SourceKOLKATA, INDIA, March 23, 2005: West Bengal’s communist-led government is moving to fight a proliferation of television programs on astrology and feng shui. An assortment of astrologers and soothsayers are seen on Bengali TV channels, and their programs are believed to have a large following. Viewers call into these interactive programs to learn their fate and future. “This hypocrisy has…
SourceRIYADH, SAUDI ARABIA, March 29,2004: Saudi religious police have destroyed a clandestine makeshift Hindu temple in an old district of Riyadh and deported three worshippers found there, a newspaper reported yesterday. Members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, or religious police, on Thursday stumbled across a room converted into a temple while raiding a…
SourceTIRUPATI, INDIA, March 27, 2007: A heavy rush of pilgrims on Saturday forced the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) to modify their darshan procedures, something that has never happened in the temple’s history. Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams sources said the new rule was applied due to the sheer pressure of the pilgrims. (“Darshan” means the viewing of the main Deity by the…
SourceBATU GAJAH, MALAYSIA, March 27, 2005: Glittering chariots, carrying the statues of three Hindu deities, marked the colorful celebration of the Pangguni Uthiram festival beneath the glow of a full moon here on Friday night. Despite a delay of two hours caused by a downpour, thousands of devotees rushed to pay homage to the deities – Lord Ganesha, his brother…
SourceNASINU, FIJI, March 29, 2005: Member of Parliament Pratap Chand yesterday warned the tolerance of the Hindu faithful was being stretched too far and could cause disunity between Fiji’s two major races. Mr. Chand was reacting to the break-in at a temple at Narere, Nasinu, last weekend where thieves climbed through a window and ransacked the temple. He said the…
SourceGUWAHATI AND MUMBAI, INDIA, March 26, 2005: Colours may not hold much significance to the blind children as they cannot see it. Yet, the vibrant colours of Holi, smeared on the bubbly faces of the visually impaired children in Guwahati, depict the true sense of the festival. The blind children danced and sang while applying colours on their friends. “We…
Indo-Asian News ServiceISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN, March 21, 2005: Volunteers pulled out 17 bodies from the debris of a Hindu temple in Pakistan’s Balochistan province destroyed in fierce fighting between security forces and tribal fighters, news reports said Monday. More bodies were still under the temple debris in Dera Bugti town and efforts were on to take them out, Dawn quoted Mukhi…
SourceDELHI, INDIA, March 6, 2005: Emmanuel Mission, an evangelical organization, covertly indulging in conversion activities cried wolf when caught by alert Bajrang Dal workers, according to this article in The Organizer, the RSS newspaper. In the name of Bible classes, the Mission has been ferrying people from all over India to Kota in Rajasthan, apparently for religious conversions. Rajasthan is…
SourceU.S.A., March 20, 2005: A Hindu group had two options when they were told they could not build a temple in Apply Valley, California: Accept rejection or ask again. They decided on the latter. Following an impassioned appeal in early February, the Apple Valley Planning Commission agreed to rehear the temple project, which was approved this month. Had the city…
SourceMarch 16, 2005: A new scientific study has revealed that there may be a connection between your genetic makeup and your inclination to live a religious life. The article explains, “The team gave questionnaires to 169 pairs of identical twins – 100% genetically identical – and 104 pairs of fraternal twins – 50% genetically identical – born in Minnesota. The…