News

SourceRAIPUR, INDIA November 26, 2004: Naxalities, after vandalizing Hindu temples, attacked Ganesha utsav mandaps (temporary festival shrines) and ashrams in Bastar and Dantewara districts three months ago, have turned to Christian missionaries. Naxalities, who follow Marxist philosophy, ordered Christian missionaries to stop carrying out “religious conversions of tribals.” They ordered eight tribal families of Markabeda village in Narainpur sub-division–who converted…

SourceDELHI, INDIA, September 21, 2004: Speaking at the inauguration in September of AROGYA 2004, a comprehensive health fair to promote the Indian systems of medicine, Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister, said that the budget for Indian systems of medicine would be increased in order to propagate the traditional system of medicine prevalent in India for several…

HPIKAUAI, HAWAII, November 28, 2004: HPI reader Paul Levesque, a priest of the Episcopal Church, makes this point about our HPI report of November 17, “Being Hindu in the American ‘Bible Belt.’ “ “May I be allowed to object to your characterization of the Bible Belt as being ‘heavily Christian’? It would be more accurate to state that it is…

SourceVELLORE, INDIA, November 23, 2004: The Kanchi Sankaracharya, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, who is in the Central prison here in connection with a murder case, was today formally arrested in a case relating to the attack on S. Radhakrishnan, a former associate of the Sankara Mutt, Kancheepuram, in Chennai two years ago. The Chief Investigating Officer in the Sankararaman murder case,…

SourceBARNET, ENGLAND, November 18, 2004: An eye-catching Hindu temple could soon be built in Golders Green after new plans were submitted to Barnet Council. The existing Shree Swaminaryan Temple’s red-brick building in Finchley Road would be demolished and replaced with a larger Ivory-colored stone structure, with traditional Hindu features. The 25-year-old temple won planning permission for such a building back…

SourceKUALU LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, November 24, 2004: The Malaysia Hindu Sangam President, Datuk A. Vaithilingam, issued the following statement: I wish to inform you here that at the World Millennium Peace Conference for Spiritual and Religious Leaders held at the United Nation New York from 28-31 August, 2000, Rev. Dada J.P. Vaswani made repeated appeals on the need to save animals…

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 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…