SourceSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, March 14, 2005: This news release features an interview with former U.S. Air Force Colonel Kirby Knox, a devotee of Ammachi, the Hindu holy woman revered as the ‘Hugging Saint’. Mr. Knox was raised in a strict Methodist family and his father was also in the Air Force. He became interested in Eastern spirituality when he was…
SourceSOUTH AFRICA, March 17, 2005: Members of the Hindu community are in a uproar after viewing Ford’s latest television advert, which they say is disrespectful and misrepresents their religion. The advertisement, which has been screened on television recently, features a man who appears to be a guru with Lord Siva in the background and makes reference to karma. Brindaveni Naidoo,…
SourceNEW YORK, USA, March 16, 2005: Despite 15-year-old Amandeep Singh’s exemplary academic and disciplinary records, he was suspended from his New York state Greenburgh Central School last month when the kirpan he has been wearing to school for 7 years was deemed to be an offensive weapon by his school authorities. The school principal determined at an initial hearing that…
SourceKANPUR, INDIA, March 18, 2005: With the Hindu festival of colors, Holi, just over a week away, doctors have issued warnings to potential buyers to avoid cheap synthetic colors flooding the markets, which they say could be harmful to the skin. During Holi, revelers toss colored powders on each other as part of the celebration. Eco-friendly herbal colors are available,…
HPIKAUAI, HAWAII, March 19, 2005: Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, publisher of Hinduism Today and HPI, magazine will visit London from March 25 to 29. This will be Bodhinathaswami’s first visit to the United Kingdom since his ordination as successor to the late Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (affectionately known as Gurudeva). He has been invited to preside over the annual Yogaswami Mahasamadhi celebration…
SourceLONDON, ENGLAND, March 15, 2005: India has won a 10-year-long battle at the European Patent Office (EPO) against a patent granted on an anti-fungal product, derived from neem. EPO initially granted the patent to the US Department of Agriculture and multinational WR Grace in 1995. But the Indian government successfully argued that the medicinal neem tree is part of traditional…
SourceHOMEBUSH, AUSTRALIA, March 14, 2005: Dr. A. Balasubramaniam, Chairman of the Hindu Council of Australia, wrote to the Times of India in protest to their article on Lord Siva (see HPI, March 11). His letter states: The brief article by Bachi Karkaria in the Times News Network (India) of March 7, 2005, may seem funny to him, but the vast…
SourceLONDON, ENGLAND, March 15, 2005: Hundreds of leading politicians were coming together today in central London as the House of Commons celebrates the Indian festival of Ramnavami for the first time. At an event backed by the Hindu Council UK several members of the cabinet, shadow cabinet and the Liberal Democrats party were joining a host of dignitaries for the…
SourceSAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, March 8, 2005: Sondra Barrett, a self-described “hardcore scientist” had no interest in spirituality but became convinced of a higher power while examining human blood cells as a UCSF cancer researcher in the 1970’s. Since then Barrett, 64, has used her microscope to photograph everything from caffeine molecules to chicken soup to pinot noir. As a scientist…
SourceSRI LANKA, MARCH 12, 2005: Three-day procession of Lord Konesar, chief deity of historic Trincomalee Koneswaram Temple, with his consort Mathumai Ambal concluded Saturday early morning. The procession commenced Wednesday evening from Koneswaram Temple following Maha Sivarathiri Day celebrations. Sources said about six thousand coconuts were dashed on the road. Following the tsunami disaster, this year roads were not gaily…