News

www.ehponline.org ATLANTA, GEORGIA, September 23, 2005: A study led by an Emory University researcher concludes that an organic diet given to children provides a “dramatic and immediate protective effect” against exposures to two pesticides that are commonly used in U.S. agricultural production. The results were published on a recent online version of the scientific journal Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). Over…

www.nytimes.com ENCINO, CALIFORNIA, February 13, 2007: A dozen of the best pitching prospects in baseball lay side by side in the dark, their eyes closed, their mouths shut, their minds open. They pulled their sweatshirt hoods over their faces. They let their feet dangle over their yoga mats. They breathed in unison, inhaling for three seconds through their noses, exhaling…

Rajiv Malik, HPI Correspondent, Delhi NEW DELHI, INDIA, February 14, 2007: India has an estimated five million ancient manuscripts, most of which lie unknown and neglected. The National Mission for Manuscripts, set up by the Ministry of Culture has been tasked to locate, preserve and promote the manuscript wealth of India. Their activities range from conducting nation-wide surveys to discover…

mailto:u.sraj@pacific.net.sg SINGAPORE, February 6, 2007:The Sri Veera Muthu Muneswarar Temple is one of a kind as it is the first temple to merge with a Chinese temple in Singapore. “Merge with” in Singapore’s religious context means that due to land constraint, the authorities request that all existing smaller scale temples now in close proximity, whether Chinese or Hindu, be placed…

HPI KAUAI, HAWAII, February 14, 2007: Reader Shashikant Ambegaokar of California pointed out a major error in our report on a Ganesha cartoon. Mumbai, obviously, is in Maharastra and not Gujarat! The festival is celebrated in grand Maharashtrian style, especially in Mumbai and Pune. The cartoonist is also a Maharashtrian. Our apologies to all Maharashtrians…

ignca.nic.in INDIA, February 13, 2007: Dr. Advaitavadini Kaul has published a useful article on the celebration of Mahasivaratri in Kashmir. Mahasivaratri, one of the major Hindu festivals, occurs on February 15 this year. Kaul’s article is available at the URL above. An excerpt: “Mahasivaratri is one of the most important festivals associated with Siva worship. In different parts of the…

foodnews.org UNITED STATES, February 12, 2007: There is a growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can adversely affect people, especially during vulnerable periods of fetal development and childhood when exposures can have long lasting effects. Because the toxic effects of pesticides are worrisome, not well understood, or in some cases completely unstudied,…

www.virtueonline.org LONDON, ENGLAND, February 11, 2007: There are more than 47,000 churches in Britain today, and 42 million people. More than 70 per cent of the population consider themselves to be Christian. It sounds a lot, but behind the figures lies a story of decline in the country’s established religion. According to experts, thousands of churches face closure, demolition or…

video.google.com KAUAI, HAWAII, February 13, 2007: A cute and entertaining cartoon video on Lord Ganesha is available at the URL above. It appears by Prashant Kadkol, and is really quite well done. One does, however, need to understand the context of the Ganesha Chaturti festival, Gujurat style, to get what is going on. It helps to read carefully all the…

News Reports MAURITIUS, February 11, 2007: Some 400,000 pilgrims (out of a total island population of 1.2 million–a third of the country!) are expected to turn up at Grand Bassin this year for Maha Sivaratri which is to be celebrated on February 16. Volunteers are pulling together to set up facilities to welcome pilgrims in different parts of the island.…