SourceJAIPUR, INDIA, October 3, 2004: Rajasthan government’s decision to make the recital of bhojan mantras before meals in state-run hostels has sparked off a row. As per the decision, over 20,000 students of the 527 hostels run by the Social Welfare Department will now get their food only after chanting the Hindu mantra. “Before they start eating, if they sing…
SourceFLORIDA, U.S.A., October 2, 2004: East Indians migrating to the U.S. and Canada have one thing foremost in their mind when they move from their homeland. They want to build a temple as a home for God and a place where religious culture and traditions can be passed onto the next generation. Recognizing that Indian artisans from home are the…
SourceJOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, October 4, 2004: The 700,000-strong Tamil community in South Africa held its first national Eisteddfod festival (a competitive festival of the arts, especially in singing) here as more than 200 children from all over the country competed in song, dance and oratory. The event meant primarily to showcase Tamil culture was also a statement of their being…
SourceHYDERABAD, INDIA, September 23, 2004: It’s not just farmers in Andhra Pradesh but even Lord Ganesha there who can do with some free power, it seems. At 42-feet, this Jumbo Ganesha in Hyderabad towers over the rest of the elephant-Gods in the country. But keeping this 18-ton Guinness Book aspirant in well-lit cheer does not come cheap. So the organizers…
Chicago Daily Law BulletinCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, August 31, 2004: A federal judge has set a status conference next week to discuss possible remedies for an inmate who was denied a diet free of the meat and eggs his Hindu religion forbids him to consume, says this complex article. In a written opinion, U.S. District Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer directed prison officials…
SourceBHUBANESWAR, INDIA, September 20, 2004: Despite a central government directive, Orissa has failed to take steps against icon immersion in the state’s water bodies. The failure to check this trend is leading to an environmental nightmare every festival season, say conservationists. About 1,000 small icons and 100 large icons from the cities of Bhubaneswar and Cuttack alone were immersed in…
SourceUNITED KINGDOM, September 23, 2004: General Secretary for the Hindu Council in the United Kingdom (“source”), Anil Bhanot, delivered a speech on health issues unique to Hindus living in the country. In her address, Bhanot speaks candidly about these issues. She points out that Hindus do have a different diet than the rest of the population and often sedentary life…
SourceMALAYSIA, June 13, 2004: Initially conceived at the Hindu Renaissance Gathering in September 2003, the Malaysian Hindu Sangam (“source”) officially launched its Hindu Renaissance Action plan in June 2004. Honorable Dato’ Seri Dr. S. Samy Vellu, Minister of Works and Patron of the Malaysia Hindu Sangam, inaugurated the project that is supported by 36 Hindu Organizations and Temples in Malaysia.…
SourceKUALA TERENGGANU, MALAYSIA, October 2, 2004: The Sri Durga Laksmi Temple here, which will celebrate its kumbhabishegam (consecration ceremony) on October 23, was abuzz with national service trainees lending a hand to spruce it up yesterday. The 36-year-old temple, owned by the private Durga Charitable Trust, caters to 500-plus followers here and is the only Hindu temple in town. Twenty-four…
SourceMANCHESTER, ENGLAND, September 29, 2004: Jay Lakhani (“source”) reports from the UK: “Over 500 Hindu youth got together at the Gita Bhavan Mandir in Manchester at the start of the new academic year. Students from five universities/colleges in the Manchester area were invited for a Hindu presentation and dinner. The venue was filled to capacity, some students had to stand…