. Callers to the temple were in high praise for the
committee's efforts to bridge the "religious gap" between the
Hindus and Muslims. The parents subsequently informed Pundit Tiwari that
they never imagined that a Hindu Temple organization would come to their
assistance. They said that a female member of the Islamic community even
chastised them for receiving the sum of money from the Hindus. Pundit
Tiwari, later interviewed by the television reporter, stated that sickness
knows no religion or race and that the Hindu religion teaches that the
world is one family "Vasudeva Kutumba-kum." "We saw an opportunity
to demonstrate kindness," Pundit Tiwari said, "and we will do it
again for any person of any creed, race or religious persuasion. Hopefully
though this gesture we can make a difference in religious harmony in the
world."
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Posted
on 2000/11/7 22:47:02 ( 488 reads )
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PARIS, FRANCE: A sharp increase in the number of cases of "Mad Cow
Disease" in French herds has led to a national outcry over the safety
of the nation's supply of beef. Some meat from these herds had reached
supermarkets. Many schools have taken beef off the menu, and the government
is considering restrictions on the sale of certain cuts. According to the
BBC, French President Jacques Chirac has demanded an immediate end to the
use of meat and bonemeal in animal feed, amid growing fears over Mad Cow
Disease. Earlier, France's health secretary warned that the country could
be facing the prospect of dozens of cases of the human form of the disease,
variant CJD. Russia, Hungary and Poland have banned some French meat
imports. More than 80 people have died of variant CJD in Britain and the
government has warned that the number could grow rapidly. Mad Cow Disease
is one reason for the popularity of vegetarianism in England, which is now
6% of the total population and nearly 20% of teenage girls.
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Posted
on 2000/11/7 22:46:02 ( 613 reads )
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Source: Pioneer, November 8, 2000
NEW DELHI, INDIA: The audacious request by the RSS nationalist Hindu
organization that Christians in India form their own "Swadeshi
Churches," i.e., churches based in India and run by Indians, has
received support from an unexpected quarter. The President of the Poor
Christian Liberation Movement, R.L. Francis, complained that Christian
leaders discriminated against backward Christians in India, and that most
church organizations were "commercial enterprises." Francis said
his organization will initiate an awareness campaign to demand equal rights
for dalits (untouchable caste) in church bodies and strengthen harmony
between Hindus and Christians. The Christian churches in India for the most
part maintain caste discrimination even though it is against the law and
even though the religion is not supposed to recognize caste. There exist
"brahmin churches" and "non-brahmin churches," as even
today in the Southern United States there are "white" and "black"
churches still segregated by race.
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Posted
on 2000/11/7 22:45:02 ( 537 reads )
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Source: Hindustan Times, November 8, 2000
MUMBAI, INDIA: Rights for the popular 208-episode TV series on the stories
of Lord Siva has been bought for US$2.2 million for one time telecast by
Hindustan Lever company, India's largest supplier of consumer goods.
According to a spokesperson, the series cuts across urban and rural markets
and is of perennial interest to target users. "In a competitive
market, it is essential to have the right kind of programming that fits in
with our brand messages," he said.
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Posted
on 2000/11/6 22:49:02 ( 779 reads )
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Source: Dainik Hindustan, November 6, 2000
MUMBAI, INDIA: With the wild success of the Mahabharata and Ramayana series
on Indian television, which brought whole sections of the country to a halt
during their showings, Indian TV is proceeding with more series based on
Hinduism. The latest is not one, but two competing series on Lord Ganesha,
Shree Ganesh on Sony TV and Jai Ganesha on Zee TV, being shown 15 minutes
apart on Sunday morning. Shree Ganesh is directed by Dheeraj Kumar, whose
Om Nama Shivaya on Lord Siva is still running. Dheeraj told the press that
the high-tech trunk for the Elephant-Headed God cost nearly US$10,000.
Sunil Agnihotri, who is producing Jai Ganesha, is planning for 104
episodes. The two shows are being produced on sets 45 feet apart at Film
City.
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Posted
on 2000/11/6 22:48:02 ( 951 reads )
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BANGALORE, INDIA (AP): On remote heights of the Himalayas, awe-struck women
from yak-herding tribes sit in front of computers for the very first time.
In a farming region, poor village women step into video e-mail booths to
send messages to their husbands working in faraway cities. State officials
have set up 40 such information centers in remote areas, each with six
computers and a direct satellite link. Villagers in some areas can access
crop prices, land and health registers, complain to the government and even
check horoscopes of prospective brides and grooms.
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Posted
on 2000/11/6 22:47:02 ( 532 reads )
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LAMPANG, THAILAND: An elephant sanctuary in Thailand has trained a group of
five elephants to play percussion instruments, xylophones and an
elephant-sized harmonica. They've released their first tune, "Chang,
Chang, Chang," which means "Elephant, Elephant, Elephant,"
and is a child's song in Thai. Each elephant holds an instrument and plays
it when prodded by its mahut. The next song they are learning is "Happy
Birthday to You." This same center has trained elephants to paint, and
the paintings have been sold with profits going to benefit the elephant
programs.
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Posted
on 2000/11/6 22:46:02 ( 1323 reads )
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Source: Bahrain Tribune, October 27, 2000
SITRA, BAHRAIN: The Indian ambassador, Surinder Singh Gill, was guest of
honor at a grand Diwali celebration at the Al Bander Hotel and Resort in
the Muslim country. Five hundred Hindus attended. A temporary temple was
built at the hotel, and the resort's lagoon was filled with candles set
afloat by the children. "The grounds were transformed into a typically
Indian atmosphere, with stalls in a rustic style offering in-house
refreshments with a comprehensive variety of recipes from regional Indian
cuisine," says the report.
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on 2000/11/6 22:45:02 ( 550 reads )
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Source: Punjab Kesari, November 6, 2000
ALLAHABAD, INDIA: Massive preparations continue here for the world's
largest gathering of human beings. Officials released their estimate of the
expected crowds for the main days: January 9 (Paush Purnima), 5 million;
January 14 (Makar Sankranti), 10 million, January 24 (Mauni Amavasya), 30
million; January 29 (Basant Panchami), 17.5 million; February 8 (Maghi
Purnima), 10 million; and February 20 (Maha Sivaratri), 2.5 million. The
grand total for the two months is estimated at 75 million pilgrims.
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Posted
on 2000/11/6 22:44:02 ( 654 reads )
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MUZAFFARPUR, BIHAR, INDIA: About 27,000 Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)
volunteers will enter all the 28,613 villages of North Bihar state during
the month-long national awakening drive from November 7 to tell the people
that Hindutva is a way of life for every Indian and that it stands for
nationalism and not for any community, according to Times of India. The
massive propaganda thrust follows upon a similar program in Tamil Nadu, and
is intended to counter growing Christian conversion efforts in this area
among the tribal people.
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Posted
on 2000/11/6 22:43:02 ( 573 reads )
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Source: Singapore Straits Times, October 27, 2000
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: Police combed a Hindu temple for explosives for
more than two hours yesterday after receiving bomb threats, forcing the
evacuation of about 150 worshippers. The threat came two days after a
powerful explosion rocked a nearby temple on the eve of the Deepavali
festival holiday. The cause of that explosion has yet to be determined, but
local reports point to the theft of armaments from a military post in
northern Malaysia several months ago as possibly related. This would be a
very unwelcome development in the country which has worked hard to prevent
sectarian violence.
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Posted
on 2000/11/5 22:49:02 ( 656 reads )
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PARIS, FRANCE: Thousands of Hindus participated in the yearly chariot
procession of Lord Ganesh on September 10 from the Sri Manika Vinayakar
Alayam in Paris. The chariot carrying the image of Lord Ganesha departed
the temple on its six-hour journey at 8am, pulled by a dozen bare-chested
men on foot accompanied by the traditional nagaswaram horn and tavil drum.
As a leading French magazine put it, the event was "a unique open and
festive spectacle in Paris, for discovering the oldest religion in the
world." The Sri Manika Vinayakar Alayam was founded in 1983 by the
current president whose family has founded many temples dedicated to
Ganesha in Sri Lanka.
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Posted
on 2000/11/5 22:48:02 ( 562 reads )
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FLUSHING, NEW YORK: The temple to Lord Ganesha here in Flushing, New York,
is entering the "People's Hall of Fame." According to a report in
News India, City Lore, who sponsor the hall of fame, says that with 18,000
members of many different nationalities, the ornate temple on Bowne Street,
Flushing, is not only the center of New York's Hindu community, but a
cultural center that helps to beautify the city with a wide array of
cultural and religious arts. The temple was one of the first Hindu temples
built in America, and has been very successful since its founding in 1977.
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Posted
on 2000/11/5 22:47:02 ( 629 reads )
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Source: The Hindu, Nov 3rd, 2000
COLOMBO, SRI LANKA: British Airways has stopped using images of Buddha to
promote its business class following protests from Sri Lankan travellers,
airline officials said here today. Sri Lankan expatriates had launched a
campaign on the internet to call for a boycott of BA for using Buddha
images in advertisements. The airlines has now withdrawn the images.
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Posted
on 2000/11/13 22:47:02 ( 546 reads )
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Source: BBC World Broadcasts, November 13, 2000
KATHMANDU, NEPAL: Police arrested Trond Berg and three Nepalis after
Lokendra Kuma Jha complained to police that the four tried to allure him to
convert on an enticement of Nepal Rs. 40,000. The four were arrested
several weeks ago at a local inn in Rajbiraj while preaching. Christian
organizations around the world have targeted Nepal for conversion, taking
advantage of poverty and ignorance to entice Nepalese to change their
faith. To prevent the resulting destruction of Nepalese tradition, the
country has long outlawed conversion but allows complete freedom of
worship.
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Posted
on 2000/11/13 22:46:02 ( 521 reads )
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ITHACA, NEW YORK: Rajiv Malhotra challenged attendees at a November 8
conference on "Human Rights and Religion." He said in part,
"We have heard numerous talks at this event about the human rights
problems related to white supremacy groups, but do we have the courage to
examine the possibility that there might be Christian supremacy groups as
well, often camouflaged as proselytizers? We have heard numerous
condemnations of hate speech, but do we exempt hate speech when it is done
in the name of God or religion, even quoted from a sacred book? Let me
start by listing the following phrases that are commonly used by
proselytizers in describing their non-Christian target prospects:
'sinners', 'condemned', 'damned', 'heathen', pagan, etc. If it were not
done in the name of religion, would this have been declared as hate speech?
Does such talk, even if disguised or deferred until a later stage of a
proselytizing campaign, build communal tension? Is this responsible for
negative eruptions in India between Hindus and Christians who co-existed
peacefully for centuries before the arrival of the proselytizers? Given
that America is a tapestry of pluralistic faiths, and that therefore Hindus
are also amongst one's classmates, neighbors, and colleagues at work, would
this language lead to social problems in the future as opposed to the kind
of harmonious society we all seek? Does it violate the UN Human Rights
provision that guarantees 'dignity' to all people as a basic human
right?"
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Posted
on 2000/11/13 22:45:02 ( 519 reads )
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SANTA ROSA, CALIFORNIA: Dr. George Feuerstein announced the acquisition of
an 11,000 square-foot office building in Santa Rosa to serve as the Yoga
Research and Education Center as its headquarters and teaching center. The
purchase of the building costing $1.8 million was made possible by a
donation from two of YREC's board members. The building will allow YREC, a
nonprofit organization established three years ago, to begin classes and
seminars on a wide range of subjects from traditional Yoga and also to
offer training programs for Yoga teachers and Yoga therapists.
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Posted
on 2000/11/13 22:44:02 ( 584 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA: Quark India Pvt. Ltd. announced the release of
QuarkXPress Mudra, the Indian-language version of QuarkXPress, the world's
leading publishing software. Mudra supports critical typographic and
publishing features like the spell checker, kerning and tracking, finding
and replacing, multiple keyboard layouts, and true outline for Indian
languages--including Sanskrit. Quark India said, "It provides powerful
Indian-language publishing capabilities previously available only for Roman
languages."
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Posted
on 2000/11/12 22:49:02 ( 497 reads )
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RICHMOND, VIRGINIA: Last year, the Southern Baptists offended in turn
Muslims, Jews and Hindus with their prayer booklets designed for each
religion. Next, former president Jimmy Carter, a member since childhood,
quit the huge Christian church because he no longer agreed with their
increasingly fundamentalist stance. Then the Southern Baptists of Texas cut
off US$5 million in funding to the national organization for the same
reasons Carter quit. Now the Southern Baptists have insulted the world's
Blacks. They've come up with a poster advertising their overseas missionary
program (the world's largest) "using symbolism some members, including
African Americans, are calling racially insensitive," according to the
Washington Post. The poster shows an African man, his bare chest draped in
beads, sitting in a dark room. His unshaven face concentrates on a piece of
paper; his hands hold a pen and a book. A beam of light shines down on him.
Above him large letters read "Dispel the Darkness." "Given
the Southern Baptist Convention's history on race, the image just seems
loaded, grossly insensitive," Robert M. Parham of the Baptist Center
for Ethics, a progressive Southern Baptist group, told the Post. "Why
couldn't they use a blond Scandinavian, to avoid sending this cultural
message?"
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Posted
on 2000/11/12 22:48:02 ( 506 reads )
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Source: Agence France Presse, November 12, 2000
NEW DELHI, INDIA: "Some 30,000 RSS activists will establish contact
with 2.5 million families in New Delhi" in the month-long drive, said
Satyanarayan Bansal, chief of the RSS Delhi chapter. "We will tell the
minorities (Muslims and Christians) that we are not enemies. We are
friends. We want to live together. We are not aggressive Hindus. We are
only assertive Hindus," he said. The campaign is part of events
surrounding the 75th anniversary of the RSS or National Volunteer Corps,
India's largest religious organization with several million members.
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Posted
on 2000/11/12 22:47:02 ( 542 reads )
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BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON: Hindus and Buddhists may have to find a new word for
the concept of "dharma," now that Interactive Objects, Inc., has
trademarked the term for a "hardware platform for digital audio
appliances." The company explains that "In Hindu [sic] the word
Dharma stands for a principle that orders the universe. Dharma also speaks
to the notion of digital harmony. For iObjects, Dharma is the inspiration
behind a new platform that integrates the most common digital audio
applications and hardware subsystems into a single design."
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Posted
on 2000/11/12 22:46:02 ( 574 reads )
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Source: The Hindustan Times, November 12, 2000
GHAZIABAD, INDIA: Today, all roads led to Garhmukteshwar where people
thronged Garh Ganga for a holy dip on the occasion of Kartik Purnima. More
than 2.7 million people took a bath in the holy Ganga today. Due to the
heavy rush of pilgrims, all the roads leading to Garh Ganga were blocked at
several places. Also, no proper arrangements were made for deploying
private and public busses in sufficient number to carry the large number of
pilgrims. In spite of strict restrictions on liquor sale by the administration,
liquor was being openly sold at the Garh fair. Below standard and stale
foodstuffs were being sold everywhere and there was no proper sanitation.
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Posted
on 2000/11/12 22:45:02 ( 580 reads )
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Source: The Hindustan Times, November 12, 2000
AMRITSAR, INDIA: A poster brought out by Punjab unit of RSS has raised yet
another controversy, as radical Sikh organizations have reacted sharply on
it. The poster, both in Hindi and Punjabi, has been seen in various parts
of Amritsar. The poster in Punjabi carries the insignia of
"Omkar" at its bottom, which gave a sufficient reason to the Sikh
organizations here to denounce it. "Omkar" is the syllable
"Om" in Gurumukhi script, and signifies in the Sikh religion the
oneness of God. According to Kanwar Pal Singh of Dal Khalsa, a radical Sikh
organization, the RSS should not carry Omkar in its literature as they do
not believe in one God the way Sikhs believe. Secondly, it should have been
on the top of the poster as is done by Sikhs. Interestingly, the Hindi
version of the poster has a standard Sanskrit Om instead of the Gurumukhi
Omkar. This is also at the bottom of the poster.
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Posted
on 2000/11/12 22:44:02 ( 661 reads )
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CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS: Dr. Arvind Sharma has been appointed the Infinity
Foundation Visiting Professor in Indic Studies at Harvard University.
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Posted
on 2000/11/12 22:43:02 ( 540 reads )
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OXFORD, ENGLAND: The University of Oxford in central England is launching a
new professorship in Indian history and culture. It has been funded by US$3
million from the Indian Government. The new professor will be expected to
specialize in the medieval and early modern period - an area the head of
Oriental Studies at Oxford, Dr Jeremy Black, said had been neglected.
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Posted
on 2000/11/12 22:42:02 ( 567 reads )
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Source: Interfaith Center, November 12, 2000
NEW YORK, NEW YORK: The Interfaith Center of New York will hold
"Hindus of New York" on November 30, 2000 in New York City. The
one-day event is part of series on living faith traditions in New York and
designed to inform religious leaders, students, and the interested public
about important religious communities in the City. This event offers an
introduction to New York's many Hindu communities, their rich history,
social concerns, and cultural heritage - through conversation, music, and
ritual. Presenters include: Swami Amarnathananda (Bharat Sevashram Sangha),
Geeta Bhatt (Office of Mental Health, State of New York), Swami A. Bua
(Indo-American Yoga Vedanta Society), Sachi Dastidar (State University of
New York, Old Westbury), Prof. John Stratton Hawley (Barnard College), Dr.
Uma Mysorekar (President, Hindu Temple Society of North America), Prof.
M.G. Prasad (Hindu Temple and Cultural Society, Bridgewater, New Jersey),
Syanda Shivnarian (Shri Layshmi Narayan Mandir) others. The Interfaith
Center of New York, 40 East 30th Street New York, NY 10016 212-685-4242,
212- 685-4222 fax
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Posted
on 2000/11/8 22:49:02 ( 549 reads )
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Source: Hinduism Today
KAPAA, HAWAII: According to the Hindu astrological system of jyotish, Al
Gore and Gorge W. Bush both have Cancer "lagna," or ascendant.
This means the planets transiting their charts are in identical houses. For
example, Saturn and Jupiter are right now in the sign of Taurus, which puts
them in the 11th house of both candidates, indicating fulfillment of
ambitions. Hence, a very close race. Of course, each candidate has the nine
planets at birth in different placements in their chart, so the Moon's
placement in each chart becomes a key to their prospects of winning. In
Jyotish there is a simple system used to determine whether or not it is a good
day for you, based solely on the fixed stars the Moon is in alignment with.
This is call "tarabala" or star strength. On election night the
Moon came into the star of uttaraprostapada, which is the 8th from Mr.
Gore's birth star, "friendly for the execution of normal
affairs," and the 4th from Mr. Bush's birth star, "success at
your endeavors." Again the stars looked pretty good for both, but
slightly better for Bush. But, as we know, the polling didn't finish on
election night. The following evening of November 8, the Moon came into
alignment with the star of revati, which is 9th from Gore's star
indicating, "very friendly for achieving your desired ends," and
5th from Bush's star, "obstacles to your endeavors." And suddenly
Gore's prospects were improving and the Presidency started to slip through
the hands of Bush. The Moon remained in this position until 6:08pm EST, Nov
9. Now for the next 24 hours the tables are turned again in favor of Bush,
"fulfillment of ambitions" and not so fortunate for Gore, "danger
to the body, no risky actions." The word is the final results may not
be in until next Tuesday. On that day until 12:17pm EST, the stars are bad
for both of them. After 12:17 pm, it's "financial prosperity" for
Bush and "fulfillment of ambitions" for Gore.
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Posted
on 2000/11/8 22:48:02 ( 591 reads )
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Source: Inter Press Service, October 30, 2000
NEW DELHI, INDIA: Whether you ordered in New York, London, Rome, Tokyo or
Mexico City, it was "Big Mac with fries" at McDonalds. No more,
as the fast food chain adapted to local palettes with teriyaki burgers in
Japan and kosher meat in Israel. Now they've introduced the vegetarian
McAloo Tikki Burger to their menu in India. The fast food chains learned a
lesson from the failure of Kentucky Fried Chicken in India. Local
anti-multinational activists failed to oust the KFC chain, even after
burning down a shop in Bangalore. But then the Indian consumer dubbed their
food too bland, KFC refused to change and folded. Now Pizza Hut is adapting
quickly to Indian tastes, running exclusively vegetarian restaurants. It
even offers a sattvic pizza, containing nothing that grows below the
ground, such as onions or garlic.
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Posted
on 2000/11/8 22:47:02 ( 517 reads )
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Source: The Record, Northern New Jersey, October 30, 2000
CRANBURY, NEW JERSEY: Local farmers oppose construction of a Chinmaya
Mission center in this rural community. The Mission wants to build on a
seven-acre tract in an area of permanently preserved farmland. The temple
would be in a barn-like structure designed to fit in the area, and attract
100 people on Sundays and up to 350 on festival days. Local farmers fear
the temple goers may eventually object to the use of heavy machinery and
pesticides in the area. The Township Committee, at their request, is trying
to change the zoning to block the planned temple. Under the new rules, the
temple would have to be smaller and have less parking space. However, this
zoning attempt may run afoul of the newly passed "Religious Land Use
and Institutionalized Persons Act" signed into law by President
Clinton this year. That act specifically prevents towns from using zoning
to restrict religious building, unless they meet stringent requirements.
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Posted
on 2000/11/16 22:49:02 ( 495 reads )
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MUMBAI, INDIA: Call it the latest victory for Chatrapati Shivaji. The
Maharashtra state government decided Wednesday to rename Mumbai's Prince of
Wales museum after the legendary Indian warrior and king. Shivaji already
reconquered the main railway terminal, Victoria Station, and the city's
name itself was returned to "Mumbai" from the Anglicized
"Bombay." There are complaints about the movement, but it has
been common practice in many countries to rid themselves of invader-imposed
names. The museum was completed in 1914 to commemorate the Prince of Wales'
1905 visit to Bombay. It served first as a hospital due to the on-going
World War I, and again during World War II. It now houses an outstanding
collection of miniature paintings and other rare exhibits.
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Posted
on 2000/11/16 22:48:02 ( 512 reads )
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Source: The Indian Express, November 17, 2000
VADODARA, INDIA: Increasing popularity of the ancient Indian disciplines
like vastushastra (architecture), ankjyotish (numerology), hastrekha
(palmistry) and ayurveda (medicine) have come to the rescue of Baroda
Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya where enrollments had declined over the past
decades. As a result of offering these courses, the college's enrollment
has begun to increase. The very name, Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, creates the
impression of a college where only Sanskrit is taught, but the new courses
offered cleared up the misconception. The college now plans to start other
disciplines like vyavharic ayurveda (practical ayurveda), samudrik shastra
(body reading), karmakanda (religious rituals), ankjyotish (numerology) and
conversational Sanskrit. Principal H.M. Pandey pointed out that people were
going back to learning what was written in ancient scriptures. "Most
of the students join these courses as there is demand for experts in these
fields, both within the country and abroad,'' he said. Graduates are given
the title of shastri. According to the teachers some who have taken these
courses and graduated are now working in foreign countries. Others have been
busy with assignments in the city or their hometowns. If these claims are
anything to go by, the students are doing fairly well. And the ancient
Hindu arts are being preserved in the process.
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Posted
on 2000/11/16 22:47:02 ( 499 reads )
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MADURAI, INDIA: The Indian government has requested ten American
missionaries, now staying on Rameswaram Island at the tip of South India,
to leave the country by November 19. The ministry said they had not renewed
their visas as they are required to do every six months. The American
evangelists were working for the Meyyampul church in Rameswaram. India has
not issued visas for foreign missionaries for quite some time, but allowed
those in the country--some for 40 years or more--to stay on. However, those
who stay must be diligent in renewals.
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Posted
on 2000/11/15 22:49:02 ( 533 reads )
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Source: The Press Democrat, November 15, 2000
SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA: In the Marin Civic Center exhibition hall in San
Rafael, the seekers and devotees sat on the floor before Mata
Amritanandamayi, or Ammachi, a Hindu spiritual leader and humanitarian from
India, waiting for her hug of benevolence. The report in the local Press
Democrat treated the Hindu leader with great respect. It went on to say
that her followers believe her hugs relieve suffering. Ammachi, whose full
name means Mother of Immortal Bliss, was born in South India in 1953.
Hundreds gathered to receive a gentle embrace. Those who sought a hug
obtained a special token with a number - one that would determine when they
took their place before her. By 1 p.m. volunteers reported giving out 750
tokens. Many of the hugs lasted more than 30 seconds. Afterward Ammachi
gave each person flower petals and a "Hershey's Kiss" piece of
candy. Visitors could learn about her "Mother's Kitchen" program,
serving vegetarian meals to the homeless in Oakland and eight other U.S.
cities. Brochures told of the hospital, orphanage and an engineering
college she operates in India. Colette van Praag of Glen Ellen described
her previous hugs with the spiritual leader as "a melting of the
heart." Ammachi was a featured speaker at the Millennium World Peace
Summit of Religious and Spiritual Leaders held at the UN in August. She was
one of only a handful of women religious leaders at the male-dominated
event. In Zurich, a reporter once asked who it was that hugged her.
"The entire creation hugs me," Ammachi replied.
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Posted
on 2000/11/15 22:48:02 ( 503 reads )
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Source: The Fiji Sun, November 16, 2000
SUVA, FIJI: Justice Anthony Gates of the High Court of Fiji ruled today
that the 1997 constitution remained valid and ordered the president to
summon the Parliament which existed prior to the failed coup of May 19,
2000. The case is going immediately to the Appeals Court, which will have
the final say. The case was brought by Mr. Anu Patel, an indigent farmer,
who claimed he had been adversely impacted by the coup and suspension of
the constitution.
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Posted
on 2000/11/15 22:47:02 ( 443 reads )
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Source: Australian Associated Press, November 14, 2000
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: Subramaniya Punutharajakurukkal, a priest originally
from Sri Lanka, is standing trial in Melbourne, for arson and two charges of
endangering life. He is charged with setting two mysterious fires at the
Hindu temple in The Basin, east of Melbourne on the night of March 11,
1999. The Crown Prosecutor, Geoff Horgan, told the jury the priest used
lawnmower fuel to start the fires, which included his residence beside the
temple where his wife and child were sleeping. Horgan said the man wanted
to stay in Australia permanently and to remain priest at the temple. But,
he said, "historically there had been disharmony within the managerial
affairs of the temple." The priest has pleaded not guilty.
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Posted
on 2000/11/15 22:46:02 ( 520 reads )
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Source: The New Straits Times, October 25, 2000
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: In the true spirit of Divali, spreading light and
love to all, devotees of Melmaruvathur Athiparasakthi collaborated with
members of the Malaysian Hindu Sangam, the Divine Life Society and others
to bring hope to Hindu inmates at Sungai Bulon Prison in Kuala Lumpur. The
inmates were lavished with murukkus (fried snack), laddu (a sweet), packet
drinks and rice pudding plus a traditional oil bath. Group coordinator L.
Yogeswaran said, "The prisoners are also part of our society. We
should make an effort to reform them and not neglect them."
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Posted
on 2000/11/15 22:45:02 ( 569 reads )
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Source: The Hindustan Times, November 15, 2000
NEW DELHI, INDIA: There has been a sharp twelve percent rise in the number
of Indian students, mostly Hindus, in American colleges and universities
during the academic year 1999-2000. The Indian presence went up from 30,641
in 1996-1997, to 33,818 in 1997-1998, to 37,482 in 1998-1999 -- and now
jumped to 42,337 in 1999-2000. A just released report from the Institute of
International Education titled "Open Doors 2000" cites a five
percent increase of all international students in the US, putting the total
enrollment at 514,723, with Asian students accounting for 54 percent.
Popular subjects pursued are business and management, engineering,
mathematics and computer science. While international students are only
three percent of America's total higher education population, they
contribute more than $12 billion to the US economy by way of money spent on
tuition, and related costs.
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Posted
on 2000/11/15 22:44:02 ( 492 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA: Motilal Banarsidass is launching a new series of books,
"India's Scientific Heritage." Dr. L.M. Singhvi is the general
editor for the series, which is expected to run at least 25 volumes and
include Vedic and Jain mathematics and other sciences. They are looking for
qualified contributors to the series. Contact: R P Jain, Motilal
Banarsidass Publishers, 41, U.A. Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar,
Delhi-110007, India. Email: mlbd@vsnl.com.
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Om Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My humble salutations to Sadguru Sri Sivaya Subramuniyaswami ji,
Satguru Bodhianatha Velayanswami ji, Hinduism
Today dot com for the collection)
(The Blog is reverently for all the seekers of truth,
lovers of wisdom and to share the Hindu Dharma with others on the
spiritual path and also this is purely a non-commercial blog)
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