Source: The Hindustan Times NEW DELHI, INDIA, November 5, 2002: Nine million SMS (Short Message Service) messages were sent across the airwaves on Deepavali, sending Delhi’s mobile messaging highways into gridlock. The SMS surge slowed things to a crawl for the better part of Monday. According to estimates, close to nine million SMS messages were exchanged by cell phone users…
GO TO SOURCE UNITED STATES, August 14, 2002: In the aftermath of Sept. 11, Jewish institutions are struggling with new insurance rates — 50 percent increases or more in some cases — that threaten to consume critical funds. These institutions — including Jewish community centers, synagogues and organizations — are fighting to maintain their protection in the event of a…
Source: Times of India CHENNAI, INDIA, November 7, 2002: The famous Arunachaleshwarar temple, dedicated to Siva and built in the year 700, is located atop Arunachala Hill at Thiruvannamalai Temple, 200 km from Chennai. A huge sacred fire that burns on the hilltop during Karthika Deepam, November/December, can be seen from as far as 40 km, and thousands of devotees…
GO TO SOURCE MYSORE, INDIA, November 8, 2002: Aromatic sandalwood is on its way to becoming an endangered species thanks to rampant smuggling. With it a long-standing tradition could die, to be replaced by ersatz perfume. Sandalwood has been used by tens of millions across South Asia for centuries. From Myanmar to Maharashtra, its oil and wood have been used…
GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, November 7, 2002: Home to 200 million cows, India has banned their killing everywhere except Kerala and some northeastern states. In August 2001, the Central Government established a National Commission for Cattle to suggest ways of improving their condition, especially cows. The commission recommended that a Rapid Cow Protection Force on the lines of…
GO TO SOURCE USA, November 8, 2002: This Sanskrit/English web site developers are requesting reader’s suggestions in the following areas: simplifying the spellings, joining of letters, sandhi, conjuncts, etc., in the devbhasa. HPI readers fluent in Sanskrit (and you’ll need to be to read the site) may log on to “source” above and offer your suggestions and assistance.
GO TO SOURCE SINGAPORE, November 7, 2002: For an ancient discipline based on relaxation, yoga looks set to stir up a frenzy in the fitness wear business. Spurred on by the growing popularity of yoga, fashion labels are coming up with apparel that won’t split when you stretch. From active wear brands like Nike to casual wear labels like British…
GO TO SOURCE BANGALORE, INDIA, November 5, 2002: Fear of genetic disease is forcing traditional South Indian couples to seek their geneticist’s medical wisdom to sift through family history and match their genes. More than 15 per cent of the population of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu seek a match from within the family. For the purpose of…
GO TO SOURCE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, November 5, 2002: Swami Vivekananda is credited with introducing Hinduism and Yoga to America in 1893. A dream Swami had was to build a “Temple Universal” which a century later is being brought to fruition by the Chicago Vedanta Society. “We are planning to build an historic temple and monastery — a sanctuary where people…
GO TO SOURCE BANGALORE, INDIA, November 4, 2002: There is a growing number of young professionals from Bangalore and Chennai taking to Tai Chi, a Chinese contemplative exercise program, which they believe helps them stay focused amid the frenetic world of computer technology. While yoga has always been popular, Tai Chi has recently begun drawing a following in South India…