SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, May 18, 2004: In the wake of her party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha polls, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa withdrew the state’s anti-conversion law, which had come under attack by her rivals during the election. She also announced restoration of free power to farmers, cancellation of all punishments imposed on government employees for their participation in the…
SourceLEICESTER, UK, May 10, 2004: More than 100 first-generation Hindus in the city are taking part in a new project to record their memories of immigrating to Britain. The British Hinduism Oral History Project will give future generations a chance to get to know themselves — through the voices of Hindus who were first in the family to move to…
SourceJAMMU, INDIA, May 18, 2004: Pilgrims to the Vaishno Devi shrine will find their uphill journey greatly eased as plans are afoot to decongest the route in the coming year. The waiting period for darshan, which varies between four to 12 hours, will also be reduced to 15 minutes if all goes as planned. The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine…
SourceKATHMANDU, NEPAL, November, 2000: (Note: This is a dated article which someone recently found. As we had not reported it when it first appeared, we are including a summary now, as we are unaware of any subsequent changes to the temple policies.) Pashupati is one of Hinduism’s holiest shrines, and houses Nepal’s patron deity. A sign at the gate, enforced…
SourceMADURAI, INDIA, May 16, 2004: The towers of the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai will now be visible from a distance. The temple heads have made sure that no high-rise buildings block this magnificent view. Although heritage city rules ban buildings beyond nine metres high, within a radius of one kilometer around this temple, almost a thousand buildings in Madurai have…
SourceMADURAI, INDIA, May 17, 2004: Hindu devotees in Madurai are up in arms over a proposed ban on animal sacrifice. Though animal sacrifice has been banned in India, the practice is still alive in some areas, albeit in a secretive way, states this report from New Kerala.com. The devotees say the state government has no right to reinforce an existing…
SourceGUYANA, SOUTH AMERICA, May 16, 2004: In an on-going debate in Guyana over the definition of “Hindu,” Vishnu Bisram wrote this letter to the editor of the Stabroek News: “I would like to add to Roopnandan Singh ‘s letter (12.5.2004) that anyone of any ethnic background can be a Hindu. One does not have to be an Indian to be…
News ReportsKAUAI, HAWAII, May 16, 2004: More information has come in regarding the rabbinical edict (HPI May 15) banning wigs for Jewish women to be made from hair collected at Hindu temples in India following devotees shaving their heads. Orthodox Jewish women wear wigs because of a custom that they do not show their true hair anywhere outside the house.…
SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, May 16, 2004: Renowned carnatic musician M. S. Subbulakshmi was admitted to a private hospital here on Saturday evening after a complaint of hyperglycemia (abnormal rise in sugar content in blood), according to hospital sources. Sources said that the 87-year-old Carnatic music veteran was semiconscious now and was under treatment. “As of now, there is no cause for…
SourceCALIFORNIA, U.S., May 12, 2004: Immigrants in California live longer than the state’s U.S.-born residents, according to a study released today by the Public Policy Institute of California. Immigrants have a life expectancy of more than 81 years, on average, compared to 77 years for Californians born in the United States, according to the study. “When people hear that, they’re…