SourceUTTARANCHAL, INDIA, April 25, 2004: The portals of the Gangotri and Yamnotri temples, nestling in the Gharwal Himalayas, were reopened at noon on Thursday. The state government had expected a huge rush of pilgrims, but the ceremony was observed by local people only, as a curfew had been imposed in the area following an outbreak of violence, and many pilgrims…
SourceUJJAIN, INDIA, April 9, 2004: A lot of foreigners who have become naga sadhus are in Ujjain for the Ardh Kumbh, according to this report from ndtv.com. Most of them are members of the Juna Akhada. “I always wanted to be a sadhu and be in India,” said Dutt Bharti, who came to India on a cycle from Germany several…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, April 22, 2004: Tens of thousands of couples, including cricketing star Virendra Sehwag, were tying the knot across India after astrologers declared it the most auspicious day in 70 years. An estimated 17,000 weddings were due to take place in New Delhi alone and priests, beauty parlors and hotels were booked out, news reports said. In the…
SourceGUYANA, April 17, 2004: Presenter Roger Williams yesterday told the Ethnic Relations Commission (ERC) that he believes that the caste system is essential to the Hindu religion and that this has an effect on how African Guyanese are viewed. Williams, whose arguments were made under the theme “How Should The Church of Jesus Christ Respond To Dr. Gibson’s book” said…
Religion News ServiceSURFSIDE, FLORIDA, April 21, 2004: An appeals court has ruled that the town of Surfside, Fla., violated a religious land-use law when it excluded churches and synagogues from zoning areas where it permitted private clubs. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled April 21 that Surfside violated the equal-terms provision of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized…
SourceSANUR, BALI, April 22, 2004: Keeping the “make money” motto in front of every thing is destroying the world’s beautiful cultural heritages. International chain hotels in Bali are one of many examples of such wave. Gongers (traditional Gamelan musicians) are treated in their own country as worthless, underpaid and not much respected. They are being discriminated in their own country…
Agence France PressJHABUA, INDIA, April 18, 2004: Elections have intensified conflict between Christians and Hindus in this remote tribal area, according to the article by Agence France Press wire service. In one notable section, it says, “Some Hindu nationalists openly campaign against Christian missionaries, who they argue are altering the historic religious makeup of India through conversions. ‘In five years,…
Rajiv MalikUJJAIN, INDIA, April 22, 2004: Hinduism Today correspondent Rajiv Malik reported by phone yesterday to the Hinduism Today office in Hawaii that the April 22 bathing day had gone on smoothly with upwards of two million devotees taking a sacred bath in the river. He said this was a lower number than April 19th bathing day, which was considered…
SourceGUYANA, April 21, 2004: The University of Guyana Hindu Society (UGHS) is scheduled to hold a symposium on April 29 and 30 on the theme “The Message of Hinduism: Its Relevance in Conflict Ridden Times.” A release from the society said that prominent Hindu leaders would make presentations on various sub-themes and social issues of contention at the symposium which…
Crosswalk.comU.S.A., April 19, 2004: A recent study by Duke University and the Foundation for Child Development found that the emotional and spiritual well-being of children in the U.S. has not improved since the 1980s. The study found that children today, although safer than they were nearly 30 years ago, are more likely to be obese, impoverished, suicidal and living in…