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…
GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA December 1, 2002: Yoga may soon become the new “mantra” for Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots to cope with the stress of flying fighter jets. The proposal for introducing yoga in the IAF was suggested by IAF Chief, Marshal S. Krishnaswamy. Addressing the International Conference on Aerospace Medicine here recently, Krishnaswamy noted that yoga…
Source: Vancouver Sun BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA, December 11, 2002: The following is a letter to the editor, Vancouver Sun: “We, 40 clergy of diverse historic faiths in the Greater Vancouver regional district, have banded together as the Clergy for Compassion and Harmony (CCH). We would like to state categorically that we, religious leaders of many of the Buddhist, visible minority…
GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, December 13, 2002: Not many music companies give a thought to motherhood, but Dhadkan, along with Sony Music has released an album entitled “Garbham Dehi” for expectant mothers at US$1.35. At this sensitive and important phase in a woman’s life, an expectant mother needs care and attention in many areas, including spiritual, they believe.…
GO TO SOURCE TRIPURA, INDIA, December 8, 2002: Tribal Hindus in Tripura have formed vigilante groups, claiming militants are attempting to convert people at gunpoint to Christianity. Rampada Jamatia, a leader of the Jamatia tribal community, said that the forced conversions were being carried out by the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT). “We believe up to 5,000 tribal villagers…
Source: Hindustan Times HONG KONG, CHINA, December 8, 2002: East Indians in Hong Kong may now have an opportunity to become Chinese citizens. Fifteen-year-old Vehka Harjani, born in Hong Kong, has been granted Chinese nationality and a Hong Kong passport. She is the first recorded case where an Ethnic Indian with no Chinese blood or relatives has obtained these documents.…
GO TO SOURCE HENHAM, ENGLAND, November 31, 2002: An English vicar has banned yoga from his church because he fears the exercise classes could lead participants on a path to “Eastern mysticism.” The Rev. Richard Farr, of St. Mary’s in Henham, on the Essex-Hertfordshire border, said he had enforced the ban after Tom Newstead, the yoga instructor, had confirmed that…