Houston ChronicleHOUSTON, TEXAS, July 30, 2004: Rahul Patel knows how to speak like a lawyer: He can make all the logical arguments. But this Georgetown Law School graduate did not rely just on reason when he decided to turn down a $125,000-a-year job offer from a New York City law firm to follow a spiritual path of poverty, chastity and…
SourceTIRUNELVELI, INDIA, July 25, 2004: Temples often have columns portraying dancers or musicians, but rarely do the pillars themselves make music. In the Nellaiyappar temple, gentle taps on the cluster of columns carved out of a single piece of rock can produce the keynotes of Indian classical music. “You can hear the saptha swarangal (the seven basic notes) come like…
SourceNASHUA, NEW HAMPSHIRE, July 21, 2004: Three swamis, all visiting from India, were blessing the homes of Hindu residents in Nashua when the minivan they were traveling in collided with another car. “We thought there was a trauma,” said Kim Leets, nurse and clinical director of oncology services at the hospital, who helped organize the emergency room care for the…
SourceWASHINGTON, USA, July 23, 2004: A model of the Golden Temple of Amritsar graces the entrance to the new exhibit “Sikhs: Legacy of the Punjab,” in the Smithsonian Institution. Overhead, the faces of nine Gurus introduce visitors to the world of the Sikh people, where Sikh artwork, arms, clothing, coins, musical instruments and other artefacts are displayed. Paul Taylor, director…
SourceSARASOTA, FLORIDA, July 29, 2004: The U.S. Department of Justice has warned Sarasota County officials that they may have acted unfairly against a Muslim group by limiting the height of their proposed mosque. The County Commission ruled in February that the mosque could be no taller than 40 feet — a restriction not placed on 14 other houses of worship…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, July 14, 2004: Once again the Kawarias, or pilgrims carrying Kawaris (decorated palanquin-like arches), started their long and arduous annual trek from Gangotri, the source of the river Ganges, back to their home. The article says, “Each pilgrim will offer the water from the Ganges carried in their Kawaris to Siva Lingas, the icon of Lord Siva,…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, July 22, 2004: Gold and diamond ornaments worth tens of thousands of dollars (US) were found missing from the Kalkaji Temple in South Delhi on Wednesday morning. The theft is suspected to have taken place on the intervening night of July 20-21. On Tuesday night, police said, the temple was closed at around 11 pm after the…
SourcePHILADELPHIA, U.S.A., July 23, 2004: When the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights arrived to set up their booth at the American Veterinary Medical Association’s annual convention in June, they were asked to leave. Apparently, it was because the dissident group for animal rights ran a full-page ad in The New York Times on June 21 where they accused the…
SourceVERAVAL, INDIA, July 28, 2004: Muslims and Hindus burned buildings and clashed with police Wednesday in a third day of sectarian riots in this western Indian town, throwing acid at officers who shot at the crowd. The unrest has left two dead and more than a dozen wounded. Thousands of police patrolled the streets, fearing the religious violence could escalate.…