UK Hindus Say Rigid Caste System Was a Colonial Perversion

www.ndtv.com LONDON, UK, February 15, 2008: A Hindu organization in the UK on Friday blamed the British for the caste system in India, saying the “current adulteration” of the varnashram system is a result of “generations of British colonial bureaucracy.” “It was the British who single-handedly formulated the caste schedules that remain in place today,” Raj Pandit Sharma, a member…

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The Oldest Functional Hindu Temple in the World?

www.sarvesamachar.com BIHAR, INDIA, January 23, 2008: The Ma Mundeshwari Temple in Kaimur District, Bihar, has been reported as having been built in 108 CE. Since then rituals and worship have been taking place at the temple without a break, possibly making it the oldest functional temple in the world. But the use of the term “oldest” is risky when talking…

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Andhra Pradesh Government Announces Subsidized Pilgrimages to Israel

tvnz.co.nz HYDERABAD, INDIA, February 13, 2008: The government of Andhra Pradesh announce its intention of subsidizing pilgrimage trips for Christians who want to travel to Israel. The subsidy is being modelled on that already offered by the central government to Muslims wanting to join the annual haj pilgrimage to Mecca, according to N.D. Tiwari, the state governor, who announced the…

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Hindu Temple Offers Scholarships, Giving Back to its Community

www.metrowestdailynews.com ASHLAND, NEW ENGLAND, USA, February 11, 2008: One of New England’s largest Hindu temples will offer seven $1,000 scholarships. The Sri Lakshmi Temple, in Ashland, will also give two scholarships to local high schools to award as they see fit, said Raj Raghavan, the temple’s chairman of youth culture and education. “We just felt that we have to be…

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ABC of Learning Starts with a Saraswati Puja

www.thecheers.org BIHAR, INDIA, February 11, 2008: Though the Saraswati Puja festival is marked in praise of Goddess of knowledge with deep fervour in many parts of India, it holds its special significance in Bihar, especially for kids. Several children are introduced to reading writing and arithemetic skills in a ceremonial function named “Khalli Chuai” on the occasion of a Saraswati…

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Daily Inspiration

www.hinduismtoday The whole path is a total surrendering. All four sects of Hinduism meet in surrender, prapatti, to the Divine. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001)

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Mahesh Yogi Cremated in Allahabad

www.iht.com ALLAHABAD, INDIA, February 11, 2008: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi was cremated Monday in a tumultuous ceremony at one of Hinduism’s holiest sites. His funeral, on the banks of the Ganges in Allahabad, saw his foreign following outnumbering Indians. The funeral was a mix of ancient Vedic tradition, modern Indian chaos and Hollywood-style theatrics. Thousands of flag-waving followers beating drums, clanging…

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A Hindi Curriculum for Several Trinidad Schools

www.hindustantimes.com TRINIDAD, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, February 4, 2008: Hindi is getting a fillip in Trinidad and Tobago, where around 23 per cent of the million population is of Indian extraction but only about five per cent of them speak the language fluently. Satnarayan Maharaj, secretary general of Trinidad and Tobago’s Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha (SDMS), a major Hindu organization, has…

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Orissa Government Will Compensate Christians Affected By Clashes

www.religiousintelligence.co.uk ORISSA, INDIA, February 11, 2008: A Christian organization, The Church of North India (CNI), reports that the Orissa state government will rebuild the homes of Christians burnt in the december clashes between Hindus and Christian Evangelists, pay compensation to the families of converts killed, and give grants of assistance. Last month the Church accused the Orissa state government of…

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