Crash Course in Manners for Temple Staff

www.eians.com BHUBANESWAR, INDIA, July 29, 2005: Refresher courses on etiquette are on the anvil for 400 servitors of Orissa’s famous Jagannath temple after stories of their rudeness to devotees even united concerned politicos of different parties. Called Yatri Pandas, these people receive devotees in front of the gate of the temple in Puri, 56 km. from here, and escort them…

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North Carolina State Courts May Be Required To Permit Oath On Books Other Than Bible

www.thebostonchannel.com RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA, US, July 27, 2005: The American Civil Liberties Union said witnesses in North Carolina courtrooms should be allowed to swear to tell the truth on scriptures other than the Bible. The ACLU has filed a lawsuit to permit oaths to be taken on the holy books of Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and other non-Christian faiths. Judges in…

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UK Requirements for English-Speaking Priests Impacting Temple Worship

news.bbc.co.uk LONDON, ENGLAND, July 28, 2005: The statues at the Shri Venkateswara Balaji Temple in Tividale at the center of England are hand-carved. After eight years and getting on for US$13.2 million, the battle to transform a desolate West Midlands industrial site should soon be won. For the team behind what will be one of Europe’s largest Hindu temples there…

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New Reincarnation Documentary

press.namct.com ATLANTA, GEORGIA, July 19, 2005: A new documentary which takes a serious look at how Americans are discovering reincarnation has been accepted for distribution by Films Media Group, the oldest and largest distributor marketing to academia. Produced by independent filmmaker Stephen Sakellarios through his company, Gold Thread Video Productions, “In Another Life” begins with the assumption that reincarnation is…

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Canada Bans Certain Ayurvedic Drugs

www.medindia.net TORONTO, CANADA, July 24, 2005: The drug regulatory agency in Canada Health Canada, has warned consumers not to use certain ayurvedic medicinal products from India, based on the recent controversial JAMA study report which found Indian Ayurvedic drugs containing high levels of toxic metal content. Health Canada has also stated that it would soon take action to remove these…

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The Kabootar Visa Scam

mangalorean.com MUMBAI, INDIA, July 26, 2005: (HPI note: This article is quite useful in understanding American visa procedures in India, and should especially be useful to temples bringing in priests and other religious workers.) It was singer Sonali Rathod’s turn at the visa counter at the US consulate in Mumbai. An American officer manning the counter asked her if she…

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In Lankan Buddhism, the Hindu Gods Are Worshipped, But Subordinate To the Buddha

www.hindustantimes.com NEW DELHI, INDIA, July 4, 2005: Buddhism, which is the predominant religion in Sri Lanka, is atheistic. The Buddha was against the worship of Gods and deities, and had exhorted his followers to seek salvation through self-control and right conduct, without taking recourse to the worship of Gods and deities to achieve it. But despite this injunction, theism has…

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Visiting Indian Swami Hosts Seminar On Spiritual Enlightenment

By Paras Ramoutar CARAPICHAIMA, TRINIDAD, July 22, 2005: In memory of all the gurus of all traditions, Enlightenment Day will be celebrated on Sunday, July 31, at the Dattatreya Yogan Centre, Orange Field Road, Carapichaima starting at 7 p.m. Enlightenment Day will honour the wealth of wisdom of all the great spiritualities of the world. Visiting Indian Swami Shri Brahmavairaagyi,…

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Data Of Siddha Compositions To Be Digitalized

www.hindu.com MADURAI, INDIA, July 25, 2005: The Central Research Institute for Siddha plans to digitalize nearly 10,000 formulae of Siddha compositions for various ailments and host them on the traditional knowledge digital library being evolved by the Department of Indian Systems of Medicine and Homeopathy. This was an effort to prevent the grant of wrong patents for non-original inventions in…

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