Temple Attacked in Fiji

Source: Fiji Times LABASA, FIJI, March 18, 2002: A group of youth has been blamed for an attack on Hindu temples here March 14. One temple said six statues of Deities worth US$1,300 were stolen by thugs who also dismantled prayer items. The temple manager said the priests went to the temple and found it a mess with the statues…

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Malaysia Hindu Sangam Urged to Include Social Service Work

GO TO SOURCE MENTAKAB, MALAYSIA, March 17, 2002: The Malaysia Hindu Sangam should not restrict itself to religious activities alone but also be involved in social oriented work, Pahang MIC vice-chairman M.Davendran said Sunday. He said the association could for instance raise funds from Hindus to help the poor, victims of natural disasters and children from broken families. Opening a…

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Japan’s Indian Community

GO TO SOURCE KOBE, JAPAN, March 17, 2002: The port city of Kobe, with the largest concentration of Americans and Europeans in the Kansai region, a few of whom have lived in Japan since the Taisho Era (1912-1926), has long been known as one of Japan’s most Westernized cities. But what is little known is that it is also home…

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Ohio Odissi Dance Performance Captures Audience

Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer CLEVELAND, OHIO, March 11, 2002: The city of Cleveland and the Cleveland Museum of Art were graced with a stunning performance by six women of the Odissi classical dance form, one of India’s oldest art forms. Expressing themes from India’s rich legacy, the dance that is now performed on stage was once performed in temples to…

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Trinidad Maha Sabha Launches Hindu University

Source: Anil Mahabir, Trinidad Correspondent TRINIDAD, March 18, 2002: Secretary General of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha of Trinidad and Tobago, Shri Satnarine Maharaj, said tertiary education for Hindu citizens of T&T will soon be available “at a fraction of the cost when the Hindu University is set up.” Maharaj was speaking at a news conference at the Lakshmi Girls’…

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Shiv Sena Blamed for Rampage In Haryana Town, Shrines Burnt

GO TO SOURCE CHANDIGARGH, INDIA, March 17, 2002: Tension hung over Bhiwani in Haryana today after a mob of more than 300 alleged Shiv Sena activists torched two places of worship and shops in Luharu town in the district, angered by rumors that a family had killed a cow. A spokesman said more than 300 Shiv Sena activists torched one…

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Fresh Violence Flares in India

GO TO SOURCE GUJARAT, INDIA, March 16, 2002: There has been fresh religious violence in the Indian state of Gujarat, with three people killed during disturbances in the main city, Ahmedabad, and another shot dead by police in Boroda. The latest unrest followed a controversial ceremony staged by Hindus in Ayodhya. Later in Ahmedabad, crowds of Hindus and Muslims took…

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Accused In Godhra Train Attack Held

GO TO SOURCE AHMEDABAD, INDIA, March 17, 2002: In a major breakthrough in the Godhra case, police arrested the main accused Haji Bilal Ismail Sujela, a municipal councillor of the Congress party, who had been absconding since the incident which claimed 58 lives on February 27, taking the total number of arrests so far to 28. Bilal was arrested by…

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Pune Botanist Bags World’s Biggest “Green” Prize

GO TO SOURCE LONDON, ENGLAND., March 14, 2002: An Indian botanist with a passion for converting the tough, traditionally useless leaves of the sugar cane plant into fuel has won the world’s largest renewable energy and conservation prize and a cool US$50,000 to fund his work in rural Maharashtra. Within hours of winning the Ashden Awards, Pune-based botanist Dr. A.…

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News From Puerto Rico

GO TO SOURCE PUERTO RICO, March 17, 2002: Visvanatha Sundararajan, “source” above, sends the following news items from Puerto Rico, a US territory in the Caribbean. 1) Swami Yogatmananda, of the Vedanta Society at Providence, Rhode Island, USA, is touring Puerto Rico for three days from March 23 to 26, giving lectures and conducting puja in the center to honor…

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