SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, January 29, 2005: (HPI note: It was reported the police entered the mutt with their shoes on, and made the arrest during worship.) This is how the State Government described the Kanchi Sankara Mutt while challenging a notice issued by the National Human Rights Commission over the alleged violation of the sanctity of the Mutt during the arrest…
SourceWASHINGTON, D.C., January 21, 2005: Buried in a CBS report on President’s George Bush’s wife’s inaugural gown was this short item: “In 2002, Mrs. Bush decided to get serious about her health. She began to work out with a personal trainer and watch the food that she ate. She has lost 20 pounds since she began to get serious about…
Paras RamoutarTRINIDAD, January 28, 2005: Another case of unfair treatment, racism and discrimination has won the favor of Trinidad and Tobago’s Court of Appeal. The subject is the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha’s (SDMS) request for a radio licence to promote Hinduism and Indian Culture. This request was denied by the Telecommunications Authority two years ago. The SDMS took the matter…
SourceDEHRADUN, INDIA, January 28, 2005: Pilgrims intending to undertake Kailas Manas Sarovar Yatra this year will have to pay higher fees. The Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam has now pegged the amount at US$352 per passenger against last year’s $318 in addition to $600 to be paid to the Chinese Government for visiting the site, its Director D. K. Sharma said.…
Press ReleaseKAULA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, January 22, 2005: The Malaysia Hindu Sangam issued the following press release: “It is with deep regret that Datuk A.Vaithilingam, President Malaysia Hindu Sangam, resigns from the Executive Committee of the Malaysian Consultative Council of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Sikhism (MCCBCHS). Datuk Vaithi has already tendered his resignation on December 1, 2004 but the MCCBCHS did…
SourcePHUKET, THAILAND, January 24, 2005: Lek looks nervously at the Patong sea shore as he describes the passengers who climbed into his tuk tuk minivan late at night on January 6. “Go to Kata Beach,” the seven foreign tourists told him, after agreeing on a 200 baht fee. He drove a while, but then felt numb all over his body.…
SourceUSA, January 24, 2005: Thousands of donors have placed their faith in India Development & Relief Fund (IDRF) again as their “Charity of Choice,” according to this IDRF press release from their website, “source.” With their overwhelming support, IDRF’s donation receipts for tsunami relief and rehabilitation have exceeded $600,000. While the tide of direct giving by individual donors has receded,…
SourceCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, January 22, 2005: Many men of the Sikh faith wear a small sword under their clothing. Orthodox Jews often refuse to move illegally parked cars on Saturdays. Outsiders may photograph statues in Buddhist temples, but not in Hindu ones. These are some of the insights in a series of videos the Chicago Police Department uses to train its…
SourceTAMIL NADU, INDIA, January 2, 2005: Imagine belonging to a tradition that can trace its ancestry back 600 years. Mr. Mohanraj Stapathi, chief architect of the renowned Thanjavur Big Temple, can do just that. Mr. Mohanraj and his two sons, Karunanidhi and Kuberan, run a sculpting idol workshop in Swamimalai, Tamil Nadu, where they employ 20 men and 2 women…
SourceBANGALORE, INDIA, January 24, 2005: A three-day faith show by American evangelist Benny Hinn has left behind a trail of controversies. With the Karnataka government providing the logistics support for the Festival of Blessings that concluded here Sunday night, the high-tech show attracted nearly a million people from all over India and abroad. Though massive protests, a 12-hour shutdown and…