Religion News ServicePARIS, FRANCE, November 10, 2003: French Roman Catholic bishops expressed dismay today over new efforts to ban the wearing of religious symbols, like crosses, in public and some private schools in France. “The proposal to ban students from wearing all religious symbols in schools, when it does not trouble public order, seems to us a regression of freedom…
News ReportsPALM BEACH, FLORIDA, November 10, 2003: On a sidewalk, Vidya Heman sold mitai, bara, cassava pone and other treats as part of a celebration of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, thrown recently by West Palm Beach’s Tropical East and West Indian Grocery. She was raising money to build a new mandir — a Hindu temple. The Florida Hindu…
SourceMADURAI, INDIA, November 5, 2003: The Tamil Nadu government’s direction to conduct “health camp-cum-sojourn” for temple elephants at Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary in Nilgiris district has drawn criticism for practical reasons from the mahouts (elephant handlers), Agama pandits (temple priests) and devotees. Though well intentioned, the directive has thrown up several challenges, including requirements of the elephants’ presence during festivals and…
SourceKAUAI, HAWAII, November 10, 2003: Hinduism Today is planning its coverage of the Kumbha Mela this April/May in Ujjain and would like assistance with accommodations and transport for our team. If you could recommend for us good commercial hotel accommodations near the Mela site, kindly contact “source” above.
News ReportTULSA, OKLAHOMA, USA, November 6, 2003. Hundreds turned out during the one-day India Fest organized by the Hindu Temple of Greater Tulsa which included lots of food, art, music and dancing with a bit of history, culture and Hinduism. Visitors listened to Indian music, sampled some of the spicy cuisine and learned about the history of one of the…
SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, November 6, 2003: Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam is organizing an International Conference on Mahabharatha from December 24 to 28, 2003, at Chennai, Tamilnadu , South India. The conference will focus attention on contribution of Mahabharata and Puranas to art, thought and literature in Asian and South East Asian Countries. The focus would be on their spread and contribution…
SourceKAUAI, HAWAII, November 6, 2003: Madhukar and Savita Jhingan of Stamps of India (“source”) sent us this following information in regard to a Times of India report that the US Post Office had issued a stamp commemorating Dipavali. Madhukar writes, “A philatelist and specialist in US postmark, Mr. Paul Brenner, had made enquires on my behalf and contacted the postmaster…
Religion News ServiceEUGENE, OREGON, November 5, 2003: It has been nearly two years since Sandra Clarke, a nurse at Sacred Heart Medical Center, launched the program she calls No One Dies Alone, but already her grass-roots effort has earned national attention, and hospitals around the country are asking how they can replicate her idea. As baby boomers age, as families…
SourceMUMBAI, INDIA, November 5, 2003: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is trying to control the damage done to its image after people protested BMC’s decision to demolish illegal shrines in Mumbai. The BMC has now come up with a new proposal. Mumbai BJP president Bhai Girkar met the BMC commissioner Karun Shrivastava to oppose the demolition of street shrines. “Some…