SourceJAMMU, INDIA, May 20, 2004: For the first time since the annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Amarnath started, the pilgrimage to the Ice Siva Lingam high in Amarnath Cave would be thrown open for two months instead of one month. Besides, a helicopter service from Baltal to the holy cave is likely to be introduced this year. Arrangements…
SourceSOUTH AFRICA, May 16, 2004: Six months before his department closed, Dr. Bisraam Rambilaas, former head of Sanskrit at the University of Durban-Westville, invested his money in the establishment of KwaZulu-Natal’s only Hindu school. Westville Hindu Primary School, which he runs himself, is unique in that it offers Indian Studies in a structured formal syllabus. “We’re Hindus, but we’re also…
SourceLIVERPOOL, ENGLAND, April 27, 2004: The search is on for the funniest priests, rabbis and ministers, says this article in the Daily Post. The Liverpool Comedy Trust is looking for the most amusing religious representatives to take to the stand-up stage for the Liverpool Comedy Festival. So far, budding comics from Sikh, Hindu, Methodist and Anglican backgrounds have signed up,…
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…