SourceKANCHIPURAM, INDIA, December 5, 2004: (HPI note: We are reproducing below in full this report by the New York Times. We have left alone in this report their use of “Mr. Saraswati” instead of “the Shankaracharya,” but have complained to their public editor. “Mr. Saraswati” is also being used by the BBC.) On a recent evening at the Kanchi Mutt,…
Religion News ServiceLONDON, UK, Tuesday 7, 2004: The British Ministry of Defense will soon start advertising in the national and religious press for qualified people to serve as Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Sikh chaplains to the British armed forces. Some 300 Christian chaplains already minister to the 210,000 personnel of the Royal Navy, the army, and the Royal Air Force.…
SourceTHE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS, December 7, 2004: Recently the first graduates of the Dutch Hindu Cleric Academy received their certificates as “Hindu Cleric.” The aim of the DHCA (in Dutch: Nederlandse Opleiding Hindoe Geestelijke, NOHG) is to educate people (both men and women) who will be able to provide spiritual guidance, based on Hindu religious, philosophical and ethical principles. This three-year…
Press Trust of India AHMEDABAD, INDIA, December 6, 2004: In Kalupur, residents are celebrating an 18-year-old Hindu girl’s marriage, organized by a Muslim widow. Sharavarbibi Ansari, 40, gave away her “adopted” daughter Nandu to Narendra Rajput, a resident of Behrampura. Nandu’s marriage was performed according to the Hindu rituals. Sharvarbibi, says, “So what if I am performing Hindu rites for…
SourceMADURAI, TAMIL NADU, November 27, 2004: Tamil teachers from Singapore and Malaysia attending an orientation program at Madurai Kamaraj University were given positive direction by keynote speaker K. Kalimuthu. Kalimuthu pointed out, “Tamil culture is preserved, despite external influences, only because of an active role played by women, who are its backbone. Our women always believe in the richness, tradition,…
SourcePHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA, December 6, 2004: The mighty river Mekong that flows through six Southeast Asian countries gets its name from India’s holiest and biggest river, the Ganges. “Me is a shorter version of mae or mother and Kong is from Ganga,” Pradeep Kumar Kapur, India’s ambassador to Cambodia, told IANS after welcoming the first India-ASEAN car rally into the…
SourceSTATEN ISLAND, NEW YORK, November 27, 2004: In February of 2005, the 500 family Hindu community of Staten Island are anticipating the opening of their 2,400 square foot temple. It is dedicated to Lord Rama, the Lord of righteousness. The news release explains, “The first floor will have a coat and shoe room, facilities for ritual hand-washing, a community hall…
SourceBHARATHPUR, INDIA, December 4: At least a dozen people were injured, three of them seriously, when Dalit (formerly “Untouchables”) activists and “upper-caste” people engaged in fisticuffs when the later tried to bar Dalits from entering a Hindu temple in Bharatpur Municipality Saturday. Reports said the scuffle began when the upper-caste people present at the Laxmi Benkateshwor Temple premises barred Dalit…
SourceKONARK, INDIA, December 5, 2004: The magical backdrop of the majestic Sun Temple lends a special charm to the annual Konark dance festival. Against the backdrop of the sprawling amphitheater of the temple, the famous festival will also bring focus to the glorious tradition of Orissa. And for the performers of the classical Indian dances, which have closest of ties…
SourceKERALA, INDIA, December 5, 2004 : At the well-known Guruvayoor temple in Kerala, devotees wanting to perform the costliest puja, or religious service, will have to wait until 2046. Such is the demand for the special US$1,100 Udayasthamana Puja, which is performed only 130 days in a year at the Sree Krishna temple, that the faithful have paid booking amounts…