Catholics Want a Piece of Kerala’s Political Pie

Source: Rediff on Net KERALA, INDIA, April 5, 2001: On the eve of the assembly elections in Kerala where Christians constitute nearly 21 percent of the state’s 30 million population, the first political demand from a religious community came from the Catholic church, when senior priests from the archdiocese of Thrissur met Congress leaders A K Antony and K Karunakaran…

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Hindu Students Council Announce National Camp

GO TO SOURCE VIRGINIA, USA, April 6, 2001: The Hindu Students Council is pleased to announce that the 11th Annual North American Camp will be held at the Camp Highroad, Virginia, campground, near Washington, D.C., during May 25 – May 28, 2001, Memorial Day Weekend). The Annual North American Camp was originally founded in 1990 and has brought together students…

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Ramakrishna Mission Opens First Australasian Center

GO TO SOURCE SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, April 3, 2001: The Ramakrishna Mission opened its only Vedanta Center in the Australasian region with a well-attended grihapravesham, or housewarming, ceremony in Sydney. About 250 were present Sunday to participate in the grihapravesham which was initiated by Ganapati Pujanam (salutations to the elephant-headed God Ganesha). A special puja for Sri Ramakrishna followed. The Mission…

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Correlation Between Acupuncture and Ayurveda

GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, April 2, 2001: Claiming that the roots of Chinese Acupuncture are found in the science of Indian Ayurveda, Dr. B.K. Joshi from Haldwani is backing up the claim by research on the “Sushrut Samhita,” an ancient treatise. This research has revealed a definite correlation between the “Marmas” which are vital energy points in the…

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Bidi Craze in U.S.A.

Source: News India Times LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY, April 2, 2001: Hand-rolled cigarettes called bidis are becoming popular in mainstream America especially among teenagers and college students. Behind the strawberry, cinnamon, orange, and chocolate flavours lurks a higher nicotine and tar content. A study conducted in conjunction with the National Institute on Drug Abuse showed eleven out of twelve brands to have…

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Chinmaya Mission Celebrates 50th Anniversary

GO TO SOURCE MUMBAI, INDIA, March 6, 2001: The Chinmaya Movement is completing 50 years in 2001 and preparations are on in full swing for the Chinmaya Vishwa Sammelan to be held in Mumbai in December 2001. The Sammelan promises to be a grand Chinmaya family get-together. Over 1,000 delegates have registered from all over the world. They have launched…

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Tripura Rebels Ban Kirtan Instruments

GO TO SOURCE AGARTALA, INDIA, April 01, 2001: The Methodist Church-backed NLFT militants have continued interfering in the religious rites of the people, banning the use of traditional musical instruments for performing kirtans (devotional songs) by Hindu tribals. This has triggered panic among the Hindu tribals living in the interior areas of Northeast India such as Borakha, Patni, Barkathal and…

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Andhra Pradesh CM Announces Temple Development

Source: The Hindu BHADRACHALAM, INDIA, April 3, 2001: Sitarama Kalyanam was performed in the temple town of Bhadrachalam with pomp and gaiety, witnessed by devotees including Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Naidu and his wife. At a press conference, the CM announced a plan formulated for the development of 20 temples with an annual income of more than US$217,391 in the…

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Tribal Rights Controversy

Source: World Organisation Against Torture COIMBATORE, TAMIL NADU, April 2, 2001: Since 1986 when the Coimbatore Zoological Park was formed with the intention of establishing a conservation centre 30 kilometers from Coimbatore City, tension has existed between this group and the tribal people. The area allocated for the park, known as the Poramboke lands, is the very land that the…

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Americans Held on Religion Charges

GO TO SOURCE DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, April 3, 2001: United Arab Emirates (AP) — Three Americans were arrested for distributing compact discs and videotapes promoting Christianity, the Al-Khaleej newspaper reported Tuesday. The Sharjah daily quoted Dubai’s prosecutor general. Calls to the prosecutor’s office were not returned Tuesday, and the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi said it was aware of…

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