Source: HPI SACRAMENTO, UNITED STATES, March 4, 2003: A groundbreaking series of experiments at the University of California at Davis suggests that counting your blessings makes you happier. “When people consciously practice grateful living, their happiness will go up and their ability to withstand negative events will improve, as does their immunity to anger, envy, resentment and depression,” says UC…
GO TO SOURCE EPPSTEIN, WEST GERMANY, March 7, 2003: HPI’s short piece yesterday on Myanmar lamented the lack of news about that country. Indrajit Ganguli, “source” above, responded with this personal travelogue: “I was born in Myanmar and always wanted to visit the place of my birth, but it was not possible due to restrictions. However, the government of Myanmar…
GO TO SOURCE BANGKOK, THAILAND, March 4, 2003: A new project from Thailand’s Ministry of Education aimed at networking monastic communities in remote areas will bring 100 Buddhist monks to the capital next month for training in information technology and the internet. Apart from linking temples nationwide, the idea is to leverage on the teaching role that monks have traditionally…
GO TO SOURCE MILAN, ITALY, March 7, 2003: An Indian festival “East Meets West” is being planned from March 13 to 16, 2003, at the Filaforum of Assago, Milan. The festival’s programs include screenings of Indian movies, Indian dance performances and talks on Indian music, ayurveda and the Vedas. There will also be exhibitions on Indian musical instruments and various…
GO TO SOURCE VIJAYAWADA, SURINAM, March 7, 2003: The main agenda of the World Hindi Conference to be held in Surinam in June, 2003, is to get the United Nation to accord official language status for Hindi, the second most spoken language in the world, Kendriya Hindi Samithi member Y. Lakshmiprasad said. Mr. Lakshmiprasad said at present Hindi is being…
GO TO SOURCE WASHINGTON, D.C., March 6, 2003: The Bush administration has rejected the recommendation of a US commission to brand India a violator of religious freedom. Following the Gujarat riots, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom had recommended India’s inclusion in a list of “countries of particular concern.” Acting on the commission’s omnibus report, Secretary of State Colin…
GO TO SOURCE JAIPUR, INDIA, March 5, 2003: Even Gods and Goddesses will receive relief in drought-hit Rajasthan’s annual budget for the next fiscal year. Presenting the budget in the state assembly on Wednesday, Finance Minister Pradyuman Singh said temples were falling to ruins in the absence of proper maintenance. Many temples were not in a position to manage rituals,…
GO TO SOURCE YANGON, MYANMAR, March 5, 2003: The celebration of Deepavali by the All Myanmar Tamil Hindu Foundation and donations given to the “Thanantana Dhammapala (Hindu) Association in Pabedan Township” are two Hindu events that took place in Myanmar recently. Readers may contact “source” above for news on Hindu activities in Myanmar. The stories are a bit dated, however,…
GO TO SOURCE LUCKNOW, INDIA, March 5, 2003: In a major development, the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court on Wednesday ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to carry out the excavation of the disputed site at Ayodhya within one week. The special full bench comprising Justices Sudhir Narain, S. R. Alam and Bhanwar Singh asked the ASI…
GO TO SOURCE THANJAVUR, INDIA, March 2, 2003: A rare sculpture of Lord Siva with a flute in his hands has been found at the Irawadeeswara temple at Darasuram, near Kumbakonam, by Kudavayil Balasubramaniyan, researcher of the Saraswathi Mahal Library, Thanjavur. It has been found on a pillar at the Rajakampeeran Thirumantapam of the temple, built by Rajaraja-II, Chola King.…