www.earthtimes.org

BERLIN, GERMANY, February 23, 2008: After years of praying in a cellar in a west Berlin street, the German capital’s 6,000 Hindus can look forward to worshipping in two brand-new temples. A local Hindu group this week announced plans to build a temple to the God Murugan, just three months after other Hindus conducted a ground-breaking ceremony for one dedicated to the elephant-headed Deity Ganesha.

“We want to create a religious place for worshippers from the south of India and Sri Lanka,” said Nadarajah Thiagarjah, chairman of the Sri Mayurapathy Murugan temple association. Thiagarjah says the new temple is not meant to rival the larger one dedicated to Ganesha, which will also be built in Neukoelin, a working-class district with a large immigrant population.

www.hinduonnet.com

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA, February 21, 2008: Women in thousands have started pouring in to participate in the famous gathering at Attukal temple, one of the world’s biggest female congregations. The Attukal Bhagavati temple entered the Guinness Book of World Records two years back as a religious event that draws over a million women on a single day.

The whole city will turn into a sea of women when the sun rises, with the road, pavements and by-lanes about an area of six kilometers around the temple being occupied by devotees with the earthen pots placed on brick hearths in front of them to prepare the “prasadam” (sweetened pudding). The ritual consists of preparation of the prasadam of rice, jaggery, coconut and spices, to be offered to Devi to invoke her blessings for peace and prosperity.

The Temple Trust authorities said 2.5 million devotees were expected
this year.

www.sltrib.com

SOUTH JORDAN, UTAH, February 27, 2008: “This is the only mainstream Hindu temple between Denver and Las Vegas. If you want a temple as it is in India, this is the one,” said Indra Neelameggham, who is a founding member of the temple and the current office manager.

Ms Neelameggham Ganesha inspires devotees to come from Nevada, Idaho, Wyoming and parts of Colorado to worship. The temple, located at 1142 W. South Jordan Parkway, opened officially in the summer of 2003, and is now used by more than 1,000 devotees.

Vicki Napper, after 38 years of studying India’s philosophies and culture of India said she is comfortable being among traditional Hindus in the temple. “It represents to me a coming together with people who understand my beliefs,” Napper said.

You can visit its Web site here.

www.adnkronos.com

LONDON, UK, February 21, 2008: Britain has banned a television advertisement for a Hindu religious pendant which claimed to ward off evil spirits.

The advertisement, which was broadcast in Hindi, featured a “Ganesha Rudraksha” pendant. It claimed to promote good health and protect the wearer from any obstacles.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), an independent advertising watchdog, ruled last week that the advertisement for the pendant had breached television advertising standards which prohibit advertising for products or services within the recognized character of the occult.

In its argument, the TV channel said that wearing the Rudraksha for Hindus was comparable to Christians wearing a cross. Just as it was impossible to prove that a cross would ward off evil, it was similarly impossible for them to give scientific proof about Rudraksha, or to prove it doesn’t, the channel claimed.

www.hinduismtoday.com

We all love animals. Why do we call some pets and others dinner? K.D. Lang, pop singer