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…
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: 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…
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…
SourceATLANTA, GEORGIA, March 9, 2005: “By doing selfless service, one attains spiritual growth.” Dr. G.V. Raghu, founder of the Hindu Temple of Atlanta, gave this message that was echoed throughout the 2005 Annual Meet of the Hindu Students Council (HSC), held in Atlanta, GA. on March 4-6. Over 80 participants from 26 universities came from all over the United States…
SourceGENEVA, SWITZERLAND, March 14, 2005: The shrinking of Himalayan glaciers could fuel an increase in flooding in China, India and Nepal, before creating water shortages for hundreds of millions of people across the region, a leading environmental group warned Monday. In a report, the Switzerland-based World Wide Fund for Nature said the rate of retreat of the Asian mountain range’s…
SourceWAGHA, India, March 12, 2005: Many Hindu shrines in Pakistan no longer exist, while icons in many ancient temples are missing. This was revealed by a 193-member Hindu pilgrimage which returned to this border post town today after a six-day pilgrimage to Pakistan. The temples, including the famous Katasraj Temple, are in a dilapidated condition and require renovation. The icons…