Source: Abhiyaan Gujarati Weekly RAJKOT, GUJARAT, INDIA, February 24, 2001: Bhanubhai Pandya, an Indo-Canadian Hindu Priest of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, inspired his son, Dr. Paresh Pandya, a professor of physics, to start a 2-month certificate course for training of priests at the Continuing Education Department of the Saurashtra University at Rajkot. Dr. Pandya worked for two decades as a “pujari”…
Source: Telegraph Calcutta NEW DELHI, INDIA, March 3, 2001: Muslim scholars in India were surprised over Saudi foreign minister Saud Al-Faisal’s statements that his country’s ulema will explain to their Indian counterparts that the Indian government’s US$32 million Haj subsidy goes against the spirit of Islam. The Haj is among the five mandatory religious obligations. Every Muslim is expected to…
GO TO SOURCE GLENDALE HEIGHTS, ILLINOIS, April 29, 2001: Featuring world famous saints and yogis teaching meditation and yoga, the Rejuvenation Yoga Institute of America is offering a free seminar on April 29, 2001. Seminars to be held at Ramada Inn & Suites, 780 E North Ave, Glendale Heights, Illinois, 60139. For more information contact the Yoga Institute at 630-260-8888.
GO TO SOURCE SANU GEORGE, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, March 11, 2001: The decision by Union Minister for Social Justice and Environment, Maneka Gandhi, directing the state government to take over ownership of all domestic elephants, has elephant lovers in Kerala up in arms. K. C. Panicker, an elephant specialist and secretary of the Thrissur based Elephants Welfare Association, said the decision is…
GO TO SOURCE SURREY, B.C., CANADA, March 11, 2001: Excommunicated from the Sikh community in June of 1998, Giana Rattan Singh Girn, a Sikh leader, was recently readmitted to the fold after atoning for his sin. Apparently Girn used tables and chairs to seat people while feeding them in a community kitchen. This act was a violation of Sikh doctrine…
GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, March 12, 2001: At least 47 persons were killed and 23 injured in Holi-related violence in different parts of Bihar. In the most serious incident, eight people died and six others were injured in Simthu village in Nalanda district on Saturday when two groups clashed and opened fire following a tiff over Holi songs,…
Source: RSS Press Release NEW DELHI, INDIA, March 14, 2001: RSS leader Shri Mohan Bhagwat, denied today that R.K. Gupta, one of the persons caught taking bribes in a clever scam by the web site Tehelka, was not associated with the RSS. He said, “The reports say that Shri Gupta described himself as “National Trustee” of the RSS. I have…
Source: Telegraph of India BODHGAYA, INDIA, March 12, 2001: The 17th Karmapa, the Buddhist leader who had visited the sanctum sanctorum of the Mahabodhi temple in Bodhgaya with shoes on, was compelled to make a second trip to the same place barefoot to appease the sensibilities of some monks here. This time before entering shrine, he stopped near the checkpost…
GO TO SOURCE CHANDIGARH, INDIA, 12 Mar 2001: The foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), one of the most contagious animal diseases now ravaging Britain has affected animals in some parts of Haryana and Punjab, though the situation is not alarming, officials from the two states asserted. The disease, which has claimed 11 animals in Haryana and 23 in Punjab, has been checked…
GO TO SOURCE SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, March 14, 2001: The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) which had taken away eight temple construction workers with them on February 26 on the charge that they were being underpaid and exploited, has strongly denied allegations of desecrating the Sri Venkateswara Temple here and has instead leveled a counter-allegation that the management of…