www.washingtonpost.com ANGKOR, CAMBODIA, February 6, 2007: Built by a mighty 9th-century Khmer king, the soaring temple of Phnom Bakheng stands atop the highest peak of ancient Angkor. With a sweeping view that takes in Angkor Wat–the world’s largest religious structure-the monks stationed here were probably among the first to glimpse the approaching Siamese troops that snuffed out this city’s centuries-long…
www.mysticindia.com NEW YORK, NEW YORK, February 9, 2007: The magnificent documentary film “Mystic India” produced in the large-screen Imax format is now showing at the Imax Theatre at Palisades Center in New York from January through March. The trailer is available at URL above. Mystic India is the story of Neelkanth, founder of the Swaminarayan movement within Hinduism. HPI has…
www.himalayanacademy.com KAUAI, HAWAII, February 12, 2007: Hinduism Today’s popular “Ten Questions About Hinduism… and Ten Terrific Answers” has been translated into Telugu, with Marathi in process. A PDF file of the pamphlet can be downloaded at the URL above. We looking for volunteers to translate this very useful pamphlet from the original English into other languages, Indian and non-Indian. If…
timesofindia.indiatimes.com VARANASI, INDIA, February 11, 2007: Governor T.V. Rajeswari, addressing a graduation convocation of students at Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, suggested that Sanskrit learning would lead the students back to the age of bullock carts. “Sanskrit is no longer the language of God,” he said, adding that the knowledge of English and science was essential in today’s world. He went on…
www.newindpress.com TAMIL NADU, INDIA, February 6, 2007: Arulmigu Mariamman Temple held a grand kumbabhishekam to commemorate the covering of the vimana with gold. The news report explained, “The vimana was adorned with 71 kg gold at a cost of US$1.8 million. The gold bars donated by devotees over the years were made into golden sheets before casting them onto the…
www.nst.com.my PENANG, MALAYSIA, February 2, 2007: Britisher Lakshmi Love, 35, persuaded his best friend, Alex Catchpole, 25, to join him in Penang for the annual Thaipusam festival. They both walked the 10 km. trek from the Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple carrying pal kudam (milk pots) and were encouraged whole-heartedly by the Hindu community to complete the pilgrimage. Catchpol prepared for…
jon@hua.edu ORLANDO, FLORIDA, February 9, 2007: (HPI note: Following is a press release from the Hindu University of America.) With profound sorrow and grief, Hindu University of America announces the unexpected passing away of Professor Kuldip Chandra Gupta (known to his associates as KC ji, or KCG), past president of HUA, on Wednesday, February 7, 2007 in Mumbai, India. He…
www.iol.co.za SOUTH AFRICA, February 5, 2007: For thousands of Hindus 10 days of strict fasting ended on Sunday when the festival of Thai Poosam Kavady drew to a close. To mark the last day of the ritual, which was dedicated to Lord Muruga, devotees carried colorfully decorated kavadis on their shoulders during processions to local temples. Kavadis are heavy religious…
www.clicanoo.com REUNION, FRANCE, February 7, 2007: (HPI note: translated from the original French. The first paragraph is an introduction by the author.) With a suicide case every 40 minutes and more than 10,000 deaths every year, France is one of the industrialized countries largely affected by this phenomenon. A national debate this week calls for an urgent need to openly…
www.orlandosentinel.com DELAND, FLORIDA, February 6, 2007: For a while Monday afternoon, the tornado-ravaged 500 block of Beresford Road seemed like interfaith central. A team of five members of the Islamic Society of Central Florida’s disaster relief had just pulled in from Orlando and unloaded their chain saws and other equipment. They started helping the Rev. Bruce Hedgepeth of First Presbyterian…