GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, December 14, 2002: Of the three great Indian obsessions, politics, cricket and marriage, the third comes first. Of the three great rituals that mark our lives — birth, marriage and death — marriage is the biggest and grandest of all. The poorest father will mortgage his house and drown himself in debt to provide…
GO TO SOURCE UNITED STATES, DECEMBER 9, 2002: What is called paganism, heathenism and polytheism is in fact the Natural religion of humanity, states this article. In areas where it has survived the onslaught of antihuman ideologies with their ego gods, the Natural religion has retained its self-respecting name. In Japan it is Shinto, in Taiwan Confucianism and Taoism, and…
GO TO SOURCE MUMBAI, INDIA, December 18, 2002: The Japanese government has okayed the release of US$87 million for restoration of the Ajanta and Ellora caves in Aurangabad — the first time a foreign government is aiding an Indian Heritage site. But the aid has not come easy to the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), which manages the site. After…
GO TO SOURCE NEW YORK, NEW YORK, December 1, 2002: This very interesting review in the New York Times is of “Lost Discoveries,” a book which describes how the West’s history of science tends to ignore the contributions of the East. Some examples: The author “has created a very neat chronicle — and a timely reminder — of how much…
GO TO SOURCE KERALA, INDIA, December 21, 2002. HPI has received the following appeal from Sri Vijayaraghavan of Kerala. “I am the Chairman, Kumarapuram Temple Renovation Committee, currently on a fundraising effort for renovating our ancient Siva-Vishnu Temple Complex situated in the suburbs of Trichur in Kerala State, India. The approximate project cost comes to US$31,000. This temple complex is…
GO TO SOURCE BIHAR, INDIA, Dec 14, 2002: Muslims are again praying at a mosque in a village in Bihar shut 10 years ago following communal violence, as a result of the initiative taken by a Hindu elder to build religious amity. Hindu residents of Manjor village of Warsaliganj block in Nawada district reopened the mosque that was closed down…
GO TO SOURCE UNITED STATES, December 16, 2002: The India Development and Relief Fund (IDRF) is a volunteer charitable organization which raises money in the United States for projects in India. It has been in operation since 1989. IDRF’s 2001 fundraising of roughly US$2 million is a small fraction of total funds sent to India by the 2 million Indians…
GO TO SOURCE GANGASAGAR, INDIA, December 10, 2002: Beginning this year, Gangasagar Mela, one of the largest religious congregations, will no longer be an absolute domain of sadhus and ordinary pilgrims. It will also be a paradise for for a fortunate few, ready to spend thousands of rupees per day for the experience. Thanks to a new idea of the…
GO TO SOURCE LONDON, ENGLAND, December 16, 2002 : An Indian Muslim organization has stated that the British government has turned down its demand to ban the two UK-based charitable groups with close ties with Sangh Pariwar even as the Charity Commission said the allegations against them were under “serious investigation.” “We sent a 300-page dossier to the Home Office…
GO TO SOURCE CALCUTTA, INDIA, October 18, 2002: With the media’s focus turned to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, some believe their attention has been turned off Bangladesh while Islamic extremism has been on the rise there. Minority Hindus, Buddhist, Christians, Tribals, and liberal Muslims are under threat as religious intolerance takes hold following the victory of the Bangladesh National Party…