SourceLAHORE, PAKISTAN, February 19, 2005: (HPI note: Any news report from the Pakistan media should be considered a government-sanctioned announcement and read accordingly) In a significant move, the Pakistan government has allotted US$20,220 for the repair of Krishna Mandir on Ravi Road. The Daily Times quoted Syed Saeedul Hassan, the Punjab minister for Auqaf and religious affairs, on Friday as…
SourceLOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, February 14, 2005: Yoga and Pilates may be the fitness world’s most popular couple. Men and women are flocking to both exercise disciplines as classes, studios, books and DVDs appear; there’s even a hybrid called Yogalates that blends the best of both worlds, says this Los Angeles Times article. Pilates is a strength and conditioning system done…
SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, February 20, 2005: A team of officials from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), aided by Navy divers, have begun a joint off shore exploration at the historic town of Mahabalipuram, near Chennai, to look for “submerged temples” following the surfacing of some rock cut reliefs near the Shore Temple in the aftermath of the tsunami. Experts, including…
SourceLONDON, ENGLAND, February 21, 2005: The Hindu Council UK issued the following press release: “On February 25, Hindu Council UK begins the process of launching our own resources on Hinduism. This comes with a series of textbooks covering GCSE and Advanced level course material. Most of the resources on Hinduism, so far, have been distorted Abrahamic versions of Hinduism. These…
SourceMUMBAI, INDIA, February 18, 2005: Kshitij Garg, age 9, is a lanky boy, quiet and soft-spoken. His favorite hero is a complete contrast to this. “I like Hanuman because of his extraordinary strength. One day, I would also like to be as huge and powerful as him,” he says. Typically, his favorite part of the classic Hindu epic Ramayana is…
SourceLONDON, UK, February 19, 2005: Charles Kennedy, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party, visited the Swaminarayan Temple in Neasden, north London, and made a pitch for ethnic minority votes in the forthcoming British general elections. Kennedy slightly offended orthodox Hindus by making an overtly political speech (mostly about Iraq) at a semi-religious function whose main purpose was to hand over…
SourceHYDERABAD, INDIA, February 16, 2005: A reversal of medical tourism now has Americans making a beeline for India, seeking the latest and cheaper treatments, begins this article. Until recently, it was the other way round, with Indians rushing to the US for better cure facilities. However, with the state-of-the-art medical procedures, equipment and facilities now available in India, patients from…
SourceCOLOMBO, SRI LANKA, February 18, 2004: Indian Spiritual leader, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Ammachi), who is in Colombo on a three-day visit to console thousands of tsunami victims, has pledged to build 300 houses for the tsunami survivors. Ammachi, well-known for showering divine love on everyone equally through her embrace, yesterday arrived in Sri Lanka on the invitation of the…
SourceLUCKNOW, INDIA, February 18, 2005: Reconversion is back in focus after a VHP-affiliated outfit organized a “purification camp” for Dalit and extremely backward caste Christians in western Uttar Pradesh this week, reports Telegraph India’s special correspondent. Over 3,000 people from more than 17 villages of Etah district have been reconverted to Hinduism over a period of time, prompting Aloke Sinha,…
Religion News ServiceWASHINGTON, D.C. February 18, 2005: More than 1,000 people in America alleged abuse at the hands of 756 Catholic clergy in 2004, the nation’s Catholic bishops said today, a sign that the three-year abuse scandal continues to rock the church. In addition, officials said various dioceses paid US$157.8 million for abuse settlements, therapy and legal fees last year.…