SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, August 12, 2004: How old is the Indian civilization? If a student in Rajasthan says 6000 bce and another in Delhi says 2500 bce – both are correct, thanks to vastly different textbooks resulting out of rival regimes. (HPI adds: The 6000 bce date is the result of recent scholarship; that of 2500 bce a date set…
SourceUK, August 11, 2004: Suraj Sehgal, of the Hindu Council UK (“source” above) writes, “I congratulate Asian Age to have published in front page news on 10 August stating ‘Kuwait disallows Hindu’s cremation.’ In this case a Hindu person’s body was compelled to be sent to India for cremation. There is no comment whether government or any human rights organization…
SourceSAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA, August 6, 2004: A Bay Area publisher is expanding its coverage to encompass yoga’s increasingly mainstream practitioners. Yoga Journal, of Berkeley, launches a redesign of its 310,000-circulation national magazine with its September issue. The magazine, which is published seven times a year, has brought more mainstream advertisers onboard, including Target stores, the Ford Motor Co. and General…
SourceHONOLULU, HAWAII, August 11, 2004: Some Buddhists are so concerned about the name of a new Waikiki bar that they have started a writing and telephone campaign to proprietors, politicians and community groups. The Buddha Bar, in the former House of Hong restaurant in Waikiki, opened Thursday. Some Buddhists find the name offensive. “This is an inappropriate name and is…
Agence Press FranceSRINIGAR, INDIA, August 6, 2004: The annual trek in Kashmir to one of Hinduism’s holiest shrines has seen a record 217,000 pilgrims despite violence elsewhere in the disputed Muslim-majority territory, official figures showed Friday. Officials are expecting 300,000 pilgrims to make the arduous journey to the Amarnath cave shrine by the ritual’s close in late August. The trek…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, August 9, 2004: As many Ramayanas, so many Ramlilas (theatrical presentations of the story of Lord Rama) goes the saying. Recognizing the uniqueness of this theatrical event in which the community negotiates with the most popular religious lore, the government of India is pitching for the inclusion of Ramlila under Unesco’s program of preservation and promotion of…
Rajiv MalikDELHI, INDIA, August 10, 2004: We incorrectly stated in yesterday’s report, “India’s Supreme Court Considers Petition Challenging Huge Delhi Temple Project” that notice had been served to the Swaminarayan organization. In fact, notices were served by the court only to the concerned government departments and not to the organization building the temple, which is not part of the proceedings.
SourceNEW YORK, NEW YORK, August 10, 2004: Gita Day is being celebrated in NY on August 14 with a day-long program sponsored by The Gita Foundation & Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. For more information, click “source” above.
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, August 10, 2004: The Swaminarayan sect’s colossal Akshardham temple, coming up on 58 acres of the Yamuna’s bed, could run aground, says this rather hostile article in The Times of India. The article goes on: The Supreme Court on Monday issued notices to Uttar Pradesh Irrigation Department, original custodian of the river bed, and Delhi Development Authority…
South China Morning PostBATU CAVES, MALAYSIA, August 8, 2004: Clad in a figure-hugging yellow sari, Tamil Malar, 17, gasped for breath under the blistering noon sun outside the Batu Caves, Malaysia’s holiest Hindu shrine. The temple is perched on a hill outside Kuala Lumpur and Malar had climbed 272 steps to reach the cave complex. As she climbed the winding…