SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, August 11, 2003: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee spoke candidly about female feticide in the country and appealed to the public at large to stop the practice. Delivering his speech at a function to give away the fifth Dr. Durgabai Deshmukh award, Vajpayee said, “More than 1.5 million cases of female feticide have taken place in the…
SourceBANGALORE, INDIA, August 22, 2003: Come Ganesh Chaturthi, and Bangaloreans will be treated to a new interpretation of one of the most popular Hindu Gods next week. This has fired the imagination of Rajeev Bhat, a city biotechnologist and a self-taught artist. He has interpreted Lord Ganesha in his paintings using human genes and chromosome images. He has scientifically presented…
SourceAYODHYA, INDIA, August 23, 2003: A bomb exploded inside a temple near the Ram Janmabhoomi site here on Friday night damaging its roof and side walls, police said on Saturday. However, no casualties were reported in the explosion inside the Nishad temple in Katra locality at around midnight, they said, adding the temple was situated not far from the acquired…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, August 14, 2003: A long-standing controversy in favor of women has been resolved by the Supreme Court. At one time, if a Hindu married woman died intestate (that is, with no written will) or issueless (without children), her husband or father-in-law could lay claim to her estate even if such assets originated from her birth family. In…
SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, August 22, 2003: A self-styled Swedish holy man who built an ashram in India has been arrested and faces deportation. Harold Davidson, 45, built the ashram illegally on a two-acre plot in Mallayapuram, in southern Tamil Nadu state. It has a massive statue of Garuda, the holy eagle that is associated with the Lord Vishnu. Davidson came to…
SourceKATHMANDU, NEPAL, August 18, 2003: Two weeks after a fire gutted Pratappur temple at Swayambhu (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), another fire Sunday broke out at Tara temple, adjoining the southern side of the main stupa of Swayambhunath, a report said Monday. “The fire was instantly put out before it could cause any major damage,” The Himalayan Times reported. Some…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, August 20, 2003: Over the last three days, the demand for milk has suddenly shot up, resulting in Mother Dairy outlets running dry. The reason: The dual festivals of Rakhi and Janmashtami have increased the intake of sweets of Delhiites over the last week. On Tuesday, many areas of the city could not get milk and people…
SourceUSA, August 21, 2003: The following report appears on the Gospel for Asia web site. “Gospel for Asia church of 51 believers in Jharkhand, India, is under attack as anti-Christian leaders meet to decide its fate! Many in the village have expressed their desire to beat GFA missionary Babuser and the new believers, steal their land and other belongings, and…
SourceFREMONT, CALIFORNIA, August 19, 2003: After two days of celebration with none of the major problems that nearly forced its cancellation a year ago, Fremont officials say they expect the city will remain home to the Festival of India for many years to come. Last year, city officials initially denied the festival’s permit after persistent litter, scheduling, noise and security…
SourceJALNA, INDIA, August 21, 2003: Twenty-eight-year-old music teacher, Prasad Shriram Choudhary, has entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for continuously playing tabla for 46 hours. A certificate and letter were sent congratulating Prasad for successfully setting a new World Record on April 15-16 of this year. He had already been included in India’s Limca Book of World Record.…