www.littleindia.com USA, January 15, 2006: (HPI note: This long and informative article by Lavina Melwani is subtitled “One in nine Indian-Americans is biracial.”) Genetics is their football and they are out to smash all stereotypes. Races meet and merge in their faces. Long Indian eyelashes cover eyes of pristine blue; glowing ebony skin mixes with Caucasian features. Think Halle Berry,…
Religion News Service USA, February 18, 2006: (HPI note: The following article deals with the custom of “Ash Wednesday” when Christians have ash placed on their forehead by a priest following a religious service. The custom is similar to the Hindu use of vibhuti, sacred ash, and some of the social and legal points contained in this article would apply…
www.nzz.ch SWITZERLAND, February 18, 2006: Tamils first came to Switzerland in the 1980s as refugees fleeing civil war in Sri Lanka and now make up a sizeable community in the country. Although they encountered prejudices at first, Tamils are now regarded as having adapted well to their new home. But they are still not fully integrated. In 1983 the Tamil…
www.pib.nic.in NEW DELHI, INDIA, February 18, 2006: The Union Minister of Overseas Indian Affairs Shri Vayalar Ravi has said that his Ministry fully recognizes the urgent need to build safeguards to protect unsuspecting brides, and their parents seeking marriage alliances with Overseas Indians. Presiding over the inaugural session of the day-long National Consultation on Marriages to Overseas Indians, here today,…
www.panda.org SWITZERLAND, February 19, 2006: The World Wide Fund for Nature has released a new book, “Beyond Belief – Linking faiths and protected areas for biodiversity conservation.” The entire book is available in PDF form for download, here. The website at “source” describes the book: Most people in the world follow some kind of spiritual faith, and faiths have enormous…
pib.nic.in NEW DELHI, INDIA, February 17, 2006: The Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs is organizing a day-long National Consultation tomorrow at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi, with a view to working out strategies to address the problems arising out of marriages of Indian woman to Non-Resident Indians (NRIs) and to build necessary safeguards. The Indian Society of International Law, Department of…
www.dailyexpress.com.my LABUAN, EAST MALAYSIA, February 18, 2006 The 31-year-old “Thirumurugan” Hindu Temple will hold its “Maha Kumbabhishagam” (consecration) ceremony tomorrow (Sunday). It is the third time that the temple is holding such a ceremony and five priests from Kuala Lumpur would be present for the auspicious occasion. Chairman of the event’s organizing committee, R. Ramasamy, said musicians from Kuala Lumpur…
news.webindia123.com NEW DELHI, INDIA, February 17, 2006: Yoga and physical activities will be made mandatory in schools to prevent the onset of lifestyle-related illnesses among the younger generation, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said here Friday. “Non-communicable diseases like heart attacks, diabetes and cancer are slowly affecting the young age group and lack of physical activity is definitely one of the…
www.thepost.co.za LENASIA, SOUTH AFRICA, February 15, 2006: The annual Sivaratri Yatra undertaken by the Hindu communities of Lenasia and Laudium takes place on Sunday. In Laudium, the procession organized by the Pretoria Hindu Organization will begin at 8am from the Sivan Alayam on a seven-kilometer route that will also pass the Vishnu Mandir before ending at the Seva Samaj Mandir.…
www.hindustantimes.com LONDON, ENGLAND, February 16, 2006: Greek authorities have ordered an Athen discotheque to remove one advertisement of a whiskey brand, which used the image of goddess Durga, after it irked Hindus around the world, a community leader said on Thursday. The offending poster was removed from the discotheque as a result of direct communication from the Greek Embassy in…