SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, July 2, 2004: The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR and CE) Minister, P.C. Ramasamy, today said kumbhabishekams for 16 temples would be performed as per a revised schedule, after completing the renovation work. Denying reports that kumbhabishekams for 83 temples had been postponed, he said in a statement here that fresh dates had been announced, giving adequate…
SourceBANGALORE, INDIA, July 04, 2004: Amid a haze of sandalwood incense, K.N. Somayaji fields yet another call from his bank of telephones, this one from the Indian subsidiary of a U.S. auto-parts manufacturer. It sounds like just another business conversation, but Somayaji, a balding, round-faced man with three stripes of sacred ash smeared on his forehead, is neither banker nor…
Source DHARMASALA, INDIA, July, 5, 2004: A spokesman for the Dalai Lama has applauded news that the Kentucky Fried Chicken fast-food chain has abandoned plans to open outlets in Tibet. The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader had publicly urged the company not to go ahead with the plans. He said the mass slaughter of chickens violated Tibet’s traditional values. KFC’s parent…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, July 3, 2004: As man takes giant strides into exploring Saturn — deified and demonised in world myths — Indian astrologers are wondering if it is a welcome incursion into that “evil-eyed” planet. Saturn – or Shani in Indian astrological parlance – is considered a powerful influence by Hindu astrologers, who draw up horoscopes on the basis…
SourceTIBET, July 3, 2004: At the end of a dirt track in the Himalayas lies a holy site that is facing an onslaught from tourism. It is hard not to share the joy of countless Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims at first seeing the cobalt waters of Lake Manasarovar, backed by dramatic snow-capped mountains – especially after four gruelling days along…
SourceAHMEDABAD, INDIA, July 1, 2004: Defying Government plans and amid chants of “Jai bhole baba nath,” the Amarnath Yatra Action Committee (AYAC) on Thursday flagged off the first batch of yatris (pilgrims) for Pahalgam (village at the beginning of the pilgrimage trek) from here. About 85 people, including 77 sadhus left in three vehicles from Ranbishwar Temple at Shalamar Chowk…
SourceSEREMBAN, MALAYSIA, June 29, 2004: More than 2,000 pairs of footwear were left at the Sri Bala Thandayuphati Temple in Jalan Yam Tuan here by devotees who attended a consecration ceremony at the 109-year-old shrine on Sunday. Temple president R. Thangaratnam said the devotees were unable to retrieve their shoes and slippers because of the huge crowd. “Initially we only…
SourceKOLKATA, INDIA, July 3, 2004: Rejecting former prime minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s contention that the NDA’s poll debacle was due to the Gujarat riots, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad today gave a clean chit to Gujarat Chief Minister Narenda Modi by justifying the violence in the state following the Godhra carnage saying it “had the blessings of Lord Rama”. “What happened…
SourceSIVAGANGA, TAMIL NADU, INDIA, June 27, 2004: The mahasamprokshanam of the Sowmyanarayana Perumal Temple, located at Tirukoshtiyur, 27 km from here, was performed today amid recitation of the Divyaprabandam and chanting of “Om Namo Narayana” by devotees. The much celebrated temple, which is part of the Sivaganga Devasthanam, is the foremost among the 108 divyadesams of Sri Vaishnavites. Tirukoshtiyur was…
SourceLONDON, ENGLAND, June 29, 2004: Jay Lakhani of Vivekananda Centre, London, reports: Francois Gautier is in London at the moment and we had an opportunity to hear him make a presentation at Brent Town Hall on Sunday. He is a very unassuming person and very focused in his ideas. Some of the issues he raised in his presentation on how…