News from Hindu Press International
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/11 22:48:02 ( 456 reads )
|
|
PERAMBALUR, INDIA, December 12, 2000: Tension prevailed for over three
hours this morning in Alagapuram village, 25 km from Jayamkondam, when over
2,000 upper caste Vanniyars blocked the streets leading to the Alageeswarar
temple, to prevent the proposed march to the temple by
"untouchable" Dalits who had been denied entry to the temple for
the past several decades. Police posted on all approach roads, and around
the temple, enabled the Dalits, headed by Mr. S. Thirunavukkarasu, state
general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural Workers Union to march and
press their right for entry into the temple, as guaranteed under India's
constitution. Peace talks were held between the leaders of the Vanniyar
community and the Dalit leaders. Mr. R. Perunargili, headquarters speaker
of the PMK, said he would impress upon the villagers that it was illegal to
prevent the Dalits from entering the temple. Both groups agreed to further
talks on December 21 at Jayamkondam. The temple, built by Rajaraja Chola,
was under the care of hereditary trustees belonging to the Vanniyar
community for decades until three years ago when the HRCE department took
over administration. Until recently, the Dalits were not insisting on
entering the temple, but during the past week, with support of Marxist
leaders, they claimed the right to entry, and posters announced the
decision of the Dalits to enter the temple today. Today both groups
attended the peace committee meeting and decided not to precipitate the
issue until the next round of talks.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/11 22:47:02 ( 445 reads )
|
|
Source: Hinduism Today, Anil Mahabir,
PORT-OF-SPAIN, TRINIDAD, December 11, 2000: The United National Congress
(UNC) secured another term in office when it won the general election. The
UNC with its Hindu leader Basdeo Panday got 19 seats as opposed to 16 which
was won by the Christian party, the Peoples' National Movement (PNM). The
thrust of the UNC campaign was equality of all before the law in a
cosmopolitan society. The UNC leader, in his victory speech, has vowed to
continue to take the country along the road of "respect for all,
animosity towards none," and has even, in an unprecedented move,
called upon his opponents to join his government, in a "goverment of
national unity." Government Minister Sadiq Baksh, a Muslim, who held a
Ganesh Puja when the new airport was opened, said last night that he
intended to have another Ganesh Puja to mark his victory. Baksh won a seat
that was never lost by the PNM since the country gained independence from
British Colonial rule in 1962. Speaking to Hinduism Today correspondent
Anil Mahabir yesterday, Baksh admitted that, on a daily basis, he is
becoming more and more partial towards Lord Ganesh, and even attributed his
victory, in large measure, to the Mahaganapati.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/8 22:49:02 ( 445 reads )
|
|
Source: Star TV, December 10, 2000
KANPUR, INDIA: Mrs. Asha Rani Rai of Vidya Mandir Women's College, Kanpur,
Uttar Pradesh, has started training girls as purohits, Hindu priests, based
on the curriculum of University Grant Commission [UGC]'s Sanskrit course.
Everyday for seven hours these would-be female pundits learn about Vedic
rituals. In an interview to Star, Asha Rani Rai said that she herself is an
expert in Vedic rituals and has performed over two dozen marriages and
several cremation rites as per scriptures. As in the case with other
training programs for women as priests, the cause is dissatisfaction with
the existing men, who many people feel display little devotion or
knowledge. The female pundits are also being taught astrology and vaastu
shastra. They will be taught all the sixteen sanskaras of Hinduism ranging
from and related to, birth and death. Asha says that it is incorrect to
state that Vedas cannot be studied by women and this has no sanction from
scriptures. Rather Asha feels that women are purer and can do the job of a
pundit in a better manner. The development of women priests in Hinduism,
where men traditionally fulfill this roll is often regarded as a challenge
to orthodoxy. However, the women say they would not want to do the priest's
job if the men themselves were handling the responsibility correctly.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/8 22:48:02 ( 481 reads )
|
|
CHENNAI, INDIA, December 8, 2000: Normal activity in more than 36,000
temples in Tamil Nadu, India's southern-most state, was interrupted as
temple employees went on a day's stay-in strike in support of their
15-point charter of demands. They are asking for pay parity with other
temple staff, pension and other benefits. According to official sources,
the strike was near-total success with about 80 percent of the employees
participating. Pay for temple employees is fixed on the basis of revenue of
the temples. The result of this in many small temples is that priests and
employees are getting a pay of less than US$2.00 a month. Even this meagre
salary is not paid regularly, according to employees. The normal pujas of
the day were still conducted by all priests, but special requests for
archana were not available.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/8 22:47:02 ( 509 reads )
|
|
NEW YORK, NEW YORK: Imagine travelling thousands of miles away from home to
marry a man in a country where the language and culture are foreign, only
to find out that your husband, supported by your in-laws, is a wife-beater.
Isolated and terrified, many of these Asian women from India, Nepal,
Bangladesh, and Pakistan are battered, beaten and burned at the hands of
those who should be offering love and nourishment. An organization called
Sakhi, "female friend," has been in operation in New York City
for over 10 years. A phone call away, this support group offers language
assistance and legal advice in court cases, finds women places to live and
teaches them about their rights in America. Sakhi volunteers, who are of
Asian origin themselves, work with the abused women until they have
established themselves. A database is now in place at Sakhi to log in the
15-30 new calls for help each month. Dr. Margaret Abraham, a Ph.D. from
Syracuse and head of the sociology department at Hofstra University, has
published her book, "Speaking the Unspeakable: Marital Violence Among
South Asian Immigrants in the United States." Doctor Abraham believes
that the Asian community needs to be aware of and take action to rectify
its social problems. By attending Hindu temple committee meetings with its
campaign, Sakhi is trying a new approach to make the community accountable
for the domestic violence.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/8 22:46:02 ( 520 reads )
|
|
Source: Frontier Post, December 4,2000
LAHORE, PAKISTAN: The government of Punjab, Pakistan's second largest
state, joined other countries in eliminating hitting of children in school.
The Frontier Post states,"Directives have been issued to all private
and public sector educational institutes strictly banning teachers from
awarding corporal punishment to students." If non-compliance persists,
disciplinary action will be brought against the teachers involved.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/7 22:49:02 ( 553 reads )
|
|
Source: Sunday Times, London
CAMBODIA, VIETNAM: In the jungle of Cambodia, at the site of Phnom Kulen,
20 miles from the temple complex at Angkor Wat, a priceless devotional work
of art, the "River of a Thousand Lingas," has been discovered.
Carved in the rock of a riverbed, the Siva Lingas blessed the water flowing
over them from the mountain as it irrigated the rice paddy fields or
provided a water source to the ancient city of Angkor on the plains.
Similar river carvings exist in India. Dating as far back as 802 ce, when
the Hindu Khmer Empire ruled most of IndoChina, the Phnom Kulen plateau has
multiple temples with sculptures of elephants and lions six meters high.
However, the Vietnamese war has left its mark on this holy site. The area
is infested with landmines and the Cambodian government, lacking in funds
to nurture the temples, has tendered its development out to a company
headed by Seang Nam, the MP for Siem Reap. A road has been cleared to the
Phnom Kulen temples where there are plans for a hotel. Looters are stealing
precious carvings from the site to sell in Bangkok.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/7 22:48:02 ( 520 reads )
|
|
GO TO SOURCE
USA: Time Magazine has named a black Pentecostal megachurch leader in
Dallas and the founder of the Internet's hottest religion-based Web site
among its six "innovators" in the world of religion and
spirituality. Cable network CNN is preparing a televised companion to the
18-month series, which Time launched in June. Spiritual leaders cited by
the magazine and sharing the honors are as follows: Bishop T.D. Jakes,
pastor of the 26,000-member Potter's House in Dallas and a prophet of the
"prosperity gospel;" Rev. Virgilio Elizondo of the San Fernando
Cathedral in San Antonio, Texas, who pioneered the belief that Jesus was of
mixed racial heritage; Steve Waldman, a 38-year-old Internet entrepreneur
who founded Beliefnet.com, the Web's hottest religion site; Byron Kate, a
58-year-old divorced grandmother who developed "The Work," a New
Age-Zen Buddhist program to help people take responsibility for life's
problems; Tariq Ramadan, a Geneva-based lecturer who says European Muslims
need to develop an "Independent Islam;" Jan Willis, a professor
of Buddhism at Wesleyan University, who was able to find peace in a racist
society through Buddhist meditation.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/7 22:47:02 ( 548 reads )
|
|
SUGAR LAND, TEXAS: Houston is home to over 100,000 Vietnamese immigrants.
The city's Vietnamese population is second only in size to that of Los
Angeles. Helping to unify the large immigrant population is the Vietnam
Buddhist Center located on 10 acres in suburban Houston. Along with an
8,000-square-foot temple containing a 35-foot-high Buddha, the property
houses a monastery where monks live and train. Under the guidance of Thich
Nguyen Hahn, the monastery's abbot and founder, about 20 resident monks
serve the community by helping the areas newcomers adjust to American life
while preserving the Buddhist philosophy and Vietnamese culture. Since 1994
when construction began, the center has been gaining recognition.
Immigrants and visitors from all parts of the country travel to the
monastery, which Hahn is working to make an international training
facility.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/7 22:46:02 ( 492 reads )
|
|
JAMNAGAR, INDIA: The second international seminar on ayurveda is being held
in Jamnagar, India from January 5-7, 2001. This will coincide with the
Gujarat Ayurved University's 35th Foundation Day. Taking a leading role in
ayurvedic medicine, the university has advocated that a "Memorandum of
Understanding" to create uniform standards for ayurvedic practice and
medicines be signed between six countries; namely Australia, Japan,
Argentina, The Netherlands, Italy and Germany, as well as the State of
California. Proposals are in the final stages for the official signing of
the memorandum on January 5, 2001. The Naami Institute of Russia has
already connected itself with India and the university. Through this
process of affiliation, uniformity of education and training programs will
be discussed at the international seminar, as well as the availability of
raw materials, and clinical aspects of ayurveda.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/6 22:49:02 ( 484 reads )
|
|
Source: Express & Star News Paper, November 30, 2000
SMETHWICK, ENGLAND: Vandals have smashed down the walls of a US$1.6 million
temple and community centre being built in Smethwick, causing damage put at
$16,000. Community leaders have condemned the "misguided, weak
minded" thugs and say they are very much hurt by the attack on the
Durga Bhawan site in Spon Lane south. The vandals used scaffolding poles
stored on the site to demolish the six-foot-high, partially-built walls of
the Hindu temple last night. It followed the theft of tools worth $8,000
from the building site two months ago. Work on the building started in
August, and the Hindu Cultural Resource Sandwell, which spent ten years
planning the community facility, hoped to open in August, 2001. The temple
and community center complex will house exhibition, conference, wedding,
leisure and sports facilities, a day centre for the elderly, a youth wing,
and counselling and legal services. Classes will also be run in a range of
subjects, including History, English, music, languages and literacy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/6 22:48:02 ( 541 reads )
|
|
BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, October 26, 2000: Epics are everywhere. Theatre critic
Micheal Billington was captivated by a new version of the legendary
Sanskrit saga, the "Ramayana," adapted by Peter Oswald and
produced by Indhu Rubasingham, hailing it "witty and inventive"
delighting the large, multiracial audience. He wrote, "What struck me
was its blend of the spiritual and the secular. It is an adventure story,
but the basic themes are universal: sacrifice, fidelity, sexual and
fraternal love, the conflict of good and evil. What is impressive about
Oswald's version is the way it captures both the story's Hindu origins and
its cross-cultural appeal. If the narrative leaps lightly over East-West
barriers so, too, does Rubasingham's production, which is characterized by
its merry eclecticism. In an age of parsimony it is also astonishing to see
21 actors and two musicians on stage. From a vast company, I would single
out Gerald Kyd as a stately, turquoise Rama, Andrew French as the rapacious
Ravana, Miltos Yerolemou as a hairy, Pan-like Lord Hanuman and Charlotte
Bicknell, who has a remarkable capacity to stay in character while dangling
upside down from a rope. Erratic lighting aside, this is a totally charming
show that gives us access to an Indian classic and combines uplifting
spiritual odyssey with old-fashioned magic."
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/18 22:45:02 ( 541 reads )
|
|
MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CANADA, December 19, 2000: Concordia University announced
it would hold an international conference on the Mahabharata June 7, 8 and
9, 2001. The themes are: methodological problems of teaching the
mahabharata; character analysis based on ethical issues; and challenges and
responses in the context of philosophical, social and other issues. Postal
Address: Dr. Shrinivas Tilak, Department of Religion, Concordia University,
1455 de Maisonneuve Boulevard West, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3G 1M8.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/15 22:49:02 ( 504 reads )
|
|
Source: Deccan Chronicle, Bangalore
MYSORE, SOUTH INDIA, December 6, 2000: Akhila Bharatha Veerashaiva
Mahasabha (ABVM) President Bheemana Khandre has called upon heads of all
Veerashaiva monasteries to unite and mobilize Veerashaivas as a separate
religion to strengthen the community. Speaking as the chief guest on the
"Census Enumeration - 2001 and Awareness Tour," organized by the
prominent Veerashaiva Mahasabha based at Suttur Mutt, Khandre reiterated
that Veerashaivas were not Hindus as they revolted against the Vedic
culture and, by this token, should be recognized as a separate religion in
the census report. He denied that their demands would divide society on
caste issues and told of injustices meted out to this community who are
socially and educationally backward. Neither the Backward Commission
Reports nor the Mandal Commission had benefitted their cause, he said. The
government too had denied them a separate religion listing in column eight
of the census form. Khandre called upon Veerashaivas to insist on their
name being listed on the form.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/15 22:48:02 ( 571 reads )
|
|
LEUVEN, BELGIUM, December 15, 2000: Those interested in the revival of
pre-Christian, Pagan religions now underway in many parts of Europe and
North America may enjoy reading the above paper by Dr. Koenraad Elst.
Groups such as Lithuania-based, World Congress of Ethnic Religions work to
rediscover and reconstitute the religion of their ancestors. With so little
recorded tradition available, and much of that distorted, they often borrow
heavily from the traditions of Hinduism, the world's largest surviving
ancient Pagan faith. While sharing common ground with the neo-Pagan
religions, Elst also candidly explains where the neo-Pagans part company
with traditional Hindus, with regard to certain values, disciplines and
established yogic traditions.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/15 22:47:02 ( 418 reads )
|
|
Source: The Hindu, Chennai
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA, December 14, 2000: An inquisition by the crime
branch of the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala, South India, has been ordered by
the administrative board after a bloated lizard and a shrew tail was
discovered in a prasadam (food blessed in the temple ritual) can by a
devotee. Ruling out the possibility that the creatures were cooked or
packed in the prasadam is the fact that the cooking process is done at 300
degrees Celsius. Neither the rat nor the lizard were charred. A similar
incident of contamination at the Aravana Temple in November resulted in the
high court ordering an investigation by the State Vigilance and
Anti-Corruption Bureau.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/15 22:46:02 ( 507 reads )
|
|
LONDON, ENGLAND: Over a 10-year period Anglican and Roman Catholic
church-attendance figures are down in England and Wales. Baptisms and
church marriages are also in decline. The Anglican Church in Hereford is a
case in point. Even with some 1,000 parishioners, weekly attendance
averages only about 60. At the same time, other religions (not including
Judaism) have tripled in number. One in four people in Leicester (a city in
the British Midlands) is now a Hindu. Countrywide, Islam is the
fastest-growing religion.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/15 22:45:02 ( 495 reads )
|
|
HONESDALE, PENNSYLVANIA, December 15, 2000: Beginning on January 9, 2001,
and continuing through the month, the staff of Himalayan Institute will
post "the Kumbha Mela Times," a daily online newspaper covering
the upcoming Kumbha Mela in Allahabad, India. Thirty million devotees are
expected on the main bathing day in late January.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/15 22:44:02 ( 522 reads )
|
|
WILBRAHAM, MASSACHUSETTS, December 15, 2000: The family of Dr. Abhaychandra
L. Mehta has requested HPI to inform Hindus that Dr. Mehta passed away on
February 28, 2000, two days after his 83rd birthday, of pulmonary fibrosis.
An ayurvedic physician, teacher and practitioner of pancha karma, Dr. Mehta
was the former principal of Gujarat Ayurveda University Hospital in India
and the founder of the Indian Cultural Research and Development Institute
in America.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/14 22:49:02 ( 507 reads )
|
|
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, December 15, 2000: Illinois has become the first state
in the nation to ban the sale of bidi cigarettes, tiny, hand-rolled,
flavored cigarettes, which are popular among young teens. "Bidi
cigarettes resemble marijuana joints, which may influence their
popularity," said the Governor's statement. "The United Stages
government's Centers for Disease Control found that bidis produce three
times the nicotine and carbon monoxide and five times the tar of regular
cigarettes." Bidis are often manufactured in India in sweatshop-like
conditions, sometimes by child labor. The cigarettes are given candy-like
flavors and colorful packaging that appeal to kids. Some think bidis may be
a gateway to drugs because they look like marijuana joints and produce a
powerful head rush. From January 1, violators of the ban in Illinois will
be fined $100 to $1000. The Christian Science Monitor source above gives a
complete story on US policy.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/14 22:48:02 ( 459 reads )
|
|
Source: Indian Express
MUMBAI, INDIA, December 6, 2000: An estimated 250,000 sadhus and 700,000
pilgrims are expected to visit Trimbakeshwar in the Himalayas for a holy
bath between July 30, 2003, and August 26, 2004, when Nashik hosts the
Kumbh Mela. Dates will be ratified at a meeting on January 14 at Allahabad.
According to the dates declared, the Sinhasta Kumbh period begins at 11:51
am on July 30, 2003, and will conclude at 11:49 pm on August 26, 2004.
There will be 20 occasions for holy baths during the 13 months. Along with
pilgrims, there are about 19 Mahants and 22 Akhadas of hermits of Vaishnav
and Saiva sects who are expected to participate in the mela and government
agencies estimate an expenditure of about US$65.2 million to accommodate
the crowds, including improvements to the mela area. The Kumbh Mela is held
once every four years at one of four holy places in India -- ie, Haridwar,
Prayag, Ujjain and Nashik. The 2001 gathering in Prayag (Allahabad) is
expected to be the largest single gathering of human beings in history.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/14 22:47:02 ( 455 reads )
|
|
Source: The Hindu
NEW DELHI, INDIA, December 11, 2000: The Ramakrishna Mission has incurred
an expenditure of over US$22,000,000 on education, health and relief as
well as developmental works undertaken during 1999 - 2000. Over $14.8
million, much of it subsidies from the government of India, was spent by
the Mission's educational institutions imparting knowledge to nearly
170,000 students. Medical services rendered to more than 5,100,000 people
through nine Mission hospitals and dispensaries cost $5,000,000. Relief and
rehabilitation programs undertaken by the Mission benefitted nearly 400,000
people in more than 800 villages.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/14 22:46:02 ( 628 reads )
|
|
Source: Hinduism Today
FLUSHING, NEW YORK, December 15, 2000: According to the latest bulletin
from the Hindu Temple Society of North America which governs the Ganesha
Temple in Flushing, a new dress code is in force. "Certain kinds of
dress are inappropriate for attending the temple," says the bulletin.
"These include shorts for both men and women; very short skirts,
ripped or truncated jeans, etc."
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/13 22:49:02 ( 468 reads )
|
|
Source: Dainkik Bhaskar, Bhopal
KHILCHIPUR, INDIA, December 5, 2000: To promote world peace Sri Ram Nam
Jap, the chanting of Lord Rama's name, has been organized and inspired by
religious leader Sri Balyogi Rammilan Das Ji Maharaj of Kashi at the
Naharda Hanuman Temple premises. According to Sri Balyogi Maharaj, this was
the first huge sacred offering of it's kind where the name of Lord Rama
would be repeated in the forms of chanting, writing, speech and offerings.
The program commenced November 30 with devotees bearing sacred urns in holy
procession around the temple followed by an invocatory prayer to Lord
Ganesh. The event concluded on December 6 with the distribution of blessed
offerings. Sri Balyogi Ji's intention is to organize 108 such mahayagnas to
propagate the well-being of all beings. The high priest, Yagnacharya Pandit
Srinath Das Mehta, presided over the well-attended program.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/13 22:48:02 ( 470 reads )
|
|
Source: South China Morning Post, November 27, 2000
KATHMANDU, INDIA: To have our last rites performed according to the Vedas
is the parting wish of all devout Hindus. With the shortage of wood for
many of the crematoria in Kathmandu, Nepal, the government has established
an electric crematorium in the area around Pashupatinath Temple.
Traditional funerals, with wood and hay for fuel, are performed outdoors.
However, the water level of the nearby Bagmati River is insufficient to
properly dispose of ashes and remains after these traditional cremations,
adding to the already polluted river. A survey of 5,000 citizens of
Kathmandu conducted by the Lions Club supports the new electric
crematorium. Similar crematoriums have been built in Banaras, India, and
are in common use by Hindus elsewhere in the world.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/13 22:47:02 ( 544 reads )
|
|
HOUSTON, TEXAS, December, 2000: To commemorate India's Millennium Republic
Day Celebrations to be held at the George R. Brown Convention Center,
Houston, Texas, on January 27, 2001, the organizing committee is holding an
essay competition covering various aspects of India. Dr. S. Kannappan,
co-chairman of the committee, said the purpose of the competition was to
generate interest in Indian heritage and culture among the youth. "At
the very least, they will feel compelled to open a book and do the
research," he said. Suggested topics include a history of India and/or
Indian immigrants to North America, economics, culture, performing arts,
folklore, impact of Indian immigrants on main stream America, science,
technology and engineering. Students from elementary, middle, high school
and undergraduates studying in the USA are eligible to submit essays or
articles may contact sacommittee@yahoo.com
for details. The deadline is December 29th, 2000.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/12 22:49:02 ( 494 reads )
|
|
ALPERTON, ENGLAND: Indian stonemasons who were paid a mere US$0.96 an hour
have won $160,000 in compensation from their employers. The 10 men, all
from the same region in India, were working on the construction of a $11.2
million Sanatan Hindu temple in Alperton, North London. Their employers,
Shirco Ltd, based in North London, have been ordered to pay the money to
the workers following an investigation by the Inland Revenue. The pay,
retroactive to their hire date, will bring their salaries up to the minimum
wage of $5.92, which is only a fraction of the wage many qualified
stonemasons earn. Enticed to work in Britain by promises of high wages the
men had their passports taken from them on arrival. They were told that if
they disobeyed they would be sacked and have to find their own way back to
India. They lived in a shack on the temple site. One stonemason earned just
$200 a month while working eight hours a day, six days a week. The case has
disturbed many in Britain's one million strong Hindu community.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/21 22:48:02 ( 437 reads )
|
|
Source: The Tribune
AMRITSAR, INDIA, December 21, 2000: Hindu devotees may resume pilgrimages
to Pakistan. The president of the All-India Hindu Shiv Sena has prompted
Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, Prime Minister, to resume talks with Pakistani
leaders to ensure the safety of Hindu pilgrims in that country. A recent
pilgrimage by Sindhi Hindus was abruptly ended when they were ridiculed by
Pakistani officials. However, thousands of Pakistani Muslims peacefully
visit their holy places in India each year.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/21 22:47:02 ( 511 reads )
|
|
Source: Hinduism Today
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 21, 2000: Since President Clinton recognized the
value of Hindu's contributions by way of a Divali message from the White
House, American Hindus have started to promote the idea of a Divali stamp
to be issued by the US Postal Service next year. Aside from Christmas
stamps which are issued by the hundreds of millions, the Jewish holiday of
Hannukah was commemorated by the U.S.P.S. by way of a postage stamp in past
years. They have also announced that a stamp in celebration of the Islamic
religious holiday, Eid Mubarak, is being designed for the year 2001.
Hindu's are requested to send e-mail to pmgceo@usps.gov.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/21 22:46:02 ( 467 reads )
|
|
WASHINGTON, D.C., December 20, 2000: The government released the first
national standards for growing and processing organic foods. Foods that
meet the new federal standards will bear a seal "USDA Organic"
and replace dozens of local standards. The new regulations will ban the use
of biotechnology or irradiation in organic products, which are grown
without the use of synthetic pesticides. It will also ban the use of
antibiotics in organic meat and require dairy cattle to have access to
pasture. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman called the rules "the
strictest, most comprehensive organic standards in the world." Farmers
and handlers will have 18 months to comply with the standards to earn the
USDA seal.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/20 22:49:02 ( 434 reads )
|
|
CHENNAI, INDIA, December 20, 2000: Mauritius has decided to strengthen its
links with India to enhance its educational and training facilities. Mr.
Ramduthsing Jaddoo, a former Minister for Human Resource Development in
Mauritius and the brain behind a movement to revamp higher education is in
India to establish links with some South Indian centers like Chennai,
Bangalore and Hyderabad. He told "The Hindu" newspaper that both
Mauritius government ministries and institutions and the private sector
needed modern, IT-friendly management training to equip themselves for the
era of globalization. He visited the Indian Institute of Technology(IIT)
and met educationalists, on the premise that a consultancy centre would be
established very soon to source the talent from this region for Mauritius
in both employment and in the training faculty. A package for Indians to
both invest in Mauritius and take up professional appointments there would be
unveiled by an official delegation visiting India in January.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/20 22:48:02 ( 448 reads )
|
|
UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA, December 17, 2000: Chief Minister Rajnath Singh's
decision to ban beauty contests has caused heated debates among opposition
parties and BJP allies. Comments range from total agreement by Muslim
organizations and religious leaders, to total disagreement by a female
opposition leader who described the ban as an attack on the fundamental
rights of women. Middle roaders oppose the ban but support limitations on
the beauty contests. Keeping a firm stand, Rajnath Singh is quoted as
saying, "I would not allow beauty contests to be organized in the
state at any cost."
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/20 22:47:02 ( 470 reads )
|
|
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, December 20, 2000: After 14 years and 15 million
dollars, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center has abandoned a project
that was aimed at controlling tobacco use among the youth. 8,388 school
children and 640 teachers in 40 school districts were targeted for the
study. The curriculum, arming the children with tools to resist peer
pressure and advertising influences, was taught from grade three through
grade ten. However recent surveys indicate that the amount of smokers from
this group mimics the general populace who did not participate in the
program. Associated Press said, "24.4 percent of the girls and 26.3
percent of the boys were daily smokers by the 12th grade" -- no
different from the rest of 12th graders. Richard Clayton, a University of
Kentucky researcher, feels that the decision to smoke is an emotional one
and the Washington State program focused incorrectly on a rational
approach.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/20 22:46:02 ( 484 reads )
|
|
WASHINGTON, DC, December, 2000: The Pew Internet and American Life Project
surveyed over 1,000 congregations to see to what extent they're using the
Internet for religious work. The survey found that churches are using the
Internet to offer virtual tours of their grounds, webcast their services,
and post church bulletins, allowing consumers to shop for churches, just as
they shop for goods, online. Clergy surveyed often turn to the Internet to
get material for sermons, church-education programs and their own personal
devotions. Most of the sites are made by members of the congregations.
Although not part of the survey, many Hindu churches and temples around the
world maintain websites.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/19 22:49:02 ( 484 reads )
|
|
Source: Outlook Magazine
NEW DELHI, INDIA, December 20, 2000: The government has secretly initiated
a move to open up tribal-owned properties for acquisition and commercial
exploitation, according to a report in the leftist "Outlook"
magazine. The Union ministry of mines has put up a note marked
"secret" -- No16/48/97-M.VI -- for the committee of secretaries
to encourage an amendment to the constitution's fifth schedule which covers
tribal land. The amendment would circumvent a Supreme Court ruling of 1997
that any lease or license to non-tribals as "absolutely void and
impermissible." The move has set off angry reactions and threats of
protest in Jharkhand and several states which will be affected.
De-reservation of tribal land and rehabilitation of those displaced has
always been a tricky issue. By official estimates only one-fourth of all
tribals displaced between 1951 and 1990 by government projects, in the name
of "national interest," have been resettled. It is feared that
once tribal land is opened up to mining companies, large-scale displacement
of people will occur.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/19 22:48:02 ( 426 reads )
|
|
LUCKNOW, INDIA, December 17, 2000: Even as the country struggles with the
challenges of over-population, the RSS strongly disapproves of "small
families." As noted in their recently prepared booklet, to be
distributed during a month-long, door-to-door campaign in Northern India,
the RSS attributes the rising number of unwed mothers to increased use of
condoms and other family planning methods. Citing some American high
schools where infant care is provided for young student's babies, as
examples of condom use leading to pre-marital sex, they encourage people
not to follow Western ways. They believe a desire for independence on the part
of the young in these small familes has lead to an increase in old-age
homes, as the children are unwilling to care for their aged parents.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/19 22:47:02 ( 451 reads )
|
|
Source: The Times of India
NEW DELHI, INDIA, November 13, 2000: Establishing the location of the
Saraswati River alluded to in ancient Indian religious literature would
authenticate its existence as a mighty Himalayan river. Over 160 Indus
sites were nurtured by the Saraswati, far from the Indus River Valley. Now
satellite photos and ground studies of clay, silt, sand and gravel deposits
establish the course of the river from the Himalayan foothills to the Sind
gulf. This enormous river, over five miles across from shore to shore,
changed its course four times always in a westerly direction. Initially
flowing from the Himalayas in a south-west direction about 4000 bce, the
Saraswati disappeared sometime between 2000 bce and 1500 bce With the
disappearance of the Saraswati River and the migration it caused, the
Ganges and Indus River populations became the central focus towards the end
of the early Vedic period.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/19 22:46:02 ( 475 reads )
|
|
LONDON, ENGLAND, December 19, 2000: Madonna's wedding may assume a
multicultural flare at Skibo castle in Scotland on December 22. A Hindi
scholar has been asked to provide Sanskrit prayers for the ceremony and
Reverend Susan Brown, the first women minister in a British cathedral, will
be conducting the marriage. A senior Hindu leader in London told India
Abroad News Service, "Madonna is well known to have respect for
Sanskrit and for Hindu beliefs, and she is a dedicated yoga
practitioner."
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/18 22:49:02 ( 513 reads )
|
|
Source: Hindustan Times, Dec. 15
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA, December 15, 2000: A division bench of the
Kerala High Court dismissed a petition seeking entry for non-Hindus into
temples. Advocate J. William John petitioned the court claiming that all
Indians are Hindus, and therefore Rule 3 (A) of the Kerala Hindu Places
Worship Act of 1965 preventing the entrance of Christians into temples was
against the fundamental rights of citizens as stated in the
constitution.The division bench rejected the petition observing that
Article 25 (2) B of the constitution empowers the government to allow all
sections of Hindus, but not necessarily all Indians, in Hindu public
institutions. So, they said, there is no constitutional right to the
petitioner to get an order declaring that all citizens be allowed in
temples.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/18 22:48:02 ( 540 reads )
|
|
ARHUS, DENMARK, December 18, 2000: Ali Simsek, like millions of Turkish
immigrants drawn to Europe came to Denmark in 1970. His family joined him
but in all the years, Mr. Simsek never learned a word of Danish or forsook
Turkish customs. When his oldest son, Bunyamin, turned 17 in 1987, Mr.
Simsek arranged a marriage for him with Sorgul Ceran from Turkey, a
daughter of an old friend. But after the birth of a child and the
completion of Bunyamin's education, things quickly soured, failure owing to
unsettling contradictions of their lives."My wife was wearing a veil,
a problem for me in Denmark, as my friends are Danes," he says. This
is one case of why forced arranged marriage is a target of ridicule across
Europe. "Immigrants must adapt to Danish cultural norms," said
Nils Preiser, a senior Interior Ministry official. Bunyamin, now 30, is a
Danish-speaking citizen at ease with the give-and-take of Western society,
an olive-skinned Muslim in a land of Vikings. Some people call him a
"Nydansker," or "New Dane," a term that sets him and
others like him apart. "Like many second-generation immigrants, I have
two identities," he says. Arranged marriage is also an issue in the UK
where too often the match is forced.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/18 22:47:02 ( 515 reads )
|
|
LONDON, ENGLAND, December 19, 2000: The story of the Sidis, the Indian
community of African descent which has lost contact with its African origins,
has attracted enormous interest from around the world. A recent report on
BBC News Online by Andrew Whitehead about the Sidis' quest for their
history has prompted hundreds of e-mails. "The song of the Sidi ladies
in India," wrote Basha Sebro in Ethiopia, "is very similar to one
sung by my father's tribe in Harar in Ethiopia." But it's possible
that Sidis' had west African origins, with the Sidi village of Jambur,
sharing a name with a village in The Gambia. "The Sheedi or Makrani
community outside Karachi in Pakistan was part of the Sultanate of
Oman," explains Asim Alavi in the US, "and Sheedis came here as
slaves." E-mails about an African trading community near Belgaum,
again in southern India, and about small settlements in western Sri Lanka
were also received. Some emails reflected resentment that Sidis were being
regarded as an anthropological curiosity.
|
|
BERGEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY, December 15, 2000: Bergen County in North Jersey has
become the home to the third-highest number of Indian Asians in the U.S.A. In
order to keep their religion and culture thriving, the Hindu Samaj has
purchased 5 wooded acres where the congregation of about 200 families plans to
build a 26,000-square foot temple and community center. An old Victorian House
is in the process of being renovated to house a priest for the temple. Upon
completion in January, 2001, a priest will be hired to host prayer groups in
the house until the temple is completed. Construction will begin after the
group has raised at least $1 million. The new temple will cost in the vicinity
of $3 million. Other religions have places of worship nearby and the mayor of
Bergen Country said the temple has no strong opposition.
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/27 22:47:02 ( 468 reads )
|
|
KATHMANDU, NEPAL, December 25, 2000: The world's most famous Sherpa was
really not a Sherpa at all. Tenzing Norgay, along with Edmund Hillary, were
the first to conquer Mt. Everest in 1953. He was a Tibetan and not a
Nepali, according to a new book. "Snow in the Kingdom," by
American mountaineer Ed Webster claims Tenzing was born in Tibet and spent
much of his childhood there. When Tenzing climbed Everest in 1953, both
Nepal and India saw great propaganda value in claiming him, a humble-born
Asian achieving global fame, as their own. Throughout his life, Tenzing remained
vague about his background. This caution was partly explained by political
wrangling. After climbing Everest, he was invited to England but lacked a
passport. Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru personally ensured the issuance
of an Indian Passport which upset the Nepalese authorities. Nehru was also
instrumental in the establishment of a mountaineering school in Darjeeling,
which Tenzing helped to run. Tenzing died in 1986.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/27 22:46:02 ( 465 reads )
|
|
HANOVER, GERMANY, September 4, 2000: The Indian Pavilion at the Expo 2000
in Hanover drew record crowds and rave reviews from the German public.
11,000 to 12,000 German visitors toured the Indian Pavilion every day to
view the splendor and richness of both ancient and modern India. From the
invention of zero to high tech achievements to culture and art, the
Pavilion showcased India's knowledge and contributions. The theme of the India
Pavilion, "Art of Living in Harmony," highlighted the power of
knowledge, cultivated over centuries, and its extensive use in all facets
of life. Visitors were shown how India has used this knowledge successfully
to provide mankind with alternative solutions for peaceful co-existence
with nature, medicine, technology, culture, arts and more. The German
visitors showed great interest in meditation, yoga demonstrations,
ayurveda, and Vedic astrology, besides cultural programs and artistic
demonstrations.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/26 22:49:02 ( 476 reads )
|
|
BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA, October 25, 2000: Yoga was recently introduced at
both the primary and high school level as part of the gym curriculum in
Slovakia. Swami Maheswarananda's "Yoga in Daily Life"
organization worked for years to implement the program, which was welcomed
by school officials and students alike. However, Catholic leaders have
objected to this form of physical exercise protesting that it is affiliated
with Eastern religions.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/26 22:48:02 ( 513 reads )
|
|
IPOH, MALAYSIA, December 25, 2000: The descendants of Marimuthu Ammal
created history by holding the largest Indian family gathering, with some
480 relatives from peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Singapore and New Zealand
turning up. They comprised a third of about 1,200 descendants of the
matriarch, who first came to Malaysia in the 19th century. The oldest in
the group was third-generation descendant Sundari Kandasammy Ammal, 87, of
Kuala Lumpur, who said, "I am so glad that this gathering has
materialized. I hope everyone will stay united.'' Marimuthu Ammal, a
contractor, and her husband Muthu Ramalingam Pillai arrived in Taiping from
Karaikal in South India and were said to have built a fortune through
railways, roads and sanitary contracts.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/26 22:47:02 ( 481 reads )
|
|
Source: Religion News Service
WASHINGTON, DC, December 22, 2000: The "Return to Home"
legislation was passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton on
Thursday, December 21. A coalition of religious groups collaborated so that
Medicare patients suffering from severe illnesses could be treated at care
facilities close to home or those affiliated with their faith. Previously,
loved ones were forced to stay at facilities outlined specifically by their
health-maintenance organizations even if they were far from home or in an
environment not suited to their religious culture. The bill is widely
supported by those who believe spiritual practices and the support of
family and friends are essential for healing. The bill should apply to
Hindu homes for the elderly in the USA.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/26 22:46:02 ( 515 reads )
|
|
KATHMANDU, NEPAL, December 24, 2000: Nepal, the world's only Hindu Kingdom,
will begin paying a monthly maintenance allowance to its "living
Goddesses," chosen girls worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists. The
living Goddesses, all referred to as "Sri Kumari," are revered by
thousands in Nepal. In accordance with Nepali tradition, a young girl is
carefully chosen to serve as a living Goddess. She then moves away from
home and resides in a special home, of which each major area of the city
has one. She serves until the onset of puberty. Narendra Man Shrestha, a
finance ministry official, announced the government would begin paying a
monthly maintenance allowance of US$81.00 to the serving living Goddess and
a $40.50 rupee monthly pension after retirement. The benefits are seen as a
means to uphold the cultural and religious traditions of Nepal, as well as
to compensate for the difficulty some of these girls have in getting
married.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/25 22:49:02 ( 445 reads )
|
|
BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA, October 25, 2000: Yoga was recently introduced at
both the primary and high school level as part of the gym curriculum in
Slovakia. Swami Maheswarananda's "Yoga in Daily Life"
organization worked for years to implement the program, which was welcomed
by school officials and students alike. However, Catholic leaders have
objected to this form of physical exercise protesting that it is affiliated
with Eastern religions.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/25 22:48:02 ( 557 reads )
|
|
IPOH, MALAYSIA, December 25, 2000: The descendants of Marimuthu Ammal
created history by holding the largest Indian family gathering, with some
480 relatives from peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Singapore and New Zealand
turning up. They comprised a third of about 1,200 descendants of the
matriarch, who first came to Malaysia in the 19th century. The oldest in
the group was third-generation descendant Sundari Kandasammy Ammal, 87, of
Kuala Lumpur, who said, "I am so glad that this gathering has
materialized. I hope everyone will stay united.'' Marimuthu Ammal, a
contractor, and her husband Muthu Ramalingam Pillai arrived in Taiping from
Karaikal in South India and were said to have built a fortune through
railways, roads and sanitary contracts.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/25 22:47:02 ( 452 reads )
|
|
Source: Religion News Service
WASHINGTON, DC, December 22, 2000: The "Return to Home"
legislation was passed by Congress and signed by President Clinton on
Thursday, December 21. A coalition of religious groups collaborated so that
Medicare patients suffering from severe illnesses could be treated at care
facilities close to home or those affiliated with their faith. Previously,
loved ones were forced to stay at facilities outlined specifically by their
health-maintenance organizations even if they were far from home or in an
environment not suited to their religious culture. The bill is widely
supported by those who believe spiritual practices and the support of
family and friends are essential for healing. The bill should apply to
Hindu homes for the elderly in the USA.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/25 22:46:02 ( 464 reads )
|
|
KATHMANDU, NEPAL, December 24, 2000: Nepal, the world's only Hindu Kingdom,
will begin paying a monthly maintenance allowance to its "living
Goddesses," chosen girls worshipped by Hindus and Buddhists. The
living Goddesses, all referred to as "Sri Kumari," are revered by
thousands in Nepal. In accordance with Nepali tradition, a young girl is
carefully chosen to serve as a living Goddess. She then moves away from
home and resides in a special home, of which each major area of the city
has one. She serves until the onset of puberty. Narendra Man Shrestha, a
finance ministry official, announced the government would begin paying a
monthly maintenance allowance of US$81.00 to the serving living Goddess and
a $40.50 rupee monthly pension after retirement. The benefits are seen as a
means to uphold the cultural and religious traditions of Nepal, as well as
to compensate for the difficulty some of these girls have in getting
married.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/22 22:49:02 ( 471 reads )
|
|
A
HREF="http://live.altavista.com/scripts/editorial.dll?ei=2341627ern=y"GO
TO SOURCE/A/P
P
GANDHINAGAR, INDIA, December 21, 2000: Christian religious conversions by
enticement or force has segmented the tribal communities in Gujarat. As a
result, the State Reserve Police has been called upon to restrain any
violence that may be targeted against the Christian community during
Christmas celebrations. Meetings between Hindu and Christian groups have
attempted to curb the violence, but unrest between the two groups has been
prevalent in the state since 1998.
/P
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/22 22:48:02 ( 457 reads )
|
|
LUCKNOW, INDIA, December 20, 2000: In a colorful ceremony, Priyanka
Chopra,18, was crowned Miss World in London, England, in November of this
year. However, upon arrival in her home state of Uttar Pradesh, no
reception was given. Chief minister Rajnath Singh, supported by both Hindu
and Muslim conservative, banned beauty contests in the state last week,
declaring them to be a violation of traditional culture.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
MUMBAI, INDIA, December 21, 2000: An international animal rights group,
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), said it planned to urge
some Middle Eastern countries to boycott meat from an Indian abattoir
(slaughter house) because of its unhygienic and inhumane conditions. They
will present a video of the conditions in the Deonar abattoir in the city
of Bombay as evidence. Jason Baker, PETA's India head, said he would meet
government officials in Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Qatar.
Members of PETA are demanding that the government-owned slaughterhouse be
closed until animal protection laws were met. "I will investigate the
matter, and if it is true, then I will stop these practices,"
Hareshwar Patil, mayor of Mumbai, told Reuters. PETA estimates around 13
million cows are slaughtered in India every year for beef and hide despite
their sacred status in Hinduism.
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/22 22:46:02 ( 564 reads )
|
|
ANDAMAN ISLANDS, INDIA: December 21, 2000: The Catholic news service Zenit
out of Rome reported that Hindu radicals in India murdered a Catholic
priest. A group of men raided the residence of Port Blair priest John Peter
December 15 and killed him with knives and clubs, and left behind materials
denouncing the priest's activities in converting Hindus, Zenit reported.
Port Blair is the capital city of the Andaman Islands, located in the Bay
of Bengal. Catholic officials urged the New Delhi government to find those
responsible and guarantee the safety of Christians in the islands. No news
of this event was reported in Delhi papers.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/21 22:49:02 ( 462 reads )
|
|
Source: Indian Express
NEW DELHI, INDIA, December 21, 2000: India's Public broadcaster,
Doordarshan, leads the way in capturing Indian mythologicals for
telecasting on its various channels. Serials like "Ramayana" and
"Sri Krishna" have been overwhelmingly successful. As a result,
DD plans to expand its present mythologicals from five to eight. Producer
Ramanand Sagar commented, "Serials based on religion instill values
and a sense of duty among viewers."
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/31 22:47:02 ( 534 reads )
|
|
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, December 20, 2000: The review of "Kali's
Child" by Swami Tyagananda of the Ramakrishna Mission, Boston, is up
on the Infinity Foundation website. His review discusses every instance of
the Bengali translation that he considers as false, misleading or from a
non-existent source. It is 100+ pages in length. For those who are new to
this matter, "Kali's Child" was the PhD dissertation by Jeff
Kripal at Univ of Chicago. The thesis concluded that Ramakrishna was
homosexual, based on referring to various texts in Bengali. But later when
challenged, the author admitted that he was not an expert in Bengali
language. The book has sold well. It has angered many Hindus for what they
consider its unfounded analysis and use of discredited Freudian theories.
The Swami's report is a welcome, in-depth analysis of what many believed to
be flawed scholarship.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/30 22:49:02 ( 422 reads )
|
|
Source: The Sunday Times, London
DUNGARPAR, INDIA, December 17, 2000: Sharda Suthar, 30, and her family live
a simple life in a tiny village in northwest India, until last week, when
the illiterate mother of two heard that her husband, Suresh, 32, was one of
16 Indian stonemasons who had been awarded up to US$13,433 in back pay for
their work on a Hindu temple in Wembley, north London. They had won a legal
battle against employers who paid them as little as 45 cents an hour, less
than a tenth of the minimum wage. In the villages of southern Rajasthan, it
is a fortune. "We'll be able to build our own house and send the boys
to good schools," said Suthar. "Perhaps my husband will also be
able to start his own business." Such luxuries were unheard of even
after Suthar was recruited in 1998, for $246 a month to be paid in cash
back home. News of the windfall spread rapidly last week in Thana with
newspapers still being read out to those who had never had the chance of an
education. "Prosperity in the village will increase," said Deepak
Acharya, a spokesman for the local authority. "Of course the money
will not be for everyone, but for a few families and their relations it
will be very good." Now that they are earning the minimum wage of
$2.41 an hour, the men are happy to stay on in London.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/30 22:48:02 ( 461 reads )
|
|
AYODHYA, INDIA, December 18, 2000: Masons assembling the stonework for
India's most controversial Hindu temple in Ayodhya near the demolished
Babri Masjid have been ordered to finish their work by March 31. Babri
Masjid was built after the temple marking the birthplace of Rama was
destroyed by Muslims. Almost daily trucks arrive in the town's two
dedicated Ram temple workshops bearing tons of Rajasthan's finest rosy
sandstone to be carved to designs by the architect of the Swaminarayan
temple in Neasden, North London. Here workmen squat on semi-finished
pillars chiselling images of Ganesh, Hanuman and Goddesses, all under the
careful eye of the the VHP. Officials make no effort to hide the
preparations, showing where 21 foundation stones lie finished, grooved and
numbered waiting only for the order to start assembly. Even as foremen told
how their 50 craftsmen have already finished 60 per cent of the work --
including 106 of the 212 ornately carved pillars required -- a giant crane
bearing "Victory for Ram" slogans swung another chunk of pink
across to a circular saw.
|
|
No comment
|
|
|
|
|
Posted on 2000/12/30 22:47:02 ( 426 reads )
|
|
Source: Hindustan Times
LUCKNOW, INDIA, December 28, 2000: Police stopped a 32-year-old widow,
Radha Rai, from committing sati -- burning herself to death on her
husband's funeral pyre -- December 26. Radha, who had dressed as a
newly-wed bride, said she had had a dream in which she was directed to
commit sati, an ancient practice in some parts of India among martial
castes. According to the news report, even her children did not try to stop
her. However other villages alerted the police who arrived in time. They
declined to arrest her, out of "human consideration." Had she
succeeded, her relatives and others in attendance could have been
prosecuted for murder. The last sati to be reported was November, 1999. Her
village of Kidhauli is 270 miles miles southeast of Delhi. There are
temples built at the site of satis, some visited by many devotees, mostly
women.
|
|
No comment
|
|
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)
No comments:
Post a Comment