Source LONDON, ENGLAND, September 10, 2003: Britons are abandoning churches in droves, replacing traditional religion with activities that focus on themselves. But most people still believe in something, a poll revealed yesterday. Six out of ten of Britons believe in God and increasing numbers find Jesus inspirational, thanks to a rise in evangelical Christianity. Islam and alternative ideas such as…
SourceSOUTHALL, U.K., September 4, 2003: British Home Secretary David Blunkett was welcomed with a garland of flowers when he visited Shree Ram Mandir in Southall, Middlesex on Thursday. The Shree Ram Mandir is one of UK’s oldest temples. Mr. Blunkett was given a tour of the Deities and listened to a traditional instrumental performance on sitar as well as a…
SourceREUNION, FRANCE, July 7, 2003: July, 2003, marked a highpoint in the religious life of the Tamil community of Reunion island. Thousands gathered on July 6 for the Maha Kumbahishegam of the Siva Soupramanien temple of Petit-Bazar on Avenue Ile-of-France in the town of Saint-Andre. The ten-day ceremony was presided over by Shivacharia Kayaroganam Bala Soupramanien from Tiruchy (Tamil Nadu).…
SourcePATHANAMTHITTA, KERALA, INDIA, September 5, 2003: The hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala will open for Onam festival on September 6. Melsanthi Perikamana Sankaranarayanan Nampoothiri will open the sreekovil (main sanctum) at 5.30 a.m. in the presence of Thantri (chief priest) Kandararu Rajivaru. Udayasthamana pooja, Pushpabhishekam and Padipooja will be conducted on all four days from September 7. The…
SourceTRINCOMALEE, SRI LANKA, August 18, 2003: At a one-day seminar held by Sri Lanka’s Hindu Religious Affairs Ministry Sunday for Saiva religious teachers in the Trincomalee district, at the auditorium of Trincomalee Thiruvalluvar Nilayam, several speakers said that Hindu temples in the district are monuments of history of Tamils in the country. Hindu temples should be safeguarded at any cost…
SourceTRIMBAKESHWAR, INDIA, September 7, 2003: Thousands of sadhus today took part in the third and final Shahi Snan (Royal Bath) of Kumbha Mela 2003 at Kushavartha Teerth amidst unprecedented security while mahants and Naga sadhus of Juna Akhada declined to participate in protest against the boycott of their Akhada (monastic order) by other Akhadas. Mahants and sadhus belonging to Avahan,…
SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, September 7, 2003: The week-long Ganesh Chaturthi festival came to an end on Sunday in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry with the immersion of hundreds of Ganesh icons passing off peacefully. In the city, hundreds of Ganesh icons, including a 24-feet high one, were brought in processions from all parts of the metropolis and immersed in the sea off…
SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, September 6, 2003: The Madras High court and the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (PCB) are in disagreement over the immersion of Ganesha icons made of plaster of paris. PCB recently prohibited the immersion of icons made of plaster of paris and painted icons in the sea and other water bodies, saying they polluted the water and were…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, September 7, 2003: Kashmiri Pandits are “threatened with extinction,” says a study presented to the conference on Kashmiri Pandits held in New Delhi on September 1-2, 2003. Among the problems cited were premature ageing and premature death, unnatural death, high incidence of serious and potentially fatal diseases, affliction with multiple disease syndromes, poor medical aid, economic bankruptcy…
SourceORISSA, INDIA, September 2, 2003: Heavy rains and floods in Orissa this year did not deter children from celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. The festival is usually celebrated with much enthusiasm by students seeking Lord Ganesha’s blessings for success in their studies. “Our school is flooded with water. So we decided to have the puja by the roadside,” said one student. Ninety…