SourceSINGAPORE, November 3, 2004: When the Sri Marathadi Muneeswarar temple received a court order initiated by JTC Corporation that the temple would be demolished, devotees reacted. Temple caretaker, Veerappan Ariappthire, tried to persuade the High Court to declare ownership of the land the temple is located on to him. The article says, “But the court threw out Mr Veerappan’s case…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, October 20, 2004: Three months ago, Howard Staab learned that he suffered from a life-threatening heart condition and would have to undergo surgery at a cost of up to $200,000 — an impossible sum for the 53-year-old carpenter from Durham, N.C., who has no health insurance. So he outsourced the job to India. Taking his cue from…
SourceNovember 6, 2004: Sarve Samachar was formally launched today online at “source.” Sponsored by the Viraat Hindu Sabha, the site is the first automated Hindu news portal available on the internet, delivering content from over 30 online newspapers, news agency and other sources. The site uses technology similar to Google News to automatically crawl and index fresh content every 30…
SourceUNITED NATIONS, November 5, 2004: Three hundred years from now, the world’s population will have stabilized at about 9 billion and we will look forward to living until age 95. In Japan, that bastion of longevity, people will be hanging around until they’re 106. India, China and the United States will still be the most populous countries on the planet…
SourceUSA, November 8, 2004: Mother sends Light & Blessings for Deepavali. The Divine never gives us more gifts than we can handle at any given time. At this crucial time of challenge for human mind and spirit, the magnificent occasion of Deepavali arrives bringing with it an abundant of reprieve and lightness. Deepavali is the Hindu Festival of Light –…
SourceISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN, November 6, 2004: Wedding guests in Pakistan can be served only soft drinks or tea, coffee and other hot drinks, the Supreme Court has ruled. No meals or any other edibles can be served, a three-judge bench of the court ruled, Dawn reported Saturday. The order came on a petition challenging various sections of an act passed by…
SourceBANGALORE/LUCKNOW, INDIA, November 6, 2004: With the Hindu festival of lights, “Deepavali,” round the corner, pottery makers of Bangalore, famous for their craftsmanship, are working round the clock to meet the festive rush. While “diyas,” or earthen lamps, are made all over the country, the ones made here are considered to be the best in southern India. Potters here have…
HPIKAUAI, HAWAII, November 7, 2004: HPI reader Steven Pheiffer is seeking a source for the traditional Deepavali lamps, “small clay diyas with wax and wick inside, painted and decorated in a festive manner.” If someone knows a mail-order source, kindly write him at skanda2@earthlink.net.
Hari GaunderAUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND, November 7, 2004: It was the first time ever the Hindu Festival of Lights, Deepavali, was celebrated in the New Zealand Parliament, in Wellington on November 2 and the Indians are grateful to the government for recognizing their contributions towards the nation. The Prime Minister, Helen Clark, lit a lamp in the traditional style and created…
SourceNEW DELHI; INDIA; November 2, 2004: Puppeteer Dadi Pudumjee has become the first Indian to perform at NewYork’s legendary La MaMa experimental theatre off Broadway (here). He showed an avant-garde version of the ancient Vikram-Betaal myth — where a king carries a riddle-telling corpse on his shoulders — to the theatre, now a global arts center that was started by…