Asia PulseHANOI, VIETNAM, June 30, 2003: Another US$812,000 has been invested in preserving a cluster of five Champa temple towers at My Son, the Hindu holy land of the old Champa Kingdom, 70 km southwest of central Da Nang City. The project is being jointly carried out by the Vietnamese government, UNESCO and the Italian University of Milan. The towers…
African Church Information ServiceNAIROBI, KENYA, June 30, 2003: Controversy is brewing in Kenya between Christians and members of the public over the country’s national motto Kenya’s had for 40 years, “Harambee.” A number of Christians, drawn mainly from the Pentecostal churches, want the motto erased from the country’s coat of arms, alleging that Harambee gives honor to a Hindu Goddess…
SourceBOTHELL, UNITED STATES, July 2, 2003: For Hindus in Seattle, and as far a way as Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Canada, the Hindu Temple and Cultural Center has become the central place to worship. Lord Venkateswara and Goddess Lakshmi Devi are the main Deities presiding in the temple, which serves not only as a place of worship, but also as…
SourcePURI, INDIA, July 1, 2003: They are chariot makers for the Gods, and millions of devotees depend on them to help make the festival, dedicated to Lord Jagannath, successful. The 10 artisan families in the temple town of Puri have been making the chariots of devotion for hundreds of years. They are known as Maharana, or carpenters, and are given…
SourceJAMMU AND KASHMIR, June 30, 2003. Set amidst rocky terrain and picturesque pine trees, the sacred cave shrine of Lord Siva in Chandanwari hills of South Kashmir is all set to redefine the annual Amarnath Yatra with the Jammu and Kashmir Government making efforts to open it for pilgrims this year. “Work on the construction of metaled foot path to…
SourceCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, July 2, 2003: The Vivekananda Vedanta Society, Chicago, has completed its purchase of 15 acres where they will build the first Sri Ramakrishna Universal Temple in North America, Swami Chidananda, President of the society, announced today. “We are very pleased to share this historic news. The greatest activity of the Vedanta Society is to disseminate spiritual education, which…
SourcePURI, INDIA, July 1, 2003: Millions of devotees converged in Puri Tuesday to participate in the annual chariot festival dedicated to Lord Jagannath. The three chariots bearing the murthis of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra were pulled through the main streets of the town and taken to Gundicha temple. The Deities will remain there until July 9 and then journey…
Rajiv Malik, Hinduism Today New Delhi CorrespondentNEW DELHI, INDIA, July 1, 2003: A special function was organized by Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, at Yoga Shakti Peeth, Mehrauli, New Delhi on July 1, 2003, to honor those undertaking the pilgrimage to Lake Mansarovar. A large number of saints, politicians, media persons and pilgrims attended the function. His Holiness, Swami Chidananda Saraswati, affectionately…
World MagazineJAKARTA, INDONESIA, June 28, 2003: Indonesia’s parliament on June 11 passed a controversial education bill that requires schools with 10 or more students from any particular religion to provide those students “religious education in their own faith from a teacher of that faith.” That stipulation falls heavily on Christian schools. While Christians do not generally send their children to…
SourceMADHYA PRADESH, INDIA, July 2, 2003: Colonel Martin, formerly of the British army, was stationed in India during the 1800’s and built a temple in Malwa to Lord Siva in 1883. The story behind the construction goes something like this: the Colonel’s wife became very concerned when she no longer was receiving messages from her husband, whom she knew was…