SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, September 9, 2004: This report from the BBC succeeds, while reporting on a pollution issue of concern to many Hindus, at putting the popular festival in the worst possible light. We quote the article in full: “The Madras high court in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has imposed a temporary ban on immersions of idols of the…
Religion News ServiceVANCOUVER, CANADA, September 9, 2004: Some prominent Muslim leaders would like the Canadian province of British Columbia to formally allow Islamic shariah law to be used to arbitrate decisions regarding marriage, divorce, inheritance and other family disputes. These influential Muslims want to follow the lead of some eastern Canadian Muslims who are making submissions in support of shariah…
SourceSINGAPORE, September 9, 2004. Vijay writes from Singapore: “I refer to your article of July 23 in HPI about the attempt to break the Guinness World Record by Vandana Joshi of Nagpur on 22nd July by drawing the largest Rangoli in the World at 466 square metres. You have also mentioned that the previous record was held by Ranvir Kour…
SourceMONTGOMERY, PENNSYLVANIA, August 27, 2004: Hindu families in Montgomery County in Pennsylvania are now seeing the fruits of their labor after over a decade of planning and construction. On October 22 of this year, the Bharatiya Temple and Cultural Center will celebrate its grand opening. Nandi Todi, president of the temple, says, “It was a very, very tough road, trying…
SourceRICHMOND, VIRGINIA, September 6, 2004: Grace Kendall knew back in seventh grade that she did not want to cut open a preserved frog. Her teacher allowed her to use a computer alternative. Now a junior at Stafford High School, Grace has declined to dissect ever since. “I thought there was something really wrong with dissecting a dead animal when I…
SourceUSA, June 17, 2004: (HPI note: This article appeared in the prestigious magazine, the Economist, several months ago.) The term yoga has become mainstream in America. Americans have been trying bikram yoga and ashtanga yoga in popular classes across the land. When Patanjali, a yoga master, wrote his great works in second century BC, he probably never envisioned that the…
Rajiv Malik, HPI CorrespondentNEW DELHI, September 7, 2004: “In terms of growth of different religious communities, Hindus showed a decline over the previous decade, their population growing by 20.3% during 1991 and 2001 as compared to 25.1% during 1981-91. The Muslim population on the other hand, grew by 36.0% during 1991-2001, compared to 34.5% during 1981-91.” These statistics were revealed…
SourceMYSORE, INDIA, September 3, 2004: As Ganesha Chaturthi approaches this year, environmentalists are encouraging devotees and icon-makers to use biodegradable materials to make the icons and to paint them with natural dyes and vegetable oils. So far this call to protect the rivers, lakes and the sea from the onslaught of harmful substances during the celebration has been voluntary. However,…
SourceWINNIPEG, CANADA, August 29, 2004: Mahatma Gandhi’s long walk through history has paused in an unlikely spot, the central Canadian prairie city of Winnipeg. A life-size statue of the “father of the nation” complete with his signature walking cane, has arrived in central Canada to become the showpiece of a new Museum for Human Rights. The 500-kilo bronze statue created…
SourceDELHI, INDIA, August 30, 2004: The Department of Posts has released a postage stamp today in commemoration of India’s Heritage in Grammar and Mathematics which was influenced by the accomplishments of Panini, one of the greatest grammarians of all time whose work revolutionized the use of language not only in India but also in the rest of the world. The…