Religion Watch NewsletterINDIA, March 6, 2005: Religion is alive and well among Indian youth, who generally seems to hold rather conservative values on family and motherland, and show pride of being Indian, according to a recent survey. The Indian newsmagazine India Today devoted its entire January 31 issue to what young, middle-class people in Indian cities “think, do and want…
SourceKATHMANDU, NEPAL, March 7, 2005: (HPI note: Mahasivaratri is being celebrated by Hindus all over the world tomorrow, but no doubt Nepal has a special place in the tradition with its Pasupatinath Temple. The events here are similar–though more spectacular–to what is done at all Siva temples.) Among the numerous festivals of Nepal, Maha Sivaratrai is worthy to note in…
SourceLONDON, ENGLAND, March 7, 2005: Jay Lakhani announced today the release of Hinduism For Schools, written by Seeta Lakhani and edited by Jay. The 133-page, all-color book is replacing the material used in UK public schools to teach Hinduism. The book is produced to a high standard of writing, illustration and color printing on glossy paper. It is one of…
SourceKAUAI, HAWAII, March 7, 2005: The latest issue of Hinduism Today is now available for sale at “source.” Here you can also find back issues and bound volumes of magazines for 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2001.
SourceKOLKATA, INDIA, February 18, 2005: In 2003, acting Chief Justice Altamas directed the state to enforce a school education department circular banning corporal punishment and canning in schools. So when the headmistress of Barisha Vivekananda Balika Vidyalaya acted inappropriately and cruelly toward students at her school, the Calcutta High Court took up the issue with the state education department. The…
SourceTIRUVANAMMALAI, INDIA, March 2, 2005: Tiruvanammalai is a bustling city in the state of Tamil Nadu near the south-east tip of India. Dominating the landscape is the sacred mountain Arunachala, which is considered a form of Lord Siva. A temple was built at the base of the mountain more than 1,000 years ago, and over the centuries, millions of pilgrims…
SourceLONDON, UK, March 3, 2005: The Equality Bill received its first reading in the House of Commons yesterday, and will be published today, according to this report from the Hindu Council UK (“source”). Copies of the bill (and the explanatory notes) will be available shortly on the Parliamentary website here and may be purchased from the Stationery Office. The new…
San Bernardino SunSAN BERNARDINO, CALIFORNIA, March 3, 2005: Apple Valley Hindus rejoiced Wednesday night as plans were approved for the only Hindu temple between Riverside, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada. The Planning commission unanimously voted to reverse its January rejection of the Krishna Valley Temple at 13356 Apple Valley Road. The approval was a victory for a growing Hindu population…
SourceARIZONA, USA, March 6, 2005: The following review of our April, 2005, issue is by Dan Kincaid of The Arizona Republic: Hinduism Today: This quarterly provides a glimpse into the ancient faith of India that has spread around the globe. You’ll find all kinds of articles and news on Hinduism and Hindus, many of them focusing on the concerns of…
SourceBALI, INDONESIA, March 2, 2005: Police on the Indonesian resort island of Bali are hard-pressed to explain the sudden proliferation of white markings at hundreds of temples across the Hindu island. Local residents view the signs as a divine warning. The white chalk marks –crosses, dashes or two parallel diagonal bars — began to appear simultaneously on several temples starting…