News from Hindu Press International
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Posted on 2000/11/14 22:46:02 ( 572 reads )
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SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: We're not sure what inspired this company to put Hindu
deities on toilet seats. But they are surely in for some serious protests
from the Hindu community, who will consider this an outrageous sacrilege.
The company sells two seats, one with Lord Ganesha and one with Goddess
Kali on the bottom side of the lid for $130 each. The Anti-Hindu Defamation
site (hindunet.org/anti_defamation/) is looking into the situation.
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Posted on 2000/11/13 22:49:02 ( 522 reads )
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LAHORE, PAKISTAN: Thousands of Sikhs from around the world congregated in
the city of Nankana Sahib, about 80 km from Lahore, Pakistan, to celebrate
the birth anniversary of the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak. The religious
leader was born in 1469. The city, usually quiet, teemed with pilgrims
eager to take back souvenirs from the holy city. They shopped in-between
visits to the seven gurdwaras, each symbolical of various events in Guru
Nanak's life. Pakistani President, Rafiq Tarar, formally inaugurated a
newly constructed residential block on the gurdwara (Sikh temple) premises.
In turn, he was presented with a ceremonial sword by leaders of the Sikh
community. The celebrations concluded with a procession in which the Sikh
holy book, the Granth Sahib, was carried on a flower-laden silver platform
into the gurdwara. Initially the pilgrimage was slightly marred by a delay
of about 12 hours at the Indian border railway station of Attari which led
to protests by the Sikh community.
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Posted on 2000/11/13 22:48:02 ( 648 reads )
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Source: The Independent (London), November 12, 2000
LONDON, ENGLAND: The latest exercise fad, Disco Yoga, originates in America
at Gold's Fitness Center on Lafayette Street, where the "Thursday
Night Fever" Disco Yoga class is packed with New Yorkers in pursuit of
the perfect body. For a high-energy 60 minutes, instructor Trixie takes the
class on a "disco trip with dynamic flowing yoga poses," using
mainly soul and funk music. You might expect yoga purists to react with
horror, but they can see the benefits of a combined discipline. "As
long as the teacher is experienced in yoga practice," says Simon Low,
of London's Triyoga yoga centre. "with beginners understanding the
basic principles of yoga before trying Disco Yoga, to prevent long term
damage."
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Posted on 2000/11/27 22:48:02 ( 505 reads )
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Source: Hindustan Times, November 27, 2000
RANCHI, JAHRKHAND, INDIA: Now that the new state of Jahrkhand has been
formed, the Jahrkhandi tribals want government outsiders to leave and
tribals to take their posts. The newly formed government, they felt, left
them out. "Only the tribals fought for a separate state and not the
outsiders. Due to all the injustices they were subjected to, all the
benefits of the new state should only go to them, said Gyanmani Ekka, a
tribal activist. The 1,750 "outsider" government employees aren't
protesting themselves, both because they didn't want to be sent into the
new state in the first place, and because some have been harassed by the
tribals.
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Posted on 2000/11/27 22:46:02 ( 591 reads )
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Himalayan Academy Publications announced that its comprehensive lexicon to
"Dancing with Siva" is now on-line in it entirety.
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Posted on 2000/11/26 22:49:02 ( 508 reads )
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Source: The Hindu, November 26, 2000
BANGALORE, INDIA: With the purpose of bringing uniform law to religious
institutions, the Legislative Council passed the Hindu Religious
Institutions Bill on Friday, November 25th. The Bill, replacing seven
former acts in Karnataka State, will bring more than 43,000 Hindu temples,
maths, and religious groups under the control of a commissioner. Officers
and staff, including temple priests, will be paid wages from the
government, not temple funds. According to The Hindu, "The Minister of
State for Charitable Institutions and Religious Endowments, Mr. Baburao
Chinchansoor, assured the members that the government would not interfere
in the affairs of these institutions." However, if inconsistencies are
charged, administrators will be appointed by the government to rectify. The
act only applies to Hindu institutions; those of Christians and Muslims are
free from government control.
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Posted on 2000/11/26 22:48:02 ( 535 reads )
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Source: The Hindu, November 21, 2000
HUBLI, INDIA: A unique institution has been imparting education in dharma
and tradition to a few students through the gurukula system at Mayuri
Extension in Vijayanagar. Started by the Mahacharya Trust, the Mahacharya
Vidyalaya selects students over nine years of age to undergo the 12-year
course in Sahitya, Vyakarana, Tarka and Vedanta. Headed by Pandit
Pradymnacharya Joshi, the institute has just completed one year of its
existence after being blessed by the pontiff of Uttaradimath, Satyatma
Teertha Swamiji. The Vidyalaya is the brain child of Pandit Joshi who took
his training at the Satyadhyana Gurukula, deemed the cradle for training in
Dwaita (dualist) philosophy. Pandit Joshi wanted to develop an institution
on similar lines. The Uttaradi Math gave the initial donation of Rs. 5,000
to start the Vidyalaya building and temple. Students are trained free of
cost for the duration of the course of 12 years. Discipline and
self-reliance were inculcated in them, and are trained to bring solace to
the world-weary.
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Posted on 2000/11/26 22:47:02 ( 534 reads )
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CHENNAI, INDIA: With around 400 people under their care, Sivananda Ashram
is appealing outside its homeland for additional funds for maintenance and
expansion. The non-profit institution of more than 50 years, receives only
RS 36/per month (US$0.78) from the government for each inmate. Orphans,
destitute women, physically handicapped persons, old people, and
AIDS-infected children are nurtured within the confines of the ashram. In
an expansion program, the ashram would like to start a working women's
hostel, a home for the blind and deaf, or training programs for youth who
have been raised under its tutelage.
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Posted on 2000/11/25 22:49:02 ( 523 reads )
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LONDON, ENGLAND: Long before the first slave ships started supplying labor
to the cotton plantations of the American south, and many centuries before the
first Africans were brought ashore to the sugar estates of Brazil and the
Caribbean, Africans were being sold as slave-soldiers for India's princely
states. Their descendants are the least visible part of the huge African
diaspora. But today in India, lost among the mosaic of different cultures
and communities, are tens of thousands of people of African descent. They
are known as Sidis. "The Sidis are descendants of African slaves,
sailors and servants, and merchants who remained in India after arriving
through the sea trade with East Africa and the Gulf," says Amy Catlin
of the University of California, who is making a special study of Sidi
culture. "That was a process which began in the 12th century or
before, and lasted until the late 19th century." But in the western
Indian state of Gujarat -- where most Sidis live -- the community has lost
touch with its roots. The village of Jambur is one of two exclusively Sidi
settlements and is miserably poor. The only remnant retained of their
African lineage is their music and dance. This is what professor Catlin, an
ethno-musicologist, hopes to use to fill in the story of the Sidis.
"In Gujarat, affinities with African music include certain musical
instruments and their names," she says, "and also the performance
of an African-derived musical genre called "goma." One legend has
it that the Sidis of inland Gujarat originally came from Kano in northern
Nigeria, and ended up in India after undertaking a Hajj pilgrimage to
Mecca. Music may be the only key that can unlock their past. The BBC
journalist, Andrew Whitehead (world.today@bbc.co.uk),
is seeking anyone with additional information on these people.
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Posted on 2000/11/25 22:48:02 ( 492 reads )
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Source: Associated Press, November 24, 2000
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, USA: A proposed comparative religion course for high
school students has prompted debate in Memphis. The Shelby County School
Board first tried to offer Bible history classes but was stopped by the
state because the courses were found to focus too heavily on Protestants.
It was then proposed that the board adopt a comparative religion course,
but the school board said no. Board member Wyatt Bunker was the most vocal
opponent of the comparative religion course, calling it "just altogether
a bad idea to teach Hinduism, Buddhism and voodoo and whatever else in our
schools.'' He said he took a comparative religion class in college and is
convinced that such courses are not suitable for younger, impressionable
children. "If they don't want God in our schools, then we're not going
to have Gandhi in our schools,'' he said. Some citizens took exception to
Bunker's comments. Cliff Heegel, a Buddhist minister who leads a small
local congregation, said: "It seems to me the school board is trying
to impose religious values on the curriculum, especially since they
rejected the broad-based world religion course that is taught in almost
every university.''
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Posted on 2000/11/25 22:47:02 ( 569 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA: The Union Cabinet on Thursday decided to introduce the
Indian Divorce (Amendment) Bill, 2000, ostensibly to remove discrepancies
in the grounds for Christian men and women to seek divorce. Christian
organizations have criticized the move, saying they were not consulted. The
bill intends to amend the Indian Divorce Act, of 1869, since its provisions
are outdated and discriminatory. The present bill seeks to amend
particularly Section 10 of the Act, under which a Christian man seeking
dissolution of marriage only needs to prove adultery by his wife. If a
Christian wife wanted dissolution of the marriage, she is required to prove
some other marital offense in addition to adultery to be able to obtain
divorce. Catholic Bishops Conference of India spokesperson Dominic Emmanuel
questioned how the could government proceed on this crucial issue without
consulting the Catholic Church, which represents 67 per cent of Indian
Christians. He did say the Catholics encourage removal of gender bias.
India has separate laws for each religious community, governing
"personal" matters such as marriage and divorce. This is unlike
other countries, such as the United States, where everyone is subject to
one common civil code.
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Posted on 2000/11/25 22:46:02 ( 524 reads )
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Source: India Today News Service, November 17, 2000
BEIJING, CHINA: According to a survey done by Chinese scientists, the
world's tallest peak, Mt. Everest, is moving into China at a speed of six
to seven centimeters per year from its position on the Nepal-China border.
This is nothing new, of course, as the entire India subcontinent--once
separated from Asia by ocean--first crashed into China 50 million years
ago. These researchers also found that the snow cover on the top of the Mt.
Everest has also been descending over the past three decades and added that
"it had a connection with global warming."
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Posted on 2000/11/20 22:49:02 ( 548 reads )
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Source: Hinduism Today, November 21, 2000
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: Lamar Van Dyke, one of two partners of Sittin' Pretty
Designs, offered an unconditional apology to the Hindu community for
placing images of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Kali on toilet seats. The
company said they would withdraw the items from sale. In her apology for
offending the sensibilities of the community, Lamar said, "My partner
and I meant no harm or denigration by our product. The toilet seats were
not at all an attempt to insult our beloved Goddess Kali or Lord Ganesha,
both of Whom we both feel personally close to. We understand now that to a
traditional Hindu, a bathroom simply doesn't constitute an area of the
house to display sacred images. Here in Seattle, we found many of our
friends actually make their bathrooms quite beautiful, and an elaborate,
decorative toilet seat is part of it. For them, it serves somewhat as the
shrine room of a traditional Hindu home. Ours is a small company, just run
out of our homes. The seats are made lovingly, with our own hands. We feel
that it is important to put strong female images out there in the universe
to attempt to counteract the negativity that is and has been directed
towards women throughout the millennia. Goddess Kali is one of the
strongest female images to have survived the deliberate distortion that the
patriarchy has placed upon all of our history. The only surviving female
figure of the Christian version is the "virgin" Mary who is
always depicted with her eyes downcast and her hands folded. Even though
she is always shown in this submissive posture, we have put her on a seat
as well, in the familiar form of Our Lady of Guadalupe. In doing so, we
show no disrespect to Christians. We meant neither harm nor insult, and
apologize to the Hindus of the world for unintentionally upsetting
them."
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Posted on 2000/11/20 22:48:02 ( 780 reads )
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Source: Reuters, November 17, 2000
NEW DELHI, INDIA: More than half of Indian women believe that wife-beating
can be justified under certain circumstances, a survey on population and
health published this week said. The survey of 90,000 women across the
country -- conducted by the International Institute for Population Sciences
at the initiative of the Health Ministry -- found that about 56 percent
endorsed wife-beating on at least one of six grounds. Women's reluctance to
report domestic violence included possibly the "culture of
silence," fear and different perceptions among women about what
constitutes violence. Forty percent of women agreed that wife-beating was
justified for neglecting the house or children, and 37 percent felt that
going out without informing their husbands constituted a valid reason.
Disrespect to in-laws, suspicion of infidelity, inadequate dowry and
improper cooking were also cited as acceptable grounds. The National Family
Health Survey found that 20 percent of women had been physically mistreated
since the age of 15, most commonly by the husband. The survey found that
there was a divergence of views according to levels of education and
between urban and rural women.
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Posted on 2000/11/20 22:47:02 ( 490 reads )
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AYODHYA, INDIA: After lying dormant for several years, the temple town of
Ayodhya in India's largest state, Uttar Pradesh, is once again simmering
with tension. Eight years ago, Hindu zealots tore down the ancient Babri
mosque in Ayodhya, which stands upon the birthplace of Lord Rama. Bloody
Hindu-Muslim riots followed. Icons of Lord Rama and Sita were installed at
the site, but plans by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) to build a grand
temple were put on hold after a court order barred any kind of construction.
Even after the BJP, the political affiliate of the VHP, assumed the reins
of the national government three years ago, Hindu organizations observed
restraint because of a commitment by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to
his allies in the coalition government that the temple would not be
constructed until the courts ruled on the dispute. The VHP has employed
over a hundred workers - including 60 artisans, who are busy making
pillars, walls and statues of Gods and Goddesses for the temple. "We have
been told to build the temple on a war footing," said the workshop
supervisor, a retired military engineer. He said that with the help of a
second and third workshop the first and second floors of the multistory
temple should be completed within a few months. The temple could then be
assembled in short order, once permission is given to proceed.
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Posted on 2000/11/20 22:46:02 ( 542 reads )
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LONDON, ENGLAND: A rare collection or pre-Harappan ceramics and sculptures
being exhibited for the first time in London have been described by dealers
as the oldest high quality treasures of their kind anywhere in the world.
This collection of pots, figurines and tablets is from a site in the upper
Indus, near Mehrgarh in the Pakistani province of Baluchistan. Their
significance is the evidence they show of a pre-Harappan and
pre-Mohenjodaro civilization that existed along the middle reaches of the
Indus, dating back to 7,000 BCE. The article in the "Daily
Pioneer" does not explain how a private dealer came into possession of
these artifacts. One of dealer Gotz's prized exhibits is a Mehrgarh bull
with a sheep's head and painted in orange vegetable dye. But his
"piece de resistance" is a broken clay pot, circa 3,800 BCE, that
depicts "pipal" tree leaves, fish and the earliest known
representation of the mythical griffon, a winged horse, that reappears a
thousand years later in the Mesopotamian valleys of ancient Iraq. Gotz's
asking price for the pot is $95,000.
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Posted on 2000/11/20 22:45:02 ( 485 reads )
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Source: Hindustan Times, November 11, 2000
PATNA, INDIA: In the state capital of Patna, India around the Sahara Indian
building on Boring Road, monkeys are accosting smokers who venture into
their territory. They have become the moral judge and jury of anyone caught
smoking. After getting a few quick slaps, smokers quickly relinquish their
fares to the persistent band of 14 monkeys. Office workers in the vicinity
are terrified of the antics, as the monkeys often enter offices, sit about
the room and do whatever they please. Zookeepers, upon request, may take
the monkeys away, but for now they are providing live entertainment.
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Posted on 2000/11/30 22:49:02 ( 541 reads )
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WASHINGTON, DC: When James Dusel, 16, announced that he was becoming a
vegan -- shunning not only meat but dairy products--his father Jim Dusel, a
Baltimore teacher was concerned whether he'd be getting adequate protein.
In a past generation, parents might have refused to accommodate such
pronouncements, but not in today's more tolerant times, according to this report
in the Washington Post. Parents do fret about nutrition and meal
preparation, but circumstances have made life easier for the mixed-diet
family. "There's a lot more convenience foods," says Reed
Mangels, nutrition adviser for the Baltimore-based Vegetarian Resource
Group. Teenagers can just "put something in the microwave and zap
it." Also parents and kids on different schedules may all be eating
different things. Animal welfare is also drawing kids into vegetarianism at
much younger ages, according to a recent Roper Poll. Two percent of
American children ages 8 to 12 never eat beef, poultry or fish--the same
percentage as kids ages 13 to 17. Six years ago, Elisa and Janna Schrank,
then 8 and 10, announced that they weren't eating meat anymore (although
they continued to eat chickens for awhile, since they think they're
"ugly," according to their mother). But when the birds flew the
coop too, the Bethesda family eats a lot of vegetable soups, as well as
rice and bean dishes. "It's probably better for us," says Tom
Schrank. "It's a comical household," says Vida Antolin of
Alexandria, whose daughter, Christina Jenkins, 16, "was going to be a
vegetarian who didn't eat vegetables." In the two years since
Christina stopped eating beef and chicken, she has learned to like a lot
more vegetables. Several teenagers said that their parents bought them
books and required them to do research before embarking on their meatless
regimes. Aside from nutritional concerns of their parents, local teens say
their vegetarianism is generally socially accepted by their peers and
considered "cool." As for how the meatless minority treats his
carnivorous parents, father Jim Dusel says his son is extremely tolerant.
At dinner, there's only "minor proselytizing," says the elder
Dusel. "But nothing heavy handed."
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Posted on 2000/11/30 22:48:02 ( 478 reads )
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Source: Hinduism Today, Shibani Khanna, December 1, 2000
HOUSTON, TEXAS: Endeavoring to promote Hindu Solidarity among the youth,
the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Hindu Student's Council, and NetOhm held a
"Lock-in" at a Texas Rock Gym. A "Lock-in" is when a
group of students (with chaperones) book a venue and stay up the entire
night engaged in various activities, in this case ranging from sports,
games, and movies to the highlight of the night, rockclimbing on the
artificial cliffs. Hindu philosophy was touched on in a discussion group
about the relationship between body and mind. However, the main focus of
the night was socializing and creating bonds of friendship among the youth
ranging in age from 8-18. Many of the young people had previously attended
the Hindu Heritage Camp in July 2000, where the focus was primarily of a
religious nature. Coordinators and participants look forward to holding the
event annually.
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Posted on 2000/11/30 22:47:02 ( 582 reads )
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A Ramayana play featuring actors from the popular TV serial, including Arun
Govil are touring with "Glimpses of the Ramayana" during the
summer of 2001. The organizers are looking for sponsors in various cities.
Contact kbharrat@sympatico.ca for all additional
information including show availability and sponsorship costs per program.
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Posted on 2000/11/29 22:49:02 ( 522 reads )
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NORTHAMPTON SOUTH, ENGLAND: In a crude and desperate attempt to sidetrack a
political campaign, Mr. Tony Clarke, a Labour MP running for the seat of
Northampton South, has been accused of bringing race issues into the
election. His off-handed comments suggested that Mr. Vara, his Tory
opponent, was an Ugandan Hindu who could not rely on the Muslim community
for a vote. To make matters worse, Mr. Clarke continued by stating,
"The 20% rural vote have shown themselves in the past to be quite
racist in their voting." Mr. Shailesh Vara himself has never
encountered racism in Northampton South. The Labour Party's chairman,
Michael Ancram, requested that Mr. Clarke retract his statement and
apologize to his Tory opponent and the voters of the constituency. On the evening
of November 17th, Mr. Clarke condemned the use of racism in any election by
individuals, parties, or the media. Endeavoring to redeem himself, he is
quoted as saying, "If my remarks have caused offense to anyone, then I
would be the first to apologize."
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Posted on 2000/11/29 22:48:02 ( 684 reads )
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Source: Punjab Kesari [Hindi], November 17, 2000
DEHRADUN, INDIA: Uttranchal's chief minister Nityananda Swami denied the
possibility of the construction of a Jain Temple in Badrinath and said that
the sanctity/purity of this religious place would be maintained. He said,
"We cannot permit the construction of a Jain temple in Badrinath. By
this the purity of this religious place would be destroyed." Swami
said Badrinath is one of the four dhams and it has a special place in Hindu
dharma.
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Posted on 2000/11/29 22:47:02 ( 480 reads )
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Source: The Hindu, November 21, 2000
BHOPAL, INDIA: The Madhya Pradesh chief minister, Mr. Digvijay Singh, has
announced the setting up of a Sanskrit Board by January, 2001, to promote
the language. Mr Singh said this at a function organized by the Avdhesh
Pratap Singh University in Rewa the other day. A task force, comprising
Sanskrit scholars, would be set up to identify the existing resources of
Sanskrit and to make recommendations for its development, the Chief
Minister announced.
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Posted on 2000/11/29 22:46:02 ( 570 reads )
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Source: The Hindustan Times 29- 11-2000
External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh's idea of retracing the path that
India's ancient cultural links with South East Asia had carved was given an
aesthetic shape by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and the dancer
Madhvi Mudgal. The one-hour presentation "Ganga to Mekong
Swarnabhumi," [the Ganga River to the Mekong River's "Land of
Gold," as the region was known in ancient India] was first performed
by Madhvi and her troupe of twelve young dancers at Laos last month. Not too
many civilizations can match an impact comparable to India's with Sanskrit
being the official language of the region by the 4th century CE and great
memorials coming up such as the Buddhist stupa of Borobudar in Java or the
Saivite temples of Angkor in Cambodia. "Ganga to Mekong"did well
to throw a torch backwards into the long tunnel of history.
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Posted on 2000/11/29 22:45:02 ( 576 reads )
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Source: The Hindustan Times, November 29, 2000
DELHI, INDIA: The United Nations Information Centre organized a ceremony
today to recognize the unique effort of Prajapita Brahmakumari Ishwariya
Vidyalaya in collecting 35 million signatures for the Culture of Peace
Manifesto.
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Posted on 2000/11/29 22:44:02 ( 511 reads )
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VERMONT, USA: The noted publisher of Eastern books, Inner Traditions,
announced today the release of "Vastu: The Indian Art of
Placement" by Rohit Arya. The book explains how to design and decorate
homes to reflect eternal spiritual principles using the ancient practice of
vaastu, the Hindu art of environmental design. The book elucidates principles
that orient and plan each element of a structure, both the big picture and
small details, to create personal environments that promote peace, harmony
and health.
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Posted on 2000/11/29 22:43:02 ( 513 reads )
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LAKEWOOD, COLORADO: Native American Mark Lewis the the No Boundaries
Project appealed for translators to help with a web project listing
"Let's all work together" in as many of the world's 6,700
languages as possible. So far they have 350, and would like help with
translating this phrase into Hindi, Sanskrit and other Indian languages.
They are also using the related phrase, "We have to live together in
peace."
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Posted on 2000/11/28 22:49:02 ( 512 reads )
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CALCUTTA, INDIA: A Hindu lower-caste "untouchable" family in
eastern India is to appeal to the human rights commission after being fined
for touching a statue of the Goddess Kali. According to villagers, one
family member, Malati Sith, entered a Kali temple and touched the forehead
of the statue, angering the upper caste brahmin community in Pursurah
village, near Calcutta. The brahmins called a special meeting and imposed
the extraordinary fine of 8,000 rupees (US$173) on the family to meet the
cost of purifying the icon. "We would have to sell off all our
valuables to pay the fine," said Sith's husband Madan Mohon. The
temple priests insisted they acted correctly. "We are abiding by the rules
of the temple," said head priest Sufal Chakaborty. Although
discrimination on the grounds of caste is illegal in India, it continues in
many forms. This is an unusual case because it would be a grave offense for
anyone, regardless of caste, to enter the inner sanctum, let alone touch
the Deity, without the express authorization of the temple priests. At
least it would be a form of trespassing. A local village committee member
Asit Patra said they were "investigating the matter."
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Posted on 2000/11/28 22:48:02 ( 637 reads )
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THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS: In a majority vote of 104-40, the Dutch parliament
endorsed a bill on Tuesday, November 28, that will legalize the practice of
physician-assisted suicide and euthanasia. Since 1993, doctors have
followed approved guidelines set out by parliament, but euthanasia was
still considered a crime. These guidelines professed that a patient of
sound mind and suffering from an incurable disease could voluntarily
request that they want help to die. This would be after the patient has
explored all medical options and second professional opinions. In addition
to the 1993 briefing, the new law allows patients to request for euthanasia
in writing so that when illness, physical or mental, takes over, the doctor
can use his own judgement. Quoting Health Minister Els Borst, "This
will create security for doctors and patients alike. Doctors should not be
treated like criminals." Switzerland, Columbia and Belgium tolerate
euthanasia, and in Oregon, USA, doctor-assisted suicide for the terminally
ill was made law in 1997. However, in the U.S., euthanasia remains illegal.
Associated Press states, "In doctor-assisted suicides, the patient
administers a lethal dose to him or herself. Under the new Dutch law a
doctor can also do so directly." There is controversy in the general
populace of undiscretionary abuse of the new law and moral rightness.
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Posted on 2000/11/28 22:47:02 ( 560 reads )
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LONDON, ENGLAND: "Goodness Gracious Me" is the BBC's Asian comedy
show. They all went to India to film a special, and large crowds gathered
to watch as the show's stars -- Meera Syal, Sanjeev Bhaskar, Nina Wadia and
Kulvinder Ghir -- along with Dave Lamb, the actor they affectionately call
"TWB" (token white bloke). The show is scheduled to air in March.
Since GGM's seminal sketch in which a group of drunken Indians "go for
an English" (a meal, that is) in a late-night restaurant, its take on
the interaction of British and Indian culture has picked up a devoted
following, with an estimated 4,000,000 viewers. The stars say that coming
to India means more than authentic locations and more about introducing
British whites and Asians to each other, as well as to draw the viewership
of native Indians. Star TV channel aired the first three shows of the
series prefaced by a warning that viewers may be offended by irreverent
depictions of religion. At a press conference at the British Council in
Delhi, local journalists watched a sample of GGM sketches -- depictions of
overbearing Indian mothers, the Indian caste system and police racism with
an English police officer trying to interest his skeptical Indian
colleagues in a spate of racially motivated attacks on whites -- drew
particular interest. "The BBC allows you to put this out?" one
local journalist asked, incredulously. Ghir is confident that the truths
unmasked by this British-style comedy can help all countries in what he
calls "a global race towards a society where everyone is
accepted."
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Posted on 2000/11/28 22:46:02 ( 530 reads )
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Source: Hindustan Times, October 25, 2000
NAGPUR, INDIA: A city doctor is set to enter the Guiness Book of Records
for creating the tallest lamp on Earth -- 48 feet. The electric lamp is 12
feet in diameter and features four elephant heads around the base and a
series of yakshas, mythical figures, which appear to carry the lamp. It was
created for the Divali festival this year and erected in the Jerryl Lawn of
the city. The lamp is made of resin. Guiness is sending its own people to
Nagpur to verify the record.
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Posted on 2000/11/27 22:49:02 ( 931 reads )
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Source: Hindustan Times, November 27, 2000
VARANASI, INDIA: Vedic scholars in Varanasi have taken exception to a scene
in the film "Mohabbatein" by Yash Chopra, now under production,
in which Amitabh Bachchan recites the sacred Gayatri Mantra with his shoes
on. Just last year another movie production company ("Water") was
chased out of Varanasi for complaints over insults to Hinduism. Dr. Kaushal
Kishore Mishra, who led the protest against "Water" said a
permanent committee will be formed to review all films that might insult
Hinduism. Bachchan denied the accusations, telling Press Trust of India,
"I am a deeply religious person and cannot even dream of any kind of
disrespect to religious sentiments." Producer Chopra said the
criticism was "absolutely incorrect, unjust, erroneous and uncalled
for."
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Posted on 2000/12/6 22:47:02 ( 500 reads )
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DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA: The first two in a series of books on Hinduism in
indigenous languages were released at a conference focusing on
commonalities in Indian and African culture. The books written in Zulu and
several pamphlets in Xhosa were launched as part of the 75th anniversary
celebrations of Africa's Arya Pratinidhi Sabha (APS). For the first time,
the South Africans of African culture have the opportunity to discover the cultural
background of the Indian people and the basic tenets of Hinduism in their
own languages. South Africa Home Affairs Minister Mangosuthu Buthelezi
lauded the books and the Indian community for its cross-cultural exchange
and promoting a greater tolerance, acceptance and affinity among the people
of South Africa.
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Posted on 2000/12/6 22:46:02 ( 473 reads )
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Source: Reuters, December 4, 2000
NEW YORK, NEW YORK: PepsiCo's current chief, Roger Enrico, announced that
Indra Nooyi will expand her duties as PepsiCo's chief financial officer and
assume the additional post of president. The change is connected with
PepsiCo's US$13.4 billion acquisition of Quaker Oats Co. next year. This
will make her the highest-ranking Indian-born woman in corporate America.
Born in India, Nooyi, 44, came to the United States in 1978 to attend Yale
University's Graduate School of Management. Since joining PepsiCo six years
ago, she has been directly involved in all major strategy moves the company
has made. Nooyi, maintains a "puja" (Hindu prayer) room in the
Greenwich, Connecticut home she shares with her husband and two daughters.
Her family and her Hindu faith provide a balance for her high-powered
business career.
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Posted on 2000/12/5 22:49:02 ( 487 reads )
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Source: Free Press Journal, November 30, 2000
ALLAHABAD, INDIA: Once every 12 years, a pilgrimage takes place on a grand
scale at the confluence, "Sangam," of the Rivers Ganga, Yamuna,
and celestial Saraswati in Allahabad. The months-long Maha Kumbha Mela will
bring 70 million devotees from all over India and many other countries to
bathe in the Sangam for purification. In the past, devotional fervor has
led to injuries on main bathing days. To compensate, the army has offered
to build helipads for emergency landing of helicopters. However, the Kumbh
Mela committee felt that a helicopter landing would only escalate any
emergency situation. In preparation for the pilgrims, ponds have been
created to collect sewer water so that the River Ganga has pollution-free
water. Pontoon bridges are being built across the Yamuna and 50 additional
trains will be transporting people to and from Allahabad -- but this number
of trains is acknowledged to be insufficient to handle the massive crowds
expected on the main bathing days.
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Posted on 2000/12/5 22:48:02 ( 548 reads )
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Source: http//:article archives0,4273,4095631,00html
TANJUNG, BALI (November 24, 2000): Tanjung Benoa is a fishing village on
the idyllic south-east coast of Bali with fishermen tending their ageing
boats and small Hindu temples on the shoreline. But underneath this veneer
of normality, Tanjung is the centre of a deadly illegal trade in tortoise
shell and meat that is threatening to exterminate one of the world's most
ancient species. Dozens of majestic green sea turtles are being brutally
slaughtered, many of them for export to Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Turtle experts based in Australia believe that at the turn of the last
century the region was home to up to one third of the world's turtles -- a
time when sailors claimed one could walk from one island to another on the
backs of turtles. The scale of the slaughter in recent decades, especially
the past 10 years, has been so great that the figure is now down to five
percent. The government gave special dispensation to Bali, in the form of a
5,000-animal annual quota for religious and traditional village ceremonies
that are part of Balinese culture. But the quota was abused, say the
Indonesian campaigning group, Animal Conservation For Life. Responding to
pressure, the Balinese governor withdrew the quota and banned turtle
trading and consumption. Far more threatening to illegal traders are the
calls from Balinese religious leaders to stop the turtle trade altogether.
Hindu high priests such as Ida Pedanda Gede Ngurah Kaleran are now admitting
that turtles are not crucial for religious or traditional rituals.
"Substitutes can be used," he says. "Either other animals or
even virtual animals in the form of drawings or models. Nowhere does it say
that the actual animal has to be killed." Such slaughter of turtles
goes against Hindu teaching, he says. "Hindus are not allowed to be
violent against others of God's creatures. What is going on with the
turtles certainly contravenes that teaching."
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Posted on 2000/12/5 22:47:02 ( 474 reads )
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A college-level online course on vegetarianism is now available, according
to Vegetarian Resource Group. It is taught by Chef Nancy Berkoff, RD.
Originally designed as an advanced nutrition class for culinary students,
the course has been expanded to include topics of interest for everyone
interested in food, health, small business and vegetarianism. Consumers can
learn more about vegetarian cooking; institutional food service staff and
managers can expand their knowledge about new products and cooking styles
and restaurateurs will certainly be better able to please their vegan
diners. Topics will include types of vegetarians, recipe and menu design,
careers in vegetarian food services, ethnic cuisines, ingredient selection,
vegetarian nutrition and health trends and vegetarian business topics.
College credit is optional and the course is open to the public. The cost
for the course is $100. There is an additional cost to receive college credit.
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Posted on 2000/12/4 22:49:02 ( 584 reads )
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Source: Nai Duniya [Hindi], November 28, 2000
INDORE, MADHYA PRADESH: From November 13 to 23, massive ceremonies were
heldd in Tarana area to alleviate a drought. Eleven brahmins brought from
Ujjain did 121 ceremonial bathings of Lord Siva at the local Shri
Tilbhandeshwar Mahadev Temple. They also did 121 rudrabhishekas in praise
of Lord Siva, as well as chanted the famed Mahamrityunjaya mantra to Siva
250,001 times. Revenue officials helped organize the chanting of "Om
Namah Sivaya" more than 100 million times by priests of five hundred
temples, as well as people of the villages and cities. People also sang
bhajana every night. One 12-year-old boy did Om Nama Sivaya 70,000 times in
two days. In another instance, local Muslims participated in the chanting.
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Posted on 2000/12/4 22:48:02 ( 450 reads )
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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA: It's not a question at the heart of human
existence. But if Krishna and Arjuna could resume their Bhagavad Gita
dialogue, perhaps they'd take up a query that rumbled through the Hindu
community this week: Can a sacred text be called a work of fiction? And, if
so, is it worth any less? The discussion was first sparked last Sunday,
November 26, 2000, when the San Francisco Chronicle published its weekly
bestseller list. Stephen Mitchell's new translation of the Gita took a
coveted spot-number 15 in the "fiction" category. Most Indians
were delighted it made the prestigious list at all but were surprised it
was classed as fiction. David Kipen, the editor of the Chronicle's book
review section, confirmed that the holy text didn't slip into the wrong
category by accident. "I'd like to think that we would place the Bible
or the Koran, or any other holy book under fiction, judging them to be
closer to mythology than history." But author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
deemed it worthy of battle. "The Bhagavad Gita is a philosophical
text; it's not fiction." Beth Kulkarni on the advisory board of the
Vishwa Hindu Parishad was unperturbed, "The underlying spiritual
truths are important, not the historical truths." And the reaction of
the translator of the work in question? Responding to an e-mail query,
Mitchell confessed to some surprise but didn't see a major snafu. "It
does seem odd that they put it in the fiction category. The categorization
of the Gita as fiction has nothing to do with its wisdom or its validity.
The opposite of truth is untruth, not fiction."
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Posted on 2000/12/4 22:47:02 ( 518 reads )
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EAST ELMHURST, NEW YORK (July 13, 2000): A select few are born in every
century to light the spark of love, devotion, and selfless service among
their communities. Young Kavindra Jaganan, age 16, is doing that very thing
at the recently completed Hindu Sanatan temple in East Elmhurst, New York.
Following in the steps of his priestly forefathers, he encourages the youth
of the Indo-Caribbean community to get in touch with themselves so that
they become better people. The mandir, costing in excess of one million
U.S. dollars, is a reflection of the community's determination, hard work,
and sheer devotion. The end result is an ornate structure of ancient
tradition where the area's Hindu worshippers can be spiritually uplifted.
Devotees are descendants of early immigrants from Uttar Pradesh and Bengal
in India. Operating with volunteer priests, the temple is open for morning
and evening pujas. The temple group's future goals include development of
youth religiously and culturally by sponsoring trips to India, establishing
scholarships for underprivileged children, and promoting programs to help
senior citizens, to name only a few.
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Posted on 2000/12/4 22:46:02 ( 577 reads )
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Source: Punjab Kesari (Hindi), December 3, 2000
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN: The Pakistani Hindu community has decided to boycott
the local elections. These residents of the southern sector of Sindh
province are opposing the electoral system that deprives the minorities of
its voting rights. The decision to boycott the election was taken at a
meeting held at Jakokabad in which more than 35 Hindu organizations
participated. In the meeting, addressing over five hundred delegates coming
from the whole province, former members of parliament Hari Ram, Kishori Ram
and Pitambar Ray said that the minorities were being denied the right to
vote granted to them by the constitution. The representatives participating
in the meeting said that they will not accept the ordinance under which a
different electoral process has been proposed which deprives them of their
voting rights.
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Posted on 2000/12/4 22:45:02 ( 469 reads )
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CALIFORNIA, USA: A decade after California initiated the nation's most
comprehensive and aggressive anti-smoking program, the incidence of deadly
lung and bronchial cancer has dropped far more dramatically there than it
has nationwide. California lung cancer rates were found to have dropped 14
percent between 1988 and 1997, while the estimated drop nationwide was 2.7
percent, according to a report released by the federal Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention, making it the strongest evidence yet that
aggressive anti-smoking programs will save people's lives. According to the
CDC, cigarette smoking is responsible for about 85 percent of lung and
bronchial cancers, most of which are fatal. In 1989, California increased
the price of cigarettes by 25 cents a pack and dedicated the money to fund
the state's smoking prevention program. Analysts say that the high price of
cigarettes has contributed greatly to a steep decline in California smoking
rates. Many states are still determining how to spend the money they will
receive under the $246 million 1998 national settlement with the tobacco
industry, and Fleming said he hoped the new findings would persuade states
to fully fund anti-tobacco programs.
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Posted on 2000/12/1 22:49:02 ( 532 reads )
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NEW DELHI,INDIA, December 2, 2000: Spare the rod and spoil the child. Even
in this, the 21st century, the Christian slogan still has many champions
among school teachers, school administrators and even parents. But the
Delhi High Court on Friday may have forced them to rethink. In a landmark
judgement, the Delhi High Court struck down the provision for corporal
punishment provided under the Delhi School Education Act. The court held
that the provision violated the constitutional right guaranteeing equality
and protection of life and personal liberty. The ruling came in the wake of
a petition filed by the Parents Forum For Meaningful Education. A division
bench of Justice Anil Dev Singh and Justice M.K. Sharma, in their 23-page
judgement, also struck down other provisions in the Act that run contrary
to the National Policy on Education adopted by the Centre in 1992.
"The national policy, in tune with the International Convention on
Children, has adopted a child-centered approach, where corporal punishment
has no place in the system of education. India, being a signatory to the
Convention, is obliged to protect the child from physical or mental
violence or injury while the child is in the care of any person, be it
educational institution, parents or legal guardian," the bench held.
The Act provided for awarding corporal punishment to a student above 14 for
up to ten cane strokes on the palms. On the use of physical force against
children by teachers, the court said: "It defeats the very purpose for
which the punishment is applied. Infliction of body pain as penalty for indiscipline
on a child may make him submissive, while others may learn that the
punishment is an accepted mode of ensuring compliance of one's wisdom by
others."
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Posted on 2000/12/1 22:48:02 ( 532 reads )
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Source: Hindustan Times, November 23, 2000
PATNA, INDIA: Lord Vishnu's beloved is now down to the path of obscurity.
Falling victim to neglect and the coming up of concrete jungles all around
the city, the plant species with the richest cultural heritage is vanishing
from sight. Tulsi, the plant which once enjoyed a high position in the
flora of Bihar now finds it hard to survive in the present socio-climatic
condition of the state. Noted environmentalist Dr. R.N. Trivedi found only
three species of this medicinal plant in Patna. Tulsi, meaning
"matchless," earned the status of a living deity in Hindu
pantheon and is considered a symbol of good luck. Researchers are of the
opinion that the adoption of ornamental plants in kitchen gardens coupled
with the decline in the Ayurvedic system of medicine as well as the lack of
awareness in the preservation of flora resulted in the extinction of many
species. The rise in the mosquito menace is also directly related to the
loss of tulsi plants as it has been scientifically proven that tulsi has
repellent properties. The departure of the Deity's form spells an
irreparable loss in terms of science and religious heritage.
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Posted on 2000/12/1 22:47:02 ( 545 reads )
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Source: The Hindu, November 28, 2000
NEW DELHI,INDIA: The populace of New Delhi lacks proper facilities for the
honorable disposal of our mortal encasement after the soul continues its
journey. Of the 271 crematoria available in the city, only three
well-maintained ones, Nigambodh Ghat, Punjabi Bagh and Lodi Road, are
primarily used. Most of the other crematoria lack adequate lighting,
boundary walls, approach roads, and in most cases wood to fuel the funeral
pyre. Even though the Municipal Corporation of Delhi runs 60 of the
crematoria, only eight have acceptable standards. In residential areas over
210 are below sub-standard. The government appears to be making no effect
to rectify the situation. However, according to New Delhi mayor, Mr. Shanti
Desai, the goal of the MCD is to provide well-kept facilities across the
Capital every three square kilometers. This would ensure that families do
not have to pay exorbitant fees to have bodies transferred to an acceptable
crematorium. Funding of US$391,000 was provided to the MCD for development
of the crematoria in the year 2000.
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Posted on 2000/12/1 22:46:02 ( 497 reads )
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KATHMANDU,NEPAL, December 1, 2000: Advocating a peaceful resolution for the
refugee problem in Kathmandu Nepal, is a top U.S. envoy for Asia, Karl
Inderfurth, assistant secretary of state for South Asian affairs. Since the
early 1990's, Hindu refugees numbering over 98,000 have lived in
UN-supervised camps in Nepal after fleeing Buddhist Bhutan. After several
rounds of ministerial talks between Kathmandu, Nepal and Thimpu, Bhutan,
neither country will verify the status of the refugees. Thimpu claims that
non-Bhutanese live in the camps while Kathmandu insists Thimpu restore
Bhutan citizenship to the displaced refugees. Inderfurth, scheduled to
leave Bhutan on Monday, December 4th, would like to see a successful
completion of this issue.
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Posted on 2000/12/1 22:45:02 ( 468 reads )
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PARIS, FRANCE, November 30, 2000: It is not only the French who are in a
frenzy about mad cow disease. A panic that began here in France several
weeks ago has now spread throughout Europe.In Germany, a hot line set up to
answer questions from the public about the disease collapsed because of too
many calls. In Italy, celebrities have gone on television to offer their
favorite vegetarian recipes. Governments are promising action. Many
countries are banning one another's beef to reassure consumers that the
meat they are buying is free of contamination. Europeans are not letting
beef pass their lips and even inspecting their cosmetics and candy to check
for a base of beef gelatin. Wholesalers report a drop of about 50 percent
in beef sales. Butchers have seen their businesses devastated. "It's
as if we were suddenly facing bubonic plague," said Pietro
Stecchiotti, a quality butcher in Rome whose clients include the Italian
presidential palace. "Is it the cows, or have we who have gone mad?"
France's number of cases of mad cow disease remains minuscule compared with
the epidemic that hit Britain in the mid-1980's. More than 100 cases have
been reported this year against 31 last year, though expanded testing could
have contributed to the higher numbers. Fears were heightened after Germany
and Spain had discovered their first cases of mad cow disease, also known
as bovine spongiform encephalopathy. Portugal and Switzerland have had
hundreds of cases. Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands have also had a
few. "Mad cow disease knows no borders but is moving from one member
state to another," Franz Fischler, the European Union's agricultural
minister, said at a recent news conference.
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Posted on 2000/12/12 22:48:02 ( 473 reads )
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Source: Star TV, December 13, 2000
NEW DELHI, INDIA: In a nationwide broadcast, UP Chief Minister Raj Nath
Singh, declared, "We will not allow holding of beauty contests in the
state of Uttar Pradesh as they are indecent. Showing bare bodies is not a
part of our culture and tradition. Beauty is something which is given by
nature and there should be no competition about it." For the beauty
and fashion trade of Uttar Pradesh the chief minister's announcement has
come as a rude shock. Star TV interviewed some such people who condemned
the UP chief minister for enforcing this kind of cultural policing in the
state. Of late Indian contestants have won several international beauty
contests.
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Posted on 2000/12/12 22:47:02 ( 483 reads )
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BOMBAY, INDIA: To most North Americans, the golden arches of McDonalds
restaurants means beef burgers. Not so in India, where the fast food chain
has infiltrated the country since 1996 by using a clever marketing program
that avoids offending both the culture of the land and the Indian pocket
book. The company sells no beef or pork products and segregates vegetarian
and meat preparation and cooking. The outlets sell chicken, fish, and
mutton along with their vegetarian selections of potato cutlets and aloo
tikki burgers. The restaurant chain got started in Bombay and Delhi and now
plans to increase its outlets from 26 to 80. The middle-class customer base
is estimated to be at least 100 million in these major cities. By the year
2003, over US$150 million will be invested in India as McDonalds further
expands in the west and the north as well as opens outlets in Bangalore, in
the traditional south land. In order to stay competitive, the company has
focused on volume sales with low pricing. A family of 2 or 3 can eat out
for about $1.40. Vikram Bashi, head of Connaught Plaza Restaurants,
McDonalds joint venture in Delhi is quoted as saying, "We've proved
that there is a place for the burger in India."
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Posted on 2000/12/11 22:49:02 ( 470 reads )
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Source: India Today, December 9, 2000
BANARAS, INDIA: It was the early morning of December 6 when journalist
Priya Solomon tried to photograph the ancient 16th century Gyanvapi Masjid,
standing in the premises of the Baba Vishwanath Mandir in Banaras, a
policeman prevented her from doing so. Her initial irritation vanished when
realization dawned that the restrictions were meant to protect the location
and to avert a situation like the 1992 demolition of the Babri Masjid, as
speculation has it that the Gyanvapi mosque is one of two other targets
(the other is in Mathura) the Sangh Parivar would like to see obliterated.
Prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee's statements supporting the
construction of a Ram Temple in Ayodhya has given impetus to the Kashi Vishwanath
Mandir movement in India's holy city. One may ask "Why Gyanvapi?"
According to Hindu organizations, the original Siva Lingam is inside the
Gyanvapi Masjid, and since the Masjid is not being used for worship, it
should be handed over to them. The Masjid is built upon the site of the
ancient Kasi Vishwanath Siva Temple; its lower walls in fact can be clearly
identified as the original walls of the temple, which is one reason police
try to prevent the photographs. Unlike Ayodhya, there is no dispute at all
that the Masjid was built upon the temple foundation. The Masjid is under
24-hour vigil throughout the year by the Central Reserve Police Force
(CRPF), security is further beefed up every year on December 6, the date of
the Babri Masjid demolition. The nature of this town by the Ganges is
volatile and vulnerable to religious tension with its 40:60 Muslim-Hindu
ratio. "It is a religious town and people of this city are very
sensitive," says Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapith vice-chancellor R.J.
Singh.
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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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