Boyfriends Cannot Be Husbands, Say Kerala Teenagers

Indo-Asian News ServiceTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM, INDIA, December 1, 2003: Seventy-four percent of teenage girls in Kerala think that a boyfriend is a good idea but 98 percent prefer an arranged marriage, according to a recent survey conducted by Vanita, a leading women’s magazine in the state. The survey covered women between the ages of 17 and 20 in college campuses in the…

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World Congress on Vedic Sciences

SourceBANGALORE, INDIA, December 2, 2003: Vijnana Bharati–Swadeshi Science Movement of Bharat–will hold the first World Congress on Vedic Sciences from August 9-13, 2004 in Bangalore. The conference is being organized in collaboration with Maharishi Sandipani Veda Vidya Pratishthan and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rastriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha. Topics for discussion include: The origin of Vedas and Vedic Language, Aryan Invasion, the…

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Encarta Encylopedia Hindusim Entry Correction

HPIKAUAI, HAWAII, December 3, 2003: Several HPI readers point out that the Sulekha article mentioned in yesterday’s HPI was written in response to the previous entry on Hinduism in the Encarta Encylopedia. As a result of Sulekha’s complaint, Encarta replaced the Hinduism article with a more satisfactory one by Dr. Arvind Sharma.

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Restoration on at Konark Temple

NDTV.comKONARK, INDIA, November 30, 2003: Restoration work is on at the famous Sun Temple at Konark in India but conserving heritage and keeping the old look alive doesn’t seem too easy. Broken pieces of carved stones that once formed part of the temple have been ignored since the conservation work on the 13th century temple began 100 years ago. They…

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A Critique on Microsoft Encarta’s Description of Hinduism

SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, September 24, 2003: The Hindu community has been looking at the way Hinduism is presented in Microsoft Corporation’s free on-line Encarta Encyclopedia. The original Encarta article is here. Sanskrant Sanu outlines the different approach that Encarta takes when explaining Hinduism as opposed to the approach taken when explaining Islam and Christianity. Sanu explains, “Encarta is widely used as…

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Centre for Faith and Media Opens in Canada

SourceCALGARY, ALBERTA, December 2, 2003: The Centre for Faith and the Media (“source”) will be formally launched at 10:00 am, December 10, 2003, Room T107, Mount Royal College, Calgary. Mr. Pablo Sobrino, Regional Executive Director for the Department of Canadian Heritage is expected to attend to give remarks. The Centre for Faith and the Media is an independent, non-profit organization…

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The Kumbha Mela Issue of Hinduism Today Just Off the Press

SourceKAUAI, HAWAII, December 2, 2003: The January/February/March 2004 issue of Hinduism Today just off the press. The feature article is on the Kumbha Mela in Nashik, attended by hundreds of thousands of sadhus and six million Hindus. The issue is full of personal testimonies, pictures, interviews with sadhus on the current issues of today, history of the Kumbha mela and…

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Thousands March Against Dowry in Bangalore

SourceBANGALORE, INDIA, November 28, 2003: Thousands of people in the southern Indian city of Bangalore have staged a march and rally against the system of dowry. The women protesters were joined by many men. Female and male students from across the city marched through the streets, yelling “Down, Down, Dowry,” and holding starkly worded banners — “Brides are not for…

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Tribals Of India Website

SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, November 2003: The Ministry of Tribal Affairs was created with the objective of placing more focused attention on integrated socioeconomic development of the most underprivileged section of Indian society, the Scheduled Tribes (STs) in a coordinated and planned manner. India has the largest concentration of tribal people anywhere in the world except perhaps in Africa. The tribals…

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Doctors Wonder What To Do Next With Holy Man Who Takes No Food

SourceAHMEDABAD, INDIA, November 27, 2003: With apparent ease, Prahalad Jani — who claims he’s neither had food and water nor passed urine or stools for over 60 years — submitted to and passed the test doctors set him. But the doctors who declared this 76-year-old devotee of Goddess Ambaji a “medical miracle” after observing him eagle-eyed for 10 days are…

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