SourceINDIA, June 3, 2004: After 12 long years of deliberation, the Justice P. K. Bahri tribunal has absolved the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (the RSS) from any involvement in the demolition of the mosque, Babri masjid, on December 6, 1992. Filing a written submission to the Liberham Commission the RSS states, “An amicable settlement of the Ram Janambhoomi would infuse new…
SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, June 28, 2004: Since his first debut in 1992 with an exhibition featuring Yogi Ramsurath Kumar, Srinivasa Ravikumar has continued producing religious art featuring other yogis, seers and sages. Born in Chennai, India into a Vaishnavite family, Ravikumar recently choose to express the spirit of Kashmiri Saivism as expounded by the great Kashmir Guru, Shaman Lakshmanajoo Raina. In…
SourceKUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, July 9, 2004: Mel Gibson’s controversial film The Passion of the Christ, which sparked unprecedented debate following its release early this year, has finally arrived on Malaysian shores, according to this report in The Star. It was learnt that the National Evangelical Christian Fellowship (NECF) would be meeting with the local distributor of the film to work…
SourceDEHRA DUN, July 8, 2004: All the 1,600 pilgrims stranded for the past two days in Badrinath area due to landslides triggered by a cloudburst have been evacuated SDM, Chamoli district, Sanjay Kumar Singh said on Thursday. Everyone, save 31 waiting for the road to clear to take back their vehicles, have come out of the disaster-hit Badrinath area and…
SourceSUMMIT STATION, PENNSYVANIA, July 8, 2004: A Hindu temple that is among the largest in North America has reported more than US$52,000 worth of jewels and ornamental items stolen, police said. The stolen items included two 8-carat round diamonds with a combined value of $40,000, state police at Schuylkill Haven said. The thefts at the 35,000-square-foot Haveli at Vraj near…
Religion News ServicePORTLAND, OREGON, July 9, 2004: Archbishop John Vlazny, head of the Archdiocese of Portland, announced Tuesday (July 6) that the archdiocese would file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection because it could not afford to pay massive settlements in sex abuse-related lawsuits, according to this report from Religion News Service. A diocese is the territorial jurisdiction of a bishop…
SourceERODE, TAMIL NADU, July 6, 2004: Farmers in Dharapuram are donating vegetables every day for the Annadhanam scheme, which provides free feedings at temples. The Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Minister, P.C. Ramasamy, had appealed to the public to donate to the Annadhanam scheme. In Erode district, the scheme was recently introduced in Kadu Anjaneyar Temple, Dharapuram. It is the…
Deccan ChronicleHYDERABAD, INDIA, July 5, 2004: Corporal punishment is blamed for taking the lives of two school students, besides leaving another student in shock, in the first two weeks of the new academic year. According to information available with the teachers’ forum, Savara Aenamma, a student in Sagaramjugudupalle of Sitampet in Srikakulam district, was made to do 150 sit-ups as…
SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, July 3, 2004: The sleepy suburb of Pallavaram, especially around Periamalai area, today woke up to tension and tumult as a temple murthi (icon) was found smashed to smithereens by unidentified miscreants. A trident and a previously mutilated peacock statue in the temple were also found broken. This morning the authorities of the local Balamurugan temple found the…
SourceFLORIDA, USA, July 7, 2004: Florida International University, the State University in Miami, Florida and Hindu University of America, located in Orlando, Florida will begin offering on-line Sanskrit courses this fall. The four-course sequence is fully accredited by FIU and is available to students worldwide. The classes begin August 30. The courses have been developed by Dr. B. V. Venkata…