SourcePAHALGAM,INDIA, July 12, 2003: Undeterred by the cold mountain air, rocky terrain and fears of terrorist attacks, more than 6,500 devotees camped in tents at a base camp overlooking an icy blue lake in Sheshnag, Kashmir, the last stop before the annual trek up the mountain to one of the most revered of Hindu shrines. At daybreak on Saturday, authorities…
SourceSRINAGAR, INDIA, July 15, 2003: Poor planning and lack of proper regulation of pilgrim traffic to Amarnath has resulted in serious inconveniences to pilgrims. Traffic from Aishmuqum to Chandanwari is clogged for hours daily while pilgrims are forced to spend nights in adjoining jungles when the base camps of Nunwan, Chandanwari and Pahalgam fill up. Officials say that though the…
SourceUNITED KINGDOM, July 16, 2003: A future British monarch need not be a member of the Anglican church, and minor royals ought to “go out and get a job,” recommends a radical report on the monarchy. The Fabian Commission, which received Buckingham Palace’s cooperation during its inquiry, also called for the monarch be allowed to retire, opening the way for…
SourceBANGALORE, INDIA, July 14, 2003: In an effort to revive the lost glory of Hampi, the capital of the 14th century Vijayanagar Empire, Karnataka has prepared a US$108,000,000 project for the Centre to raise funds from international financial institutions. Written along the lines of the smaller Ajanta and Ellora project, the proposal, envisages funding from Japan Bank of International Cooperation…
SourceLONDON, ENGLAND, July 16, 2003: In an effort to popularize the age-old Indian Ayurveda system, a two-week-long Festival of Ayurveda was launched here where visitors would get extensive information on the various aspects of this ancient system of medicine. Gopi Warrier, Chairman of the Ayurvedic Company of Great Britain, inaugurated the festival at Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan on Tuesday night by…
Religion News ServiceVIRGINIA, U.S.A., July 14, 2003: Marylyn Mandeville sits crossed-legged on a mat in front of her students. Her hands are folded as if in prayer, framed by the slogan on her T-shirt: “Know Yoga, Know Peace.” A gold cross rests on the Om symbol emblazoned on her shirt. Mandeville is part of a growing movement to reformulate yoga,…
SourceLONDON, ENGLAND, July 12, 2003: A new Hindu youth initiative, HYUK, was launched in the House of Lords on Thursday. At a reception hosted by Lord Dholakia, President of the Liberal Democrats Party, it was announced that the HYUK will help British youth to understand Hindu culture and its philosophies better and see how it fits into the modern world.…
SourceNEW YORK, NEW YORK, July 15, 2003: Five beautifully trained dancers from India’s Nrityagram Dance Ensemble received a standing ovation at the Central Park Summer Stage. The ensemble is from Nrityagram, a dance village in Karnataka set up by the late Protima Bedi. The moment artistic director Surupa Sen was revealed under a solitary red light, in a Goddess Durga…
SourceCHICAGO, U.S.A., July 11, 2003: In the last year, Christian reality shows like “Travel the Road” and “Truth Quest,” a religious version of MTV’s “Road Rules,” have attracted viewers in Christian households and opened eyes at religious broadcasting stations. Taking a clue from secular networks who found reality programs are equally popular with watchers, but less expensive to produce than…
SourceAMARNATH, INDIA, July 12, 2003: Amidst chants of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Jai Bholanath,” the first batch of devotees on the annual Amarnath pilgrimage paid obeisance at the holy ice Lingam at the cave shrine here. To view excellent photos of Amarnath pilgrims and the holy Lingam, click on “source” above.