International Saiva Conference in October

GO TO SOURCE LONDON, UK, August 19, 2002: The 5th International Saiva Conference will be held in London on October 26 and 27, 2002. The conference is being organized by The Federation of Saiva (Hindu) Temples, UK. Prospective authors are invited to submit papers on Saivism on such subjects areas as: Saints of Saivism, History of Saivism, The Holy Scriptures…

Continue reading

Bad Economic Outlook Doesn’t Dampen Ganesha Celebrations

GO TO SOURCE MUMBAI, INDIA, August 26, 2002: While the money-market may be tight, it’s not dampening the spirit of Ganesh Chaturthi. Ganesha Mandals are gearing up for the festival beginning September 10. “No Mandal (temporary festival temple) has opted out or scaled down its celebrations,” says Jayant Salgaonkar, President of All Maharashtra Ganeshotsav Mahamandal. “No doubt the economy is…

Continue reading

Ganesha Needs Environmentally Friendly Paint

GO TO SOURCE BANGALORE, INDIA, August 25, 2002: Come September 10 and most households will celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi. And even as they wait to buy Ganesha idols which have already hit the market shelves, the next step is to immerse them in water bodies in and around the city. However, according to Dr. Venkatesh, director of National Referral Centre for…

Continue reading

Evangelism as Military Assault

GO TO SOURCE INDIA, February 26, 2000: This article by David Kostinchuk details the plans of Christian evangelists and their assault on India. Kostinchuk begins, “The evangelism of India is done in a model similar to a military model used to invade, occupy, control or subjugate a population of a given country. Intelligence is considered essential to invading a country;…

Continue reading

Domestic Violence Shatters Bangalore’s Glittery Veneer

GO TO SOURCE BANGALORE, INDIA, August 23, 2002: Bangalore, India’s Silicon Valley and fastest growing city, was once a safe haven for women. While women are no longer safe on the streets of the city, now they are often not safe within their own homes, too. Domestic harassment is on the rise and 100 women on an average are said…

Continue reading

Amarnath Yatra Ends: Eleven Pilgrims Killed This Year

Source: The Hindu SRINAGAR, INDIA, August 23, 2002: Undeterred by the inclement weather and two deadly militant strikes, over one hundred thousand pilgrims had darshan of the ice Siva Lingam during the month-long Amarnath yatra which concluded with the Chhari Mubarak (holy mace of Lord Siva) reaching the cave shrine of Amarnath in the Kashmir Himalayas today. During the pilgrimage,…

Continue reading

Temple Idols Desecrated in Jalalabad

Source: Times of India MEERUT, INDIA, August 22, 2002: Tension prevailed in Jalalabad on Wednesday as news spread that some unidentified persons desecrated the idols of Lord Siva, Nandi Gai and Hanuman, as well as vandalized the temple’s property on Tuesday night. The temple, which is visited by pilgrims from different parts of the country, is located on the bank…

Continue reading

Hindus Detained in Belarus

Source: Belarusian News Agency, Belapan MINSK, RUSSIA, August 24, 2002: Twelve members of the unregistered Hindu Siva-Sakti community, the Light of Kailash, held an unauthorized picket between 13:00 and 13:40 on August 17 at the intersection of Frantsysk Skaryna Avenue and Lenin Street and then in October Square in Minsk. They protested against religious oppression, singing mantras (prayers) and holding…

Continue reading

Sleuths Discover the Rite Mantra

Source: Hindustan Times NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 18,2002: The police crime branch has commissioned new weapons for its crime-busters: prayers and vaastu shastra (sacred architecture). As cases pile up and leads are hard to come by, police are going in for shuddhi pujas (purification rites) at various crime branch offices. During the last fortnight, puja was carried out in at…

Continue reading

105 Kids Buried for a Minute in Temple Ritual

GO TO SOURCE MADURAI, INDIA, August 21, 2002: At least 105 children were “buried alive” for one minute in Perayur village, near Madurai, on Wednesday to propitiate two female deities even as a government minister watched. The children — who were first rendered unconscious — were sunk into makeshift graves, covered completely, kept there for 60 seconds and then pulled…

Continue reading