www.hssus.org BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, August 10, 2005: (HPI note: Neha Shah provided the following report.) The setting: a beautiful Indian summer day. The air: warm and fragrant, that evoked memories for many of beautiful Indian festivals full of enthusiasm, energy and anticipation. Such was scene at Locke Middle School in Billerica on August 7, 2005. “Pradeepadarshini” (meaning one who guides to…
Press Report SRINIGAR, INDIA, August 19, 2005: The two-month-long Hindu pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir came to an end on Friday afternoon. This year’s annual yatra remained free of any militant attacks. During the annual yatra, nearly 400,000 pilgrims visited the cave. A stream of devotees chanting hymns, accompanying the Charri Mubarik led by…
www.indolink.com U.S., August 14, 2005: A number of recent studies have focused on the role that Indian-American philanthropic organizations play in promoting social development and goodwill both in America as well as in India. For example, Priya Anand’s study, presented last year at the International Society for Third Sector Research, concludes that while temples in the United States help preserve…
www.breitbart.com BANGKOK, THAILAND, August 19, 2005: With Asian tourists still shunning its southern beaches, Thailand is calling in a revered Chinese sea goddess to ward off the restive spirits of the thousands who died in last December’s tsunami. A statue of Godmother Ruby, known as Mazu in Chinese, will be brought to the Thai island of Phuket from the Chinese…
www.financialexpress.com FLORIDA, USA, August 20, 2005: Children are becoming increasingly aggressive with their exposure to violent video games, according to a new study. Teachers of 600 children aged between 13 and 15, said children who spent more time playing such video games were more hostile than others. They are also more likely to argue with authorities and peers. The report…
ved.chaudhary@gmail.com NEW BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, USA, August 15, 2005: (Press Release from Dharma Summit 2005, prepared by Beth Kulkarni.) For the first time in North America, 400 participants representing more than 80 Hindu temples and religious organizations came together for a Dharma Summit on August 13-15, 2005. The most respected heads of various religious groups who addressed the summit held…
HPI NEWS BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY, August 16, 2005: (HPI note: This report was prepared before the above press release arrived, so there is some overlap in the information.) After initially wondering if anyone would attend, Dr. Ved Chaudhary finally had to close enrollment in the Dharma Summit 2005 when it reached capacity at 400 (including representatives from 80 Hindu institutions),…
www.telegraphindia.com CHANDIGARH, INDIA, August 13, 2005: You no longer have to be a Maoist for your God to come from China. Siva has shifted residence from Kailash to the land of the Great Helmsman, and Vishnu, Lakshmi and Ganesh have followed suit. After toys and dolls, communist China — where there are strict curbs on religious practice — has flooded…
www.cjc.ca VANCOUVER, CANADA, August 8, 2005: The Vancouver – Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region, denounced the recent desecration of the Geeta Gyan Society temple in Surrey, and has offered its support and condolences to the congregation. The temple was defaced with graffiti that included racial aspersions, swastikas, and threats. “No Canadian should face the spectacle of their place of worship…
Cihan News Agency NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 15, 2005: A symposium titled, “Peace, tolerance and harmony among world religions,” was held in New Delhi Sunday by the “Inter Faith Harmony Platform,” which was established by Indian Muslims. Many representatives from different religions participated in the symposium that was held for the first time in India. Indian deputy Karan Singh, who…