SourceHYDERABAD, INDIA, September 20, 2004: Two distinguished Indian religious figures, Swami Agnivesh and Asghar Ali Engineer, who have worked unceasingly for social justice and communal harmony for more than two decades, have been selected for the 2004 Right Livelihood Honorary Award, popularly known as the “Alternative Nobel Prize.” Baron Jakob Von Uexkull, Chairman of the Right Livelihood Awards Foundation, announced…
SourceMUMBAI, INDIA, September 18, 2004: Hindus here today chanted hymns and beat drums to celebrate Ganesha Chaturthi, the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed God. During the ten-day festival, icons of Ganesha, easily one of the best-loved Gods in the Hindu pantheon, will grace Hindu households all over the country. “We have been preparing for this festival for over a…
SourceAMRITSAR, INDIA, September 16, 2004: Baba Mohan Das is rolling all the way to Pakistan, nearly 1,000 km from his hometown of Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh. The Baba is carrying the message of peace to the neighboring country. Once in Lahore, he plans to meet Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to congratulate him for the ongoing peace process. “I am doing…
SourceBHUBANESWAR, INDIA, September 17, 2004: Nearly 50 Christian families in the tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district will be reconverted to Hinduism on September 19. The ceremony is being organized by the VHP. Baripada, the district headquarters of Mayurbhanj, was the home of the late Australian missionary Graham Stewart Staines and his widow Gladys for a number of years. Dara Singh, main accused…
SourceLONDON, ENGLAND, September 17, 2004: If Amritsar’s famous Golden Temple becomes a world heritage, Sikhs may lose control of their holiest shrine, warns a British human rights activist. The Golden Temple is being considered for inclusion on a UN list of the world’s most important places which could lead to the holy shrine becoming a world heritage, thereby becoming a…
SourceDHARMAMSALA, INDIA, September 15, 2004: The “chhari yatra” (holy mace) of the Manimahesh pilgrimage, popularly known as Manimahesh yatra, in Chamba district of Himachal Pradesh will commence from the Yogi Charpat Nath temple in the Lakshami Narayan Temple complex in Chamba town today. The yatra will be led by the pujari of the Charpat Nath shrine and the holy dip…
SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, September 17, 2004: The Madras High Court today ruled out a ban on Vinayaka Chaturthi processions and dismissed apprehensions of law and order problems as “doubts based on surmises.” Passing orders on a public interest litigation petition seeking to bar the manufacture of large-sized idols using plaster-of-paris coated with chemical-based paints, a Division Bench comprising Justice N. Dhinakar…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, September 17, 2004: The Centre on Friday decided to declare Tamil a “classical language,” the first to be recognized so in the country. The Union Cabinet, which met on Friday morning, decided to create a new category of “classical languages” and put Tamil in this category. After the Cabinet meeting, Information and Broadcasting Minister, S Jaipal Reddy,…
SourceCHINO HILLS, CALIFORNIA, September 16, 2004: A Hindu sect must modify plans for a temple and community center or seek another location after the project failed to win approval from the City Council. The Chino Hills council, in a 4-1 vote, rejected a zoning change that would have allowed the sect to build a temple with five spires, one reaching…
SourceOREGON, USA, Friday, September 10, 2004: Jayanthi Ramana’s operatic Indian classical ballet was highly appreciated among Portland Institute for Contemporary Art’s 10-day unorthodox international performance fare, the Time-Based Art Festivals. “Gajamukha,” Raman’s ballet devoted to elephant-headed Hindu deity Lord Ganesha, steeped in antiquity and ecstatic dance form Raman presented stretch back 2,000 years, all night temple rites with movements set…