Traveling Exhibit Seeks to Replace Misconceptions About Hinduism

www.thesunchronicle.com ATTLEBORO, MASSACHUSETTS, August 18, 2006: Hinduism is one of the oldest religions of the world but it is also one of the most misunderstood. With its unique view of divinity, its belief in a cyclic universe and its stress on spiritual exploration, Hinduism is a faith that many Westerners fail to grasp. “There are a lot more misconceptions than…

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Indian Government Subsidizing Foreign Pilgrimages

www.pib.nic.in NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 18, 2006: The Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs, Shri Anand Sharma, informed the Rajya Sabha today that the Government’s permission is not required for Indian citizens to go abroad for religious purposes. Muslims going on the Haj to Saudi Arabia must have a Pilgrim Pass, a special document issued by the…

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Court Victory Allows California Textbook Federal Lawsuit to Continue

www.capeem.org LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, August 11, 2006: (HPI note: this is a press release from URL above. This federal lawsuit is different from the one filed in State court by the Hindu American Foundation. The HAF lawsuit also faces a critical hearing in August.) California Parents for the Equalization of Educational Materials (CAPEEM) scored a victory on Friday when United…

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Dasara Festivities To Be a Grand Affair

www.uniindia.com MYSORE, INDIA, August 15, 2006: Marking the golden jubilee of the state formation, the Karnataka government has decided to celebrate the annual Dasara festivities in the city of palaces. Principal Secretary to the state government, I. M. Vittal Murthy told reporters here yesterday that the government had allocated US$161,000 for the festivities, beginning on September 23, and sponsorship from…

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Laws Get Tougher In Dowry Deaths

epaper.timesofindia.com MUMBAI, INDIA, August 16, 2006: Can a person charged with the murder of his wife in a case of dowry-related death also be charged for abetment to suicide? Given the heinous nature of the crime, the Bombay High Court says a trial court has the right to frame two distinctly contrary charges and have the accused husband or his…

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Researcher: Dophins are Stupid

english.aljazeera.net JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, August 18, 2006: Dolphins may have big brains, but a South African-based scientist says laboratory rats and even goldfish can outwit them. Paul Manger of Johannesburg’s University of the Witwatersrand says the super-sized brains of dolphins are a function of being warm-blooded in a cold water environment and not a sign of intelligence. “We equate our…

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Grenade Explosion Kills Five in Indian Temple

Religion News Service CHENNAI, INDIA, August 17, 2006: A Reuters report quoted an intelligence official saying that unidentified people had warned International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) officials not to hold any functions on Wednesday, when the country was celebrating Janmashtami, a major Hindu festival. The official said the grenade attack might have been carried out by a local group…

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Janmashtami Celebrated Across India

www.ndtv.com NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 17, 2006: Thousands of devotees have been offering prayers at temples since last night to usher in Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna. In New Delhi, devotees offered prayers, danced and chanted in the temples. Despite strict security measures in Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krishna, thousands of devotees gathered in the temples to offer…

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Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation Holds Successful Fundraisers

www.ekal.org HOUSTON, TEXAS, August 17, 2006: The Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation, Houston Branch, held a number of fundraisers in July and raised over US$270,465 to support their educational programs in India. The Consul General of India and keynote speaker at the Houston event, Hon. S.M. Gavai, recounted how India’s literacy rate has gone up from 18% of the population in 1947…

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Manipur Iskcon Temple Bombing

timesofindia.indiatimes.com IMPHAL, INDIA, August 17, 2006: Janmashtami celebrations in Manipur turned bloody on Wednesday when a grenade was tossed into the Iskcon temple crowded with more than 20,000 devotees. The blast left at least four devotees dead (the BBC today reports that five people have been killed) and at least 40 others injured, including Iskcon international director Damodara Swami, police…

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