SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, November 26, 2004: India’s prime minister has urged authorities to ensure a top Hindu cleric suspected in a murder case is treated well in custody and says “extreme care and consideration” must be taken in investigating the charge. Police arrested Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswathi, the most respected Hindu cleric in southern India, on Nov. 11 for his suspected…
SourceUSA, November 24, 2004: The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) issued this statement: HAF expresses great distress over the arrest of one of the most widely admired and respected Hindu spiritual leaders, the Sankaracharya of Kanchi, Pujya Shri Jayendra Saraswati. The Sankaracharya has been an inspiration and guide to Hindus throughout the world. Further, he has led important reforms in India…
SourceVICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, November 5, 2004: In an effort to curb the rising incidence of type 2 diabetes, an Australian study has brought significant parallels to light. After studying the diet and health records of 36,000 men and women for four years, researchers found a direct correlation between the consumption of white bread and starchy foods with diabetes. The news release…
SourceKAUAI, HAWAII, November 30, 2004: The current issue features the new Shri Swaminarayan Temple in Houston, Texas on the front cover. The insight section is for kids and parents and includes Hinduism from A to Z, plus precepts, practices and parenting guidelines. The main story is on Toronto’s large Hindus population. Other reports cover Nepalese women, dancer PT Narendran, Babeena…
Religion News ServiceUSA, November 29, 2004: A Gallup Poll suggests that Americans are divided over how the world was created — either through evolution or at the hand of God — but either way they appear skeptical that it happened exactly as described in the book of Genesis. The poll found that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution remains controversial among…
SourceCOLOMBO, SRI LANKA, November 29, 2004: The Ministry of Agricultural Marketing Development, Co-operative Development, Hindu Affairs and the Ministry of Assisting Education and Vocation Training and Planning to establish cultural centers in Jaffna, Trincomalee, Mannar, Vavuniya Pothuvil and Colombo. The total estimated cost for the program is US$400,000. $133,000 has been allocated for this project in 2004. Work expected to…
SourceRAIPUR, INDIA, November 26, 2004: The naxalites (a violent political movement of Marxist/Maoist philosophy) have asked the tribals of Bastar division of Chhattisgarh not to preach or practice any religion or be engaged in any worship saying that would disturb the centuries-old culture and tradition of the tribals. “Tribals are not Hindus. They have their own religion and practising any…
ReutersAMSTERDAM, HOLLAND, November 22, 2004: Research conducted by scientists from Maastricht University and published recently in the European Respiratory Journal indicates that burning candles and incense in churches can release dangerous levels of potentially carcinogenic particles. Theo de Kok, author of the study, explains, “After a day of candle burning we found about 20 times as much as by a…
SourceTIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA November 29, 2004: The practice of dowry, prevalent among Hindus, is now making its presence in the Christian community as well. In fact, Kerala continues to be one of the epicenters of dowry practice in the country. In the matter of dowry and splurging for the wedding celebrations, it’s the middle class, which is bearing the brunt. “Personally,…
SourceAHMEDABAD, INDIA, November 25, 2004: Here’s another Indian ritual that’s moving online. Nonresident Gujaratis who can’t make it to the funeral of a loved one back home will soon be able to watch the last rites on the Net. To be built in Vadodara, the high-tech crematorium, called the Moksha Dham, will be funded by the Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited…