1. The Societal Impact of Migration to British Colonies from India, 1873 to 1916
2. Thirubuvanam Moves From Saris To Ties
3. UK Poll: Christianity "Could Die Out Within a Century"
4. Daily Inspiration

1. The Societal Impact of Migration to British Colonies from India, 1873 to 1916

www.himalmag.com

INDIA, June 26, 2008: (HPI note: This is a moving account from the Nepal-based magzine Himal of the experience, mostly of those who stayed behind, when tens of thousands of workers were shipped from the Bhojur region of India to the British colonies.)

Nearly 150 years ago began an agonising saga of migration from the Bhojpur region of India. With Britain actively engaged in agriculture in colonies across the world, there was a great need for skilled labourers  a need that was largely filled by the impoverished people of what is today western Bihar and Eastern Uttar Pradesh, who were particularly skilled at growing sugarcane. In their efforts at controlling Indian life, the British had systematically destroyed many rural enterprises, in particular the colony s small-scale sugar and molasses industries. This dynamic had led to the creation of a large group of surplus labour in the region, which in turn was shipped off to work on plantations in Suriname, Mauritius and the Caribbean islands. Between 1873 and 1916, 64 shiploads of workers  more than 34,300 men and women  were  recruited to work as indentured labourers on sugar plantations in the far-off islands.

The multitudes of the Subcontinent, of course, have experienced migration for tens of thousands of years. But the migration of the colonial period took place on a massive and sudden scale, and the places where the emigrants found themselves were often very far away, where contact with the homeland was exceedingly difficult. This inevitably caused significant pain to huge numbers of people, both those who had left and those who were left behind.

For the rest of the article, click URL above.

---

2. Thirubuvanam Moves From Saris To Ties

www.hindu.com

CHENNAI, June 17, 2008: Thirubuvanam, a small village near Kumbakonam that has made a name for itself in traditional silk saris after Kancheepuram, is likely to repeat its success in producing silk ties. The name chosen for the exquisite hadndicrafted line is "Chola" ties. For the last few months, hundreds of weavers of Thirubuvanam Silk Handloom Weavers' Co-operative Society have been imparted training in the art of making silk ties by the Handlooms and Textiles department.

"Though we have been weaving silk saris for many years, we thought it fit to expand our product portfolio. The silk ties are already an instant hit and Handicrafts, Handloom Export Corporation has placed orders for it," said M.P. Nirmala, Special Officer and Managing Director.

---

3. UK Poll: Christianity "Could Die Out Within a Century"

www.telegraph.co.uk

LONDON, ENGLAND, June 20, 2008: More than half of Britons think Christianity is likely to have disappeared from the country within a century, according to a survey. Research by the Orthodox Jewish organisation Aish found that just over a third of people thought religions like Christianity and Judaism would still be practiced in Britain in 100 years' time. Although four in 10 people said they would choose to be a member of the Christian religion, almost the same number said they would rather practice no religion at all. Buddhism however, proved more attractive than both Islam and Judaism, and was chosen by nine per cent of those questioned. Aish UK's executive director Rabbi Naftali Schiff said the results of the YouGov poll of 2,000 people were alarming. "It clearly demonstrates that religion, including Judaism, is becoming unattractive to the British public.

Research published earlier this year suggested that church attendance is declining so fast that the number of regular churchgoers will be fewer than those attending mosques within a generation. ÊAccording to Religious Trends, an analysis of religious practice in Britain, the huge drop off in attendance means that the Church of England, Catholicism and other denominations will become financially unviable. In contrast, the number of actively religious Muslims is predicted to increase from about one million today to 1.96 million in 2035.

---

4. Daily Inspiration

www.hinduismtoday.com

---