SourceDEVANAMPATTINAM, SOUTH INDIA, April 5, 2005: Project Hope — the name of the tsunami relief organization formed by Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji (President of Parmarth Niketan Rishikesh and Chairman of India Heritage Research Foundation) and the famous actor Vivek Oberoi — has been working continuously for tsunami relief in South India. Please see “source” for details of work. There have…
SourceMIDNAPORE, INDIA, March 27, 2005: About thirty-four terracotta temples of the 18th century at Pathra in Midnapore district of West Bengal have an unlikely saviour–a Muslim clerk who fought against communal tension, apathy and negligence to ensure that they survive for posterity, says this article. For Yasin Pathan, the temples have been a point of attraction since childhood days. His…
SourceKATHMANDU, NEPAL, April 4, 2005: A 17th-century icon of the Hindu God Vishnu has been stolen from Nepal’s world famous Pashupatinath temple, Xinhua reports. The two-and-a-half-foot tall Shankar Narayan icon was stolen Sunday night from the heavily guarded temple located in the city. Pashupatinath temple is one of the seven Unesco World Heritage Sites. Even though a police beat is…
SourceJOHOR BARU, MALAYSIA, April 4, 2005: About 800 Hindu devotees have appealed to the Johor Government to relocate the Sri Maha Mariamman temple which is located at the Shansi estate in Skudai. The 60-year-old temple was built by their ancestors, who worked at the rubber estate. Temple chairman Y. Sasinaran said the estate had since been sold to a property…
SourceDETROIT, MICHIGAN, USA, March 27, 2005: A proposal for a National Day of Prayer is causing considerable soul searching in Troy (a nearby city). At issue is whether the prayer day, set nationally for May 5, will be celebrated on city property, at City Hall, and, more importantly, if the event will include all religions or be limited to Christians.…
Statesman News ServiceBHUBANESWAR, INDIA, April 5, 2005: Are tribals Hindus? — This contentious issue has been debated in the State Assembly today. And interestingly the participant members — mostly tribals — were divided over the issue. While a section of the members claimed that the tribals were a part of the Hindu society, another section argued to the contrary. Even…
SourceNEW YORK, NEW YORK, March 15, 2005: When the recent movie “Downfall” portrayed Hitler as a vegetarian, the vegetarian community at large was offended. However, the New York Times recently printed (on March 15th) the following note in its “corrections” box: “A film review about ‘Downfall,’ which looks at Hitler’s final days, referred incorrectly to his diet. Although the movie…
SourcePATNA, INDIA, April 3, 2005: A Canadian researcher of Indian origin says on the strength of astronomical evidence that the Mahabharata war was fought between the Pandavas and Kauravas in 2156 bce. Anand Mohan Sharan, who teaches in the faculty of engineering at the Memorial University in Newfoundland, said he used computers and several kinds of software to reach the…
News ReportMANUKAU CITY, NEW ZEALAND, March 20, 2005: A Sikh temple in Manukau City was the scene of a pioneering effort to bring races and faiths together at the weekend. Auckland leaders of Christian, Islam, Hindu, Baha’i, Sikh and Jewish religions shared the pulpit at the new Manurewa temple of the Sikh organisation Nanaksar Thath Isher Darbar. The organization’s adviser,…
SourceSTATEN ISLAND, USA, April 02, 2005: With the opening of the Prem Prakesh Temple in Dongan Hills last month, Staten Island has become home to two Hindu houses of worship. The temple opened in the former United Units Building, where many congregations — including the Staten Island Hindu Temple — leased space as they built up their memberships and established…