The Calgary HeraldCALGARY, ALBERTA, CANADA, November 11, 2004: When Shikha Khangura was an unmarried Sikh woman, she celebrated Karva Chauth each year for 19 years by praying for a good husband. This year holds special significance for Khangura, a 32-year old physician, because now she is married to 37-year old Gurmeet, a certified financial analyst. The news release explains, ”…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, November 3, 2004: Supported by the present government, the national capital of Delhi is fast becoming the cultural hub for Indian Dance forms. Recently a five-day festival (Ananya) featuring Indian Classical Dance attracted an audience of over 2,000 spectators on the first day (October 26). The setting for the performance was none other than the Purana Quila,…
SourceBHUTAN, INDIA, November 15, 2004: Jigme Thinley, Bhutanese minister, says, “We want no pollution and good health for our citizens.” The news release explains that his remote Himalayan kingdom has decided to ban all tobacco products and that shops, hotels, restaurants, and bars selling products have been ordered to dispose of existing stocks before December 17t. So far 18 of…
SourceUNITED STATES, November 22, 2004: Ayurveda’s vast library of medicinal plants, its technology, as well as its holistic approach are attracting an increasing number of Americans in search of a more “natural” health system and dissatisfied with current health care and its costs. Part of the commercial scene is driven by the likes of popular American icon Deepak Chopra, while…
The Toronto StarTORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA, November 13, 2004: After Canada changed its immigration policies in the 1980’s to favor professionals and entrepreneurs, many hailing from Gujarat now call Canada home. As with all immigrants in a new land, the community has been striving diligently to keep their religion, values and heritage alive. For Hindus, the temple is traditionally the hub…
SourcePUSHKAR, INDIA, November 22, 2004: Its welcome news for India’s tourism industry. The Pushkar Fair that has kicked off in Rajasthan is set to break all records of tourist arrivals. Due to the tragedy of 9/11, Indo-Pak tensions, the Iraq war and the SARS threat, tourists had stayed away from this fair for the past three years. But now they…
SourceKANCHIPURAM, INDIA, November 22, 2004: A Kanchipuram court on Monday rejected a prosecution plea seeking the extension of the police custody of Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi till 1400 IST on Tuesday. Dismissing the application, First Class Judicial Magistrate-I Uthamaraj held that the seer had already been “sufficiently interrogated” and there was no need to grant further custody. The public prosecutor…
SourceDELHI, INDIA, November 21, 2004: Describing Kanchi Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati’s arrest as “painful,” Hindu spiritual leader Mata Amritanandamayi on Sunday hoped that the seer’s “ordeal” passed of as a “bad dream.” “It is painful to learn about the arrest of Kanchi Acharya. It seems like a bad dream and may it continue to be nothing more than that…,” she said.…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, November 21, 2004: There will be no dearth of anxious couples November 28, but there sure will be a shortage of priests as some 14,000 weddings are expected to be solemnized in the capital on what is an auspicious day for Hindus. Not just priests, even services of marriage contractors, caterers and florists will be available at…
HPIKAUAI, HAWAII, November 22, 2004: Our thanks to Dharam Prakash for pointing out a potential misreading of the November 20th HPI item, “Reunion Deepavali Celebrations Inspire Guadeloupe Hindus.” One could read the report as meaning that the Hindus of Indian origin in Mauritius had become Roman Catholics since their migration to the island. This is, of course, not true. The…