Paras RamoutarTRINIDAD, September 12, 2004: Ram Leela reflects the human condition in man’s journey to divinity, according to prominent Trinidad Hindu thinker, Ravji. The Indian-trained thinker and Hindu activist noted that Ram Leela is a ritual which attempts to stitch together the metaphor of our journey from animality to humanity and then on to divinity. “Ram Leela is an on-going…
SourceHOUSTON, TEXAS, September 10, 2004: Jayanthi Raman, whose touring Indian temple dance Gajamukha visits Houston Saturday, has created nine full-length ballets, won a slew of awards and gained a reputation as one of the nation’s premier classical Indian dancers. Gajamukha draws on stories about the Hindu deity Lord Ganesh, the elephant-headed “remover of obstacles” who is worshipped at the beginning…
SourceMUMBAI, INDIA, September 10, 2004: The VHP announced plans to tear down the controversial tomb of a 17th century Muslim general on Sunday, according to this report from Reuters. The report goes on to say that thousands of police have been deployed around the tomb near Mahabaleshwar, a hill resort about 250 km from Mumbai, to prevent communal violence as…
SourceCOLOMBO, SRI LANKA, September 11, 2004: The writer, director and star of the U.S. movie “Hollywood Buddha” has apologized for offending Buddhists by sitting on the head of a Buddha image for a poster advertising the movie and has promised to withdraw it. A Thai foreign ministry official told reporters film director and writer Philippe Caland had promised the Thai…
International Sri Deep Madhavananda Ashram Fellowship –†Yoga in Daily Life International/PPJOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA, September 11, 2004: His Holiness, Vishwaguru Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda and his group of international disciples were warmly welcomed by devoted South African bhaktas on their arrival into Johannesburg, on September 8. Swamiji’s inaugural public lecture to the citizens of Johannesburg was introduced by the Consul General…
Religion News ServiceTORONTO, CANADA, September 10, 2004: About 100 protesters, many of them Muslims, gathered before the Ontario Legislature on Wednesday (Sept. 8) to denounce proposed shariah-based tribunals in the province – an issue that has galvanized Muslims and women’s groups around the world. Homa Arjomand, the Iranian-born coordinator of the International Campaign Against Shariah Courts in Canada, said simultaneous…
SourceDELHI, INDIA, September 9, 2004: Under attack over its methodology that reflected in “high growth” figures of Muslim population, the Census Commission today excluded the data of Jammu and Kashmir and Assam in the 2001 Census figures to show that the Muslim growth rate has actually declined over 1991 figures. In a damage-control exercise after Monday’s publication of the Census…
SourceDELHI, INDIA, September 10, 2004: Ridiculing the revised Census figures that show a decline in Muslim growth rate over 1991, the VHP on Friday demanded prosecution of the minister concerned “at whose behest the data reflecting high growth rate of Muslims was changed overnight.” It also threatened to take the issue to court. “Change in the figures because of exclusion…
SourceDELHI, INDIA, September 10, 2004: High growth in the population of Christians in North-Eastern region is another alarming feature of India’s compartmentalized demographic character. The Christians form a big chunk of the population in some of these states. The growth rate in this part is also considered significant. The community forms 2.3 percent of India’s population. According to the Census…
SourceLONDON, ENGLAND, September 10, 2004: The growing popularity of Indian food is evident from the increasing number of Indian restaurants opening up across the UK. But it is not merely the lure of the palate that ensures the success of the cuisine, now health benefits will add to the charm of a well-cooked dish. Scientists have found that spicy food…