thestar.com.my

SHAH ALAM, MALAYSIA, March 17, 2008: The Sri Maha Mariamman Hindu temple was demolished last November, ordered torn down by the authorities as it stood in the vicinity of the Rimba Jaya squatter settlement. Now, a new site for Temple in Kampung Rimba Jaya, Padang Jawa, has been approved.

Mayor Mazalan Md Noor said the temple would be rebuilt soon on a 10,000sq feet land near the Keretapi Tanah Melayu quarters, a much bigger site than the original temple.

The developer has been directed by the state government to provide the land and US$ 12,500 — the cost of the building construction.

www.rediff.com

INDIA, March 14, 2008: As many Hindu parents in America and Canada know too well, you just cannot be prepared for all the questions your child has to face in the school. Questions like: Why do Hindus worship the cow? Are Hindu Gods always married to many women? Why do Hindus worship icons?

The parents’ answers and explanations are often not satisfactory to the children — or, for that matter, to the parents themselves. Now, parents and children can turn to What is Hinduism? — a landmark book with over 400 large pages and nearly 1,000 illustrations that answers the above questions, and many more, with brevity and clarity. One of the book’s important achievements is in creating context that explains Hindu practices that are otherwise hard to clarify. One of the plus points is also its humour. ‘Hindus are not idle worshippers,’ the book continues. ‘I have never seen a Hindu worship in a lazy or idle way.’

online.wsj.com

SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA, January 25, 2008: Cambodia’s most famous temple may be 900 years old, but the message it sets out to convey is timeless: Angkor Wat is all about glory. The temple stands out from the rest — in artistry, in scale and in popular imagery.

One of the largest religious structures in the world, and the only religious monument to appear on a national flag, Angkor Wat has become synonymous with Cambodia. The central compound covers about 400 acres and once supported a town of about 100,000 people at a time when London was nothing more than a small town. (HPI note: The Wall Street Journal published this excellent article about Angkor Wat and Cambodia. You can read it by clicking on the link above.)

www.hinduismtoday.com

TAMIL NADU, INDIA, March 4, 2008: (HPI Note: this article was sent by HPI on March 4, but the contact e-mail was incorrect. The correct one is cvpacrhsrjpm@dataone.in) New books. Used books. All books are welcomed by two institutions in the deep south of India. When Hinduism Today editorial staff was traveling in Tamil Nadu in February, we were taken to several stellar schools and libraries. One school, the Chinmaya Vidalaya in Rajapalayam, India, has over 700 students on the campus (and a 750-year-old Baobab tree!)

The students sat on mats, all in uniform and more disciplined than you’re likely to see anywhere in the West these days. They listened to Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami give a talk under a giant tree. The principles shared their lack of text books, and appealed to us to have any and all texts sent to them.

Specifically, they need K to 12 texts on all subjects: biology, history, math, science, English, you name it. They can use one book, or up to 36 for a room. This is a dynamic educational institution, with negligible access to good learning tools. If you are interested in helping, or know someone who has access to books not being used, please contact: S.S. Ramachandra Raja at cvpacrhsrjpm@dataone.in

www.hinduismtoday.com