News from Hindu Press International
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Posted on 2013/12/30 18:51:25 ( 107 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, December 29, 2013 (Indian Express): (HPI Note: this news
item from the Indian Express is part of our effort to inform the Hindu
public of all sides of the issue of gay rights now being debated not only
in India but in many countries.)
Religious leaders on Sunday came together to oppose the UPA government's
decision to review the Supreme Court decision criminalizing homosexuality
and threatened to hold agitations if any move was made to dilute Section
377 of the IPC. Leaders of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian and Jain
religions said homosexuality is "a menace of Western countries"
and it will destroy India's religious, moral, social, and cultural values.
Presiding over the public convention held in Delhi, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
president Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari warned the government from enacting
any bill which decriminalizes homosexuality or depreciates section 377 of
the Indian Penal Code. "We all religious leaders are campaigning
against homosexuality and will approach the government and parliamentarians
to convince them not to make any move to decriminalize homosexuality.
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Posted on 2013/12/30 18:51:18 ( 118 reads )
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Water is sufficient to cleanse the body, but truthfulness alone can purify
the mind.
-- Tirukkural 298
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Posted on 2013/12/28 17:45:11 ( 394 reads )
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INDIA, December 16, 2013 (Forbes): Mukesh Ambani, India's richest person,
who's a strict vegetarian and animal lover, has issued an order banning all
nonvegetarian products from his Reliance Retail chain. This involves
shutting down 100-odd Reliance Delight stores that sell a range of fresh
and frozen meats and seafood, including the Real brand of frozen chicken
owned by fellow billionaire Adi Godrej's group.
Apparently, Ambani took this decision to go vegetarian after demands from a
section of shareholders of his Reliance Industries who claimed that
Reliance's nonvegetarian business hurt their religious sentiments.
According to one news report, a good chunk of the company's shareholders
are also strict vegetarians like Ambani and belong to the Gujarati
community (as Ambani does himself) or are Jains. A spokesperson of the
company confirmed to Forbes that the move was being mulled within the group
for a few months now.
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Posted on 2013/12/28 17:45:05 ( 250 reads )
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Like a tortoise withdrawing five limbs into its shell, those who restrain
the five senses in one life will find safe shelter for seven.
-- Tirukkural 126
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Posted on 2013/12/27 18:21:48 ( 523 reads )
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KERALA, INDIA, September 4, 2012 (India Today): The debate over love jihad
is back again following a spate of recent incidents. On June 25, Kerala
Chief Minister Oommen Chandy informed the state legislature that 2,667
young women were converted to Islam in the state since 2006.
Chandy gave the figures related to conversions in the state legislature as
a written answer to an unstarred question raised by K. K. Latika, a CPI(M)
legislator. According to the Chief Minister a total number of 7,713 persons
were converted to Islam during 2006-2012 as against 2,803 conversions to
Hinduism. Interestingly he said no statistic was available as to the number
converted to Christianity during the period. Among those converted to Islam
during 2009-12, as many as 2,667 were young women of which 2,195 were
Hindus and 492 were Christians. As against this number of young women
converted during 2009-12 to Christianity and Hinduism were 79 and two
respectively.
Hindu and Christian groups are repeating their long-standing demand for a
thorough investigation into the phenomenon of "love jihad" in
which Muslim youths lure young women from other communities to convert to
Islam feigning love.
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Posted on 2013/12/27 18:21:40 ( 562 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, December 14, 2013 (Uday India): Prof. Bharat Gupt, a
classicist and dharmashastra scholar held a talk at Delhi's Habitat Centre
on November 25 on "Hindu View of Homosexuality." He examined the
issue along with a fellow speaker and discussant Dr. Come Carpentier of
France. He observed that talking about the rights of the homosexual/gay individuals
seems to be one of the major agendas of social reforms in India today. Many
people think that ancient Hindu ideas were entirely compatible with the
views of modern European and American notions. According to Prof. Gupt The
ancient Hindu society did not consider the homosexuals as perverts or
sinners. As the term, tritiiya-prakriti or third nature describes them,
they are being themselves, they are being natural. This is the primary
difference between the Christian and the Hindu attitude. Christianity did
not accept the third nature and hence imposed a punishment on their
activities.
To read the original article, click on 'source' above.
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Posted on 2013/12/27 18:21:34 ( 256 reads )
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There are two great forces in the universe, silence and speech. Silence
prepares, speech creates. The strength of noise and activity is great. But
infinite is the strength of stillness and silence, in which great forces
prepare for action. To be capable of silence, stillness and illuminated
passivity is to be fit for immortality.
-- Sri Aurobido (1879-1950)
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Posted on 2013/12/26 8:22:56 ( 318 reads )
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WASHINGTON, DC, November 28, 2013 (HAF Press Release): Are you passionate
about public policy? Are you interested in being a Hindu American advocate?
Want to build an active Hindu American voice in government?
If so, look no further than the Hindu American Congressional Internship!
The Hindu American Congressional Internship is a unique opportunity for
selected undergraduate students to spend an exciting summer in our nation's
capitol working for Congressional offices. Sponsored by the Hindu American
Foundation, this internship program aims to provide students with
real-world public policy experience through two lenses. First, working as
interns in a Congressional office or committee alongside staffers, students
will gain the perspective of a Congressional "insider." Second,
by participating in events such as HAF's DC Advocacy Days and interacting
with the HAF team, interns will gain first hand experience as Hindu
American advocates.
Selected students will spend approximately eight weeks between June and
early August 2014 interning in a Congressional office or committee.
Internships in Congressional offices are highly coveted, and the process
for a student to obtain an internship is competitive. HAF's ability to
offer intern positions in Congressional offices is due solely to the
relationships the foundation has built with Congress over the past decade
and its consistent presence on the Hill. Past HAF interns have worked for
both House and Senate offices as well as for the House Foreign Relations
Committee. Student accepted into this program will not only serve as
interns for the Congressional offices, but also as representatives of HAF
and the broader Hindu American community. Over the course of the
internship, HAF will check in periodically with Congressional offices to
assess and ensure their satisfaction with the interns' performance.
HAF is a non-partisan organization that works with both sides of the aisle,
and thus, is unable to honor office placement requests on a partisan basis.
Though not always the case, interns are often placed in offices that
represent their home state. Occasionally, summer internship opportunities
arise at prestigious think tanks and relevant NGOs in D.C. Should HAF be
made aware of such an opportunity, aligning with an intern's background and
interests as well as the dates of this program, HAF will consider placement
of the intern in said program. As part of orientation in early June, all
interns will participate in HAF's 11th annual D.C. Advocacy Days. This will
allow them to meet the national HAF team as well as immediately dive into
the world of Hindu American advocacy. Interns will also have various events
scheduled with HAF staff to increase their exposure to the important work
of the foundation. At least once over the summer, HAF may host a briefing
on Hindu human rights. Interns will be expected to help organize and attend
the briefing (with permission from their Congressional offices).
Additionally, HAF organizes Friday lunches for interns to meet with
prominent Hindu Americans in public policy as well as interfaith partners
who are active on the Hill. A number of social events will take place over
the summer that provide for important networking opportunities. HAF
strongly encourages interns to take advantage of them.
HAF provides all interns with living and travel stipends. Additionally,
housing arrangements are made by HAF through Washington Intern Student
Housing (WISH).
Click "source" above for requirements and the application
process.
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Posted on 2013/12/26 8:22:50 ( 272 reads )
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As you pray to God for devotion, so also pray that you may not find fault
with anyone.
-- Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886)
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Posted on 2013/12/22 17:38:16 ( 411 reads )
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THRISSUR, KERALA, December 21, 2013 (The Hindu): A museum that will display
the evolution of Ayurveda will be opened soon at Thaikkattussery, near
here. On December 27, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, former President, will inaugurate
the museum. It will showcase the rich traditions of Ayurveda, its evolution
through millennia and the contribution of Ayurveda acharyas.
"A library of ancient scriptures, reference books, a 3D gallery
traversing through the history of Ayurveda are preserved in their natural
settings," said Astavaidyan E.T. Narayanan Mooss, who supervised the
setting up of the museum.
The exhibits in the museum have been divided into various sections, which
include display of authoritative texts on Ayurveda, description of various
ancient practices of black magic, study of Vedas, Yaagas and Yajnas,
Gurukula system, Rasasalas or pharmacies of ancient times, pulse diagnosing
and various researches in Ayurveda, said Mr. Narayanan Mooss.
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Posted on 2013/12/22 17:38:10 ( 432 reads )
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BALI, December 17, 2013 (Jakarta Post): Computer engineering students
introduced various unique, fun games themed on Balinese traditions during
the Denpasar Technology, Information and Communication (DTIK) Festival held
from Dec. 12 to 15. In the city's first IT festival, held in Taman Kota,
they exhibited their unique creations to teach gamers about local culture,
including how to make canang (simple religious offerings) and to learn
about Balinese classic masks and folklore.
I Made Lanang Nugraha from Ganesha University of Education created an
interactive application about Balinese classic masks using touch screen
technology. Lanang, currently in his last semester, developed an
Android-based application of augmented reality to make Balinese classic
masks more familiar to gamers in a more attractive way than reading books.
Meanwhile, students from Udayana University's engineering faculty exhibited
simple games they developed this year on how to make canang, as well as
others involving folklore. Children and adults will find it easy to play
the canang game. They will be challenged to arrange the canang elements
appropriately, based on the concepts of the gods, for example, where to put
the red flowers and in which direction it should face.
Some Balinese culture-based applications are now available for free
download. A tutorial video and audio to learn Balinese language can be
downloaded at BasaBali.org. People can also download D'kala, a game about
the ogoh-ogoh giant effigies and the philosophy behind them.
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Posted on 2013/12/22 17:38:04 ( 396 reads )
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About many things in Hinduism I had once been inclined to believe that
there was much of dream in it, much that was delusion and maya. But now day
after day I realized in the mind, I realized in the heart, I realized in
the body the truths of the Hindu religion. They became living experiences
to me, and things were opened to me which no material science could
explain.
-- Sri Aurobindo (1879-1950)
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Posted on 2013/12/21 17:29:57 ( 491 reads )
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BALI, December 18, 2013 (by Desy Nurhyati, the Jakarta Post): India has
become an emerging tourism market for Bali as the number of Indian visitors
has shown continuous increase over the last several years. The latest data
from the Bali office of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) showed that the
number of Indian tourists to Bali increased by 51.1 percent year-on-year as
of the end of October.
[Total foreign tourists to Bali for 2011 was 2.8 million. First country of
origin is Australia with 790,000, second China with 240,000, third, Japan
with 183,000 and fourth Malaysia with 170,000. Tourism brought US$8.6
billion into Indonesia in 2011.]
Ranked 14th among the island's main foreign arrivals, India contributed
52,993 tourists during the January to October period, rising from 35,071 in
the same period last year. Despite being a large potential market, India
has not yet become a main promotions target for the government and tourist
businesses, said senior tourism practitioner Bagus Sudibya.
"Furthermore, the predominantly Hindu island has a strong bond with
India as both are rich in Hindu culture, making India more relevant for
promotions," Sudibya said, adding that India and Indonesia shared many
common interests and values. According to Sudibya, Indian tourists could
contribute significantly to Bali's tourism as they were big spenders and
usually preferred to stay in luxury hotels.
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Posted on 2013/12/21 17:29:51 ( 518 reads )
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AHMEDABAD, INDIA, November 18, 2013 (Times Of India): Some sing for fame,
some for pleasure. But Namrata Shodhan sings to heal -- she has devoted her
singing to the cause of helping needy patients of renal failure get
life-saving dialysis.
In the past five years, the 50-year-old's music has helped raise around
US$81,000 for hospitals for dialysis. In the past year, Namrata has
collected $16,000 through her singing and given the money to three
hospitals in Nadiad, Rajkot and Ahmedabad to fund about 25,000 dialysis
procedures. Patients with kidney failure need dialysis every fourth day to
survive. Each procedure costs between $5 and $22.50 in government or
trust-run hospitals. In private hospitals, it costs between $24 and $32.
Namrata took to devotional Krishna music early in life. Later she moved to
the US. On her return to Ahmedabad in 1998 she started giving free bhajan
lessons -- that group has swelled to a 200-member Satsang Mandal today.
Namrata also started organizing concerts of Meera bhajans without charge a
fee. A chance meeting with kidney patient and Bharatnatyam dancer Nikita
Ghiya in 2009 prompted her to ask people to support the cause of
renal-failure patients.
Namrata along with gynaecologist friend Dr. Darshana Thakkar put together a
collection of 42 audio CDs as personal and corporate gifts. "I never
ask for donations," says Namrata. "I just convey [information] to
people about the cause and people support it."
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Posted on 2013/12/21 17:29:44 ( 568 reads )
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Religious
News Service
LEWISTON, MAINE, December 21, 2013 (by G. Jeffrey Macdonald, RNS): [HPI
Note: The Christian Seventh-Day Adventists advocate a vegetarian diet.]
On a main drag dotted with fast food joints, a new Christian church-run
restaurant is breaking the mold: It offers vegan fare as a healthy
alternative in a low-income neighborhood. But for Seventh-day Adventists,
who opened The Ark in a former Pizza Hut earlier this year, the project is
no first. Adventists established meatless restaurants as early as the late
19th century in a bid to encourage healthy living.
Now, after decades of lackluster interest, the tradition is being revived.
Eager to rekindle urban ministries, Adventists are feeding growing numbers
of city dwellers hungry for meals that are good for both the body and the
planet. "There's greater interest in vegetarian eating and healthful
living now than ever," said David Trim, director of archives, statistics
and research for the Seventh-day Adventist Church. "It's an idea whose
time has come."
Adventists have opened new vegetarian restaurants this year in New York
City, Phnom Penh (Cambodia), Copenhagen (Denmark) and Tampere (Finland),
according to Trim's records. Others have sprung up in recent years in
cities as varied as San Francisco and Chattanooga, Tenn. More are in the
works in countries from England to Brunei, a Muslim nation where Christian
evangelism is banned but operating a restaurant is permitted.
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Posted on 2013/12/21 17:29:38 ( 389 reads )
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Remain calm, serene, always in command of yourself. You will then find out
how easy it is to get along.
-- Paramahansa Yogananda (1893-1952), Founder of Self-Realization
Fellowship
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Posted on 2013/12/20 17:32:12 ( 555 reads )
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KARACHI, PAKISTAN, December 19, 2013 (Outlook India): A large number of
Pakistani Hindus today joined a protest outside the Press Club here over
the demolition of an 80-year-old temple in the city's Soldier Bazar area.
The Krishna or Rama Peer Mandir at Dholi Khata in Soldier Bazar has become
a bone of contention between the minority Hindu community and a powerful
builder, who bought the land on which the temple was built from the
military estate office through a government auction.
"Religious articles, including pictures and statuettes of our gods,
are still lying in the rubble of the demolished temple and families living
in the compound on which the temple was built still remain homeless,"
Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, patron of the Pakistan Hindu Council, told PTI.
"The departments responsible for this gross injustice are the military
estate office and the Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB), who auctioned
off the land to a powerful builder without caring about our
sentiments," said Vankwani.
An ETPB official, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed the temple
was illegally built on military land that had been auctioned. The temple
was legally razed on the orders of a court, he said. But Vankwani insisted
that maps with the ETPB showed the temple was present on the plot even
before Partition.
The 1998 census - the last official population count - placed Pakistan's
Hindu population at 2.5 million.
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Posted on 2013/12/20 17:32:06 ( 448 reads )
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JAMMU, INDIA, December 14, 2013 (Business Standard): As a result of the
directions issued by Chairman of Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board N. N.
Vohra, Shri Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board (SMVDB) has planted over 550,000
saplings, including forest, horticulture, floriculture, medicinal and
ornamental species of plants during the last 4 years, a spokesman of SMVD
said.
The initiative is aimed at conserving the environment and ecology and
greening the Trikuta Hills and the tracks leading to the shrine.
In addition, 150,000 saplings of different species of plants were planted
during the monsoon plantation season of 2013, spokesman said, adding that
as many as 150,000 plants are being planted during the present winter
plantation season, which will raise the number of plants put in the ground
to 700,000.
CEO of SMVD Mandeep Bhandari said to generate in-house production of
indigenous species of plants compatible to the local climatic conditions in
the Trikuta Hills area, a multi-purpose nursery with a capacity to produce
more than 200,000 seedlings per year is being set up at Kunkuniyallan
village, near Panthal by the Board.
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Posted on 2014/1/5 15:56:23 ( 259 reads )
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PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA, January 4, 2014 (Free Malaysia Today): Devotees
fulfilling their penance during Thaipusam in Batu Caves will no longer be
allowed to carry "fancy" kavadis bearing logos of their
associations, favorite soccer clubs, movie stars or uncommon fruits and
items. The Malaysian Hindu Sangam said devotees who failed to adhere to the
new regulations will have to face the prospect of not being able to fulfill
their religious obligations.
"The committee has decided on several new regulations to ensure a
smooth Thaipusam. We will strictly adhere to the new rules. "Devotees
who defy the kavadi regulations will not be allowed into the temple to
fulfill their penance," said Hindu Sangam president RS Mohan Shan.
He said a new task force comprising Hindu Sangam, security officials and
several other Indian NGOs had been set-up to ensure the new guidelines are
properly implemented during the January 17 Thaipusam festival.
Speaking at a press conference, here, he said Kavadis should be designed in
worship of Thaipusam's lead Deity which is Lord Muruga. "This year we
will not allow kavadi bearers to wear black skirts and smoke cheroot in the
name of God. "Devotees are also not allowed to have long fancy nails
and hooks bearing uncommon fruits such as durians on their backs. This is
not a real Thaipusam practice.
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Posted on 2014/1/5 15:56:16 ( 260 reads )
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www.nytimes.com/2014/01/03arts ...
n-at-sackler-gallery.html
WASHINGTON D.C., January 2, 2014 (New York Times): Pain is a problem. So is
pleasure, which causes pain -- discontent, confusion, depression -- when it
ends, as it always does. Escape from this cycle has been a goal of
spiritual disciplines universally. And one of those disciplines is the
subject of an immensely pleasurable exhibition called "Yoga: The Art
of Transformation" at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery here.
Yoga, in this instance, is not a matter of meditation mats and Whole Foods
Wellness Clubs. It's a shattering personal revolution. It's about leaving
home, going naked, fasting for years, freezing in winter, roasting in
summer, being shunned by the living and lying down with the dead. It's
about perfecting your body in order to lose it, loosening your mind till
the cosmos floods in. Whether, in the end, you glow like a God or blow away
like an ash, pain and pleasure will be a thousand yesterdays in the past.
The origins of the ideas and actions we call yoga are obscure, and the
visual history all but unstudied. The Sackler show is the first major art
survey in the United States to tackle the subject. There is evidence that
religious ascetics were wandering North India as early as the fifth century
B.C., practicing meditation and breath control in pursuit of
mind-over-matter transcendence. By the second century A.D. their methods
and were codified in the Yoga Sutras, a philosophical treatise attributed
to a sage named Patanjali.
"Yoga: The Art of Transformation" runs through Jan. 26 at the
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, 1050 Independence
Avenue SW, Washington; asia.si.edu. It travels to the Asian Art Museum of
San Francisco, Feb. 21 to May 25, and the Cleveland Museum of Art, June 22
to Sept. 7.
More on the exhibit at 'source.'
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Posted on 2014/1/5 15:56:10 ( 238 reads )
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India has come to preserve spiritual traditions which many ancient cultures
and countries have lost. Today Hinduism represents not only India but the
ancient wisdom of humanity. In Hinduism many ancient countries can still
rediscover their religious past, their old Gods and their old spiritual
traditions.
-- Ram Swarup (1920-1998), Indian writer and scholar
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Posted on 2014/1/4 16:33:59 ( 314 reads )
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WASHINGTON, U.S., November 27, 2013 (The Straits Times, pay site for full
article): The discovery of a previously unknown wooden structure at the
Buddha's birthplace suggests he might have lived in the sixth century BCE,
200 years earlier than thought, according to archaeologists. Until now,
archaeological evidence favored a date no earlier than the third century
BCE, when Emperor Asoka promoted the spread of Buddhism through South Asia,
leaving a scattering of shrines and inscriptions to the man who became
"the enlightened one."
A white temple on a gently sloping plateau at Lumbini in Nepal, 32 km from
the border with India, draws hundreds of thousands of pilgrims each year to
read a sandstone pillar documenting Emperor Asoka's homage at the Buddha's
birthplace. But new excavations by archaeologists at Lumbini have uncovered
evidence of a much earlier timber shrine and brick structures above it --
all of which lay beneath the temple that is a UNESCO World Heritage site
long identified as the Buddha's birthplace.
In traditional narratives, the Buddha was born beneath a hardwood sal tree
at Lumbini as his mother, Queen Maya Devi, the wife of a clan chief, was
travelling to her father's kingdom to give birth.
The archaeologists, led by Durham University professor Robin Coningham,
reported the findings on Monday in an online article in the December issue
of the international journal Antiquity. This was, they said, "the
first archaeological evidence regarding the date of the life of
Buddha."
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Posted on 2014/1/4 16:33:53 ( 404 reads )
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www.worldhindunews.com
HOUSTON, TEXAS, January 3, 2014 (HPI Report): The World Hindu News website
and RSS newsfeed was launched here November 14, 2013.
Editor in Chief, Rahul Chandra, explains the objectives:
"World Hindu News is for Hindus, by Hindus and of Hindus. Hindu
organizations--whether social-cultural, political or dharmic (religious)
have always had a requirement: a transparent, non-biased and comprehensive
news publication of news pertinent to Hindus. Whether the news is regarding
Hindu human rights violation or resurgent Hinduism, mainstream media
haven't cooperated with worldwide Hindu organizations in providing proper
coverage. This gave an opportunity to media forces with vested interests to
take advantage of this gap and publish distorted news as per biased
positioning of editorial teams towards Hindus and Hinduism. As a result, a
large requirement gap exists in publishing news specific to Hindu cause on
a global news platform."
The website states the project was blessed by Swami Vigyanand of the world
Hindu Foundation, and inaugurated with blessings from Dr. Mahesh Mehta (VHP
vice-president) and Shri Ashok Chowgule (VHP Bharat President-External).
The website is in its present state of development a news aggregator,
drawing from a wide variety of reports by websites, newspapers and
magazines around the world. It is not yet, as far as we could tell,
providing original reporting, but hopefully this aspect will be developed
in the near future.
We at Hindu Press International wish them well!
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Posted on 2014/1/4 16:33:46 ( 253 reads )
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Attach yourself to Him who is free from all attachments. Bind yourself to
that bond so all other bonds may be broken.
-- Tirukkural 350
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Posted on 2014/1/3 15:50:25 ( 311 reads )
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www.newindianexpress.com/citie ...
/12/30/article1971733.ece
CHENNAI, INDIA, December 30, 2013 (New Indian Express): Swami
Satyamitranand Giri, an octogenarian from Haridwar who has followers across
the globe, is planning to start more service-oriented programs in the
coming months. This is in addition to the number of service activities that
are already going on through the Samanvaya Kutir and Satyamitranand
Foundation founded by him.
In an interview with CE, the Swami who is Chennai till December 31, said
recently that he had started a program for children who had lost their
parents in the Kedarnath tragedy in June when the flash floods and
landslides killed many. So far, 20 children have been adopted by the Swami's
ashram. "They are all around 12 years old. The ashram will provide
education, boarding and lodging and everything they need for about eight
years till they can stand on their own legs," he said.
The Swami further said his ashram had identified many villages in Madhya
Pradesh and Rajasthan where there was a lot of scope for service
activities. Around 500 youth will engage themselves in this program. On the
first day they will clean up the surroundings in the villages and during
the second day, there will be meditation and yoga classes. On the third and
concluding day, there will be mass feeding where people from all walks
would take part. The Swami is also planning to start a program to protect
cows.
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Posted on 2014/1/3 15:50:16 ( 280 reads )
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Life should be dynamic, full of movement, flowing endlessly like the mighty
Ganges. Life's movement should be channelled in the right direction. Life
becomes a burden for many people because it has lost its dynamism. For them
life is not like a flowing river. It is a static, turbid puddle. Understand
that action gives movement to life, knowledge gives it direction and
devotion bestows the inspiration to life's journey.
-- Rameshbhai Oza, inspired performer of Vaishnava kathas
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Posted on 2014/1/2 18:31:09 ( 292 reads )
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SABARIMALA, INDIA, December 31, 2013 (The Hindu): Thousands of devotees
from across the country, mainly South Indian States, prayed at the Ayyappa
temple here as it was opened for the Makaravilakku pilgrimage on Monday
afternoon. The Pampa Manalpuram was crowded with a multitude of pilgrims
congregating for the customary holy bath in the Pampa River before climbing
the hills.
The head priest (Melasanthi), P.M. Narayanan Namboodiri, accompanied by the
chief priest (Tantri), Kandararu Maheswararu, and other priests, opened the
sanctum sanctorum at 5.30 p.m. The rituals will begin with the Tantri
performing Ashtadravya Maha Ganapati Homom on Tuesday morning followed by
Ashtabhishekom and Neyyabhishekom.
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Posted on 2014/1/2 18:31:03 ( 335 reads )
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UNITED KINGDOM, January 1, 2014 (The Guardian): Research undertaken by Prof.
Jeremy Carrette, with colleagues from the University of Kent's department
of religious studies, has revealed that more than 70% of religious
non-government organisations (NGOs) at the UN are Christian, and that there
is historical privilege in allowing the Vatican a special observer status,
as both a state and a religion.
The report, called Religious NGOs and the United Nations, calls for greater
awareness, transparency and equality in the way religious NGOs operate
within the UN, and more emphasis on religious tolerance. The report also
asks for greater understanding of how religions enhance and constrain human
rights. It provides evidence that funding limits other religious traditions
from establishing NGO work at the UN.
Asian religions, such as Hinduism and Buddhism, are under-represented and
funding is a major issue in preventing their equal access, it said.
Carrette said: "It would seem there needs to be more of a 'global
goodwill' to make the UN system work for all religions equally, and for
religions to follow and share equally UN goals for peace and justice."
"It also shows that religions form an important part of international
global politics and that in a global world we need to establish a new
pluralistic contract for equal access for all religions to the UN
system," said Carrette.
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Posted on 2014/1/2 18:30:56 ( 311 reads )
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Do not be proud of wealth, people, relations and friends, or youth. All
these are snatched by time in the blink of an eye. Giving up this illusory
world, know and attain the Supreme.
-- Adi Shankara, 9th century Indian philosopher and saint
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Posted on 2013/12/30 18:51:32 ( 466 reads )
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NADI, FIJI, December 21, 2013 (Fiji Times): Hindu priests have been
directed by visiting international professors specializing in Hinduism to
wear a dhoti while performing puja. They have also been asked to refrain
from drinking yaqona (kava) and smoking. This was revealed during a
workshop for Western Sanatan priests at Votualevu in Nadi this week. The
meeting was organized by the charitable organisation, Yaadein Vision
Australia.
Yaadein Vision representative Bobby Mishra said the workshop was long
overdue because they had received feedback from people that priests in
different regions were conducting prayers differently. "For this
reason, we brought in these overseas experts and have now introduced a book
that will allow priests to conduct prayers in a similar fashion, whether
they are from Lautoka or Suva," he said.
The workshop was held for five days and was open to the public as well.
About 100 priests participated in the workshop where they were taught the
correct pronunciations of mantras and their meanings. The two professionals
visiting from India were Dr. Meenakshi and Dr. Acharya Sharma. Both founded
the Sydney Sanskrit School and Five Dimension Vedic Centre of Sydney
respectively.
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Posted on 2013/12/30 18:51:25 ( 492 reads )
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NEW DELHI, INDIA, December 29, 2013 (Indian Express): (HPI Note: this news
item from the Indian Express is part of our effort to inform the Hindu
public of all sides of the issue of gay rights now being debated not only
in India but in many countries.)
Religious leaders on Sunday came together to oppose the UPA government's
decision to review the Supreme Court decision criminalizing homosexuality
and threatened to hold agitations if any move was made to dilute Section
377 of the IPC. Leaders of Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian and Jain
religions said homosexuality is "a menace of Western countries"
and it will destroy India's religious, moral, social, and cultural values.
Presiding over the public convention held in Delhi, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind
president Maulana Syed Jalaluddin Umari warned the government from enacting
any bill which decriminalizes homosexuality or depreciates section 377 of
the Indian Penal Code. "We all religious leaders are campaigning
against homosexuality and will approach the government and parliamentarians
to convince them not to make any move to decriminalize homosexuality.
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Posted on 2013/12/30 18:51:18 ( 373 reads )
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Water is sufficient to cleanse the body, but truthfulness alone can purify
the mind.
-- Tirukkural 298
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Posted on 2013/12/28 17:45:11 ( 655 reads )
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INDIA, December 16, 2013 (Forbes): Mukesh Ambani, India's richest person,
who's a strict vegetarian and animal lover, has issued an order banning all
nonvegetarian products from his Reliance Retail chain. This involves
shutting down 100-odd Reliance Delight stores that sell a range of fresh
and frozen meats and seafood, including the Real brand of frozen chicken
owned by fellow billionaire Adi Godrej's group.
Apparently, Ambani took this decision to go vegetarian after demands from a
section of shareholders of his Reliance Industries who claimed that Reliance's
nonvegetarian business hurt their religious sentiments. According to one
news report, a good chunk of the company's shareholders are also strict
vegetarians like Ambani and belong to the Gujarati community (as Ambani
does himself) or are Jains. A spokesperson of the company confirmed to
Forbes that the move was being mulled within the group for a few months
now.
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Posted on 2013/12/28 17:45:05 ( 477 reads )
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Like a tortoise withdrawing five limbs into its shell, those who restrain
the five senses in one life will find safe shelter for seven.
-- Tirukkural 126
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Posted on 2014/1/12 17:10:02 ( 291 reads )
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ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN, January 7, 2014 (The Hindu): The head of the Pakistan
Hindu Council, Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani, Member National Assembly has
condemned the rise in kidnapping of Hindu girls, forced conversion and
marriage. Talking to the media outside Parliament House on Tuesday he
referred to the recent kidnapping of a Hindu woman, Lucky Bhel from Sindh,
who was reportedly forced to marry a follower of a local religious leader.
Dr. Ramesh Kumar said that the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad
Ali Jinnah had promised minorities their rights and the Constitution of
Pakistan also guaranteed their protection. He pledged support for the
victims' families and said he would raise the issue on every available
forum including Parliament and take up the grievances of the Hindu
community.
Earlier this year, the Sindh Government had set up a three member committee
to examine a law to stop forced marriages of Hindu girls. Activists in
Karachi have said there are 20 such cases every month.
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Posted on 2014/1/12 17:09:56 ( 195 reads )
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WEST TEXAS, U.S., January 9, 2014 (Midland Reporter Telegram): Priesthood
is a family tradition for Vignesh Mahadevarahalli, the priest at the Hindu
Association of West Texas. His father, grandfather and ancestors were all
priests, passing on the customs and traditions from generation to
generation. Mahadevarahalli has been priest of the Hindu temple in Midland
since early 2008.
Growing up in a small village in Karnataka, India called Mahadevarahalli,
he learned basic priestly traditions from his father. At age 12, he left
home and moved nearly 200 miles away to begin his formal priest education
at Maha Vidyalaya, a school in nearby Mysore, India. The course took 13
years to complete. He spent five of those years learning Agama, the
practical methods of priesthood, and seven years at a temple in Bangalore.
He landed in Flint, Mich., where he worked at a Hindu temple for four and a
half years. Through a relative of a devotee in Michigan, Mahadevarahalli
learned about a new temple being built in Texas that needed a priest. He
arrived in Midland in April 2008 to become priest at the Hindu Association
of West Texas, which recently celebrated its temple's sixth anniversary.
About 400 Hindu families live in the Midland/Odessa area, which keeps
Mahadevarahalli, the only Hindu priest in the Permian Basin, quite busy.
Along with his everyday temple duties, he travels as far as San Angelo,
Lubbock and Big Spring to conduct pujas at families' homes. He performs
pujas for housewarmings, new cars, weddings, newborn babies, naming
ceremonies, after-death rituals and many more. It's a culmination of all
the knowledge he learned during his years of schooling in India.
More at 'source'.
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Posted on 2014/1/12 17:09:49 ( 208 reads )
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Free will is not free--it is a phenomenon bound by cause and effect--but
there is something behind the will which is free.
-- Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)
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Posted on 2014/1/11 16:11:05 ( 274 reads )
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REUNION, December 27, 2013 (Temoignages, translated from the original
French):
HPI note: Reunion is a Dpartment (like a state) of France located off the
African coast with a substantial Tamil population brought years ago to the
island. This training project is a major innovation as parts of the Tamil
population work to re-establish their Hindu faith, earlier generations
having converted to Catholicism.
On December 23, a training agreement concerning Indian crafts was signed by
Daniel Minienpoulle, president of the Reunion Tamil Federation and Bernard
Picardo, president of the government Chamber of Trades and Crafts in
Reunion. It was signed at a conference in the presence of the Consul
General of India, Raju George, the director of the government office of
employment and the director of the Reunion Island Chamber of Commerce. A
steering committee will be set up in February/March 2014 with various
partners: the Chamber of Trades, the Tamil Federation, the Regional and
Department government representatives, the DIECCTE, employment center,
local Mission and DRAC-OI.
At the signing of this agreement, Daniel Minienpoulle reported that
"over the past 30 years, major renovations of Hindu temples have been
made in Reunion. In an effort to transfer the Indian know-how, given the
demand in Reunion and high unemployment, it is important for us to provide
the establishment of a training facility for Reunion artisans to learn how
to do Indian temple art (sculpture, painting and decorating) in terms of
maintenance and renovation."
In the early 1990's the services of sthapatis (architects) and shilpis
(skilled workers,) experts in the art of Indian temple construction, was
obtained from South India. Their mission was to renovate the Indo-Creole
style wood and concrete temples and transform them as much as possible to
the South Indian style.The first two temples to see this renovation was the
Colossus Kovil, inaugurated in 1995, and the Saint-Denis temple in 1996.
Nearly twenty temples have since been rebuilt or renovated, and the process
is still ongoing with a potential further fifty places of worship planned.
Private cultural venues have also benefited from this renovation
initiative.
This initiative will insure that there is a local source of artisans who
are able to properly maintain the temples that have already been renovated
and provide employment opportunity for Reunion labor in upcoming renovation
work.
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Posted on 2014/1/11 16:10:56 ( 366 reads )
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(HPI Adds: Following is a complete report on this important decision.
India's Supreme Court ruled on January 6, 2014 that the famous Nataraja
temple in the town of Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu will continue to be managed
by priests and not taken over the state government. In 2009, the Madras
High Court had transferred the administration of the 1000-year-old-temple
dedicated to Lord Shiva to the government. That verdict was based on the
allegation that the temple's considerable wealth was being mismanaged. The
decision was challenged by the temple's priests who belong to the
Dikshathar sect.)
CHENNAI, INDIA, January 6, 2014 (The Hindu): The Supreme Court judgment on
Chidambaram Natarajar temple brings to an end more than a century-old
tussle between the State and priests over temple administration. One of the
earliest documented incidents relating to the status of Chidambaram
Natarajar temple or Sabanayagar temple as it is officially known dates back
to 1885. The Dikshitars or the priest community who administered the temple
approached the Madras High Court to designate the temple as a private one.
The judges, after hearing the arguments, made it clear that the Chidambaram
temple was a place of public worship and not a private property of the
Dikshitars.
When the Hindu Religious Endowments Board was created and the relevant Act
was passed in 1925, the Dikishitars appealed to the government to exempt
the temple from the Board schemes. Though the government accepted the
appeal, it informed the dikshitars that sections of the Act relating to
submission of accounts and formulation of administrative schemes would apply.
In 1933, the government tried to streamline the management of the temple by
proposing a committee comprising nine Dikshitars. This committee, in turn,
was to appoint a manager subject to the approval of the HR and CE board,
maintain accounts, properties, and account for cash offerings.
The Dikshitars challenged this scheme, but the High Court Bench upheld it
in 1939. In 1951, the government wanted to abolish private temples in the
State. It appointed an executive officer to oversee the Natarajar temple administration.
The Diksihitars challenged this. The Madras High Court, in its judgment in
1959, held that the Natarajar temple belongs to a religious denomination,
and, hence the appointment of an executive officer was "opposed to the
fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 26 and 27 of the
constitution."
In 1982, the government, citing claims of mismanagement, issued notice to
the temple and proposed to appoint an executive officer to manage its
affairs. When the Dikishitars appealed, the government defended its
decision stating that the appointment of an officer was only to administer
the properties. It would not to interfere in religious rights of the
priests, it argued. The Dikshiatars moved the court in 1984. When the court
dismissed their petition in 1997, they filed an appeal.
The court then directed them to file a revision petition with the
government. When the petition was rejected in 2006, the Dikishitars
approached the court again. After hearing both sides, the single judge of
the High Court, in 2009, passed orders upholding the appointment of
executive officer. Citing the Supreme Court cases since the 1950s, the
court ruled that the Dikshidars "are not entitled to the
protection" as a denomination temple in the matter of administration.
It also held that the State can intervene and regulate administration. The
Dikshitars appealed against this judgment. The Madras High Court Bench
heard the appeal and upheld the orders of the Single Judge. The Dikshitars
then appealed to the Supreme Court. Subramaniam Swamy served as their
lawyer in that winning case.
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Posted on 2014/1/11 16:10:44 ( 209 reads )
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Do not say that you do not have time for God. The busiest of men will have
the most leisure, and the laziest will always be short of time, for the
former utilizes time and the latter only wastes it. If you really want God,
you will find time for Him.
-- Sri Chandrasekhara Bharati (1912-1954), 34th pontiff of the Sarada
Peetham
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Posted on 2014/1/10 16:05:27 ( 328 reads )
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BANGLADESH, January 10, 2014 (The Daily Star): Hindus across the country
are still living in fear as alleged BNP-Jamaat men unleashed fresh attacks
in five districts, burning homes, temples, and vandaliZing murthis on
Wednesday night and yesterday. Minorities continue to receive threats as
well. Mizanur Rahman, chairman of the National Human Rights Commission,
said the government had failed to protect Hindus and urged it to
rehabilitate the affected.
At least 19 BNP-Jamaat men were arrested yesterday, 14 in Dinajpur, three
in Bagerhat and two in Mymensingh. Apart from them, 774 reportedly
BNP-Jamaat men were sued in Rangpur in connection with atrocities on
Hindus.
On Wednesday night, criminals set fire to two temples in two villages of
Bagerhat and two more at Kathom in Nandigram of Bogra. Panic gripped the
Hindus of Ramchandrapur in Morrelganj, Bagerhat, and in Nandigram, Bogra,
when criminals vandalized several murthis of Hindu gods before setting two
temples on fire Wednesday night.
Law enforcers, including army and Rab personnel, visited the spot in
Bagerhat yesterday morning and picked up three people for interrogation.
Police arrested two pro-BNP Jubo Dal activists while they were attempting
to torch a temple at Kanihari in Trishal of Mymensingh yesterday morning.
Locals had foiled their attempt to torch a temple, said Firoj Talukder,
officer-in-charge of Trishal Police Station.
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Posted on 2014/1/10 16:05:21 ( 284 reads )
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BANGLADESH, January 9, 2014 (The Daily Star): Unidentified criminals set a
Hindu temple ablaze and vandalized its three murthis in Kalmakanda upazila
of Netrakona early today. The incident came a day after Prime Minister
Sheikh Hasina had warned that massive drives would be conducted to arrest
all those involved in the recent attacks on Hindus.
A portion of the Kali Temple at Battola village was gutted when miscreants
set fire to it around 4:00 am, said Delwar Hossain, additional
superintendent of police (Sadar) in Netrakona. Locals managed to douse the
fire after 45 minutes, reports our Netrakona correspondent quoting the
police official.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) held a rally
protesting the recent attacks on the houses and businesses of Hindus in
several districts across the country. Around 150 newsmen gathered in front
of Jatiya Press Club and demanded immediate arrest and punishment of the
attackers.
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Posted on 2014/1/10 16:05:13 ( 344 reads )
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Press
Release
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, January 10, 2014 (Maruf Islam, maruf0077@gmail.com): As you know, our
beloved Bangladesh is going through a severe crisis. Its independence and
democracy has become a question on everyone's minds. The government held
elections on January 5th, 2014 was boycotted by the mass population and the
biggest political parties as well. The international community has
expressed their disapproval of the elections held. The current corrupted
government has started a new drama to change the focus of people away from
them. They are now attacking the minority in Bangladesh. Many
members/supporters/cadres of BAL (Bangladesh Awami League) are attacking
and destroying many Hindu temples and homes. We all should condemn the
heinous and barbaric acts. The minorities are also citizens of Bangladesh
and have equal rights to live a happy and peaceful life without fear. All
the citizens of Bangladesh are an important part of the nation. All have
equal rights regardless of religious or social backgrounds. The government
needs to realize that it has nothing to gain but hatred by destroying and
hurting the innocent lives of people. Please everyone raise your voice
against injustice and corruption. We, the people, have the power to change
our lives, our country, and our world. It is not too late for change. I
hope that the current government will restore the nation's democracy and
hold a fair, free, and credible election under a neutral third entity. When
a nation improves, citizens also improve at an individual level. Likewise,
when individuals improve the nation improves. So let's all change our
surroundings and change our nation and make it the great nation it deserves
to be.
Once again, we the Bangladeshi Community of Los Angeles condemn the heinous
and barbaric acts of the thugs and cadres who are burning down the homes
and properties of our innocent civilians and the temples of Hindus and
Buddhists.
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Posted on 2014/1/10 16:05:06 ( 258 reads )
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He who befriends a man whose conduct is vicious, whose vision impure, and
who is notoriously crooked, is rapidly ruined.
-- Chanakya (350-275 bce), author of Artha Shastra
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Posted on 2014/1/9 16:57:51 ( 351 reads )
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JESSORE, BANGLADESH, January 7, 2013 (The Daily Star): BNP-Jamaat activists
vandalized and looted 130 houses and torched 10 others at a Hindu village
in Abhaynagar Upazila of Jessore tonight hours after the end of voting in
10th parliamentary polls.
The mayhem started as two men went to the Chapatola Aliya Madrasa polling
centre earlier on the day, ignoring the opposition's embargo, reports our
Jessore correspondent quoting Emdad Hossain, officer-in-charge of
Abhaynagar Police Station.
More than 200 activists of BNP and Jamaat, led by local opposition leader
Ariful Aksu and Kashem Ali, entered the village around 6:00pm blasting 15
crude bombs and injured Biswanath and Shyamol, the police official added.
Agitated activists then vandalized and looted at least 130 houses and set
fire on 10 others, he said.
On information, the joint forces rushed to the spot around 9:00pm and
brought the situation under control, the OC added.
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Posted on 2014/1/9 16:57:45 ( 278 reads )
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CHENNAI, INDIA, December 31, 2013 (Pharmabiz): Even as the government of
Kerala is busy preparing an E-Health Program to bring all health related
information of hospitals and patients into a centralized information system
to ensure continuity in healthcare, the ayurvedic fraternity including the
government doctors is intensifying their efforts to get their system
included in the program.
According to Kerala Government Ayurveda Medical Officers Association
(KGAMOA), presently the E-Health program of the government includes only
projects on allopathic treatments. So, to explore avenues for getting a
position for ayurveda in the IT oriented health projects, KGAMOA has urged
the state government to revise all projects and include the traditional
system of Kerala into the e-health program of the government.
After submitting memorandum to the health minister in this regard, the
general secretary of KGAMOA, Dr. M. Sharmad Khan said the e-health program
is an integrated health project covering the entire health sector of Kerala
including all the public healthcare institutions. But in all the projects
of the program, Ayurveda has been ignored and no project for traditional
medicines is envisaged.
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Posted on 2014/1/9 16:57:38 ( 263 reads )
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The Eternal Religion, the religion of the rishis, has been in existence
from time immemorial and will exist eternally. There exists in this
Sanatana Dharma all forms of worship--worship of God with form and worship
of the impersonal Deity as well. It contains all paths--the path of
knowledge, the path of devotion and so on. Other forms of religion, the
modern cults, will remain for a few days and then disappear.
-- Sri Ramakrishna in a conversation with a devotee on March 9, 1884
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Posted on 2014/1/5 15:56:23 ( 615 reads )
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PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA, January 4, 2014 (Free Malaysia Today): Devotees
fulfilling their penance during Thaipusam in Batu Caves will no longer be
allowed to carry "fancy" kavadis bearing logos of their
associations, favorite soccer clubs, movie stars or uncommon fruits and
items. The Malaysian Hindu Sangam said devotees who failed to adhere to the
new regulations will have to face the prospect of not being able to fulfill
their religious obligations.
"The committee has decided on several new regulations to ensure a
smooth Thaipusam. We will strictly adhere to the new rules. "Devotees
who defy the kavadi regulations will not be allowed into the temple to
fulfill their penance," said Hindu Sangam president RS Mohan Shan.
He said a new task force comprising Hindu Sangam, security officials and
several other Indian NGOs had been set-up to ensure the new guidelines are
properly implemented during the January 17 Thaipusam festival.
Speaking at a press conference, here, he said Kavadis should be designed in
worship of Thaipusam's lead Deity which is Lord Muruga. "This year we
will not allow kavadi bearers to wear black skirts and smoke cheroot in the
name of God. "Devotees are also not allowed to have long fancy nails
and hooks bearing uncommon fruits such as durians on their backs. This is
not a real Thaipusam practice.
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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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