GO TO SOURCE MADURAI, INDIA, January 16, 2001: Dalit (untouchable) residents in a village in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu plan to convert to Islam, blaming it on social stigma and the state government’s failure to meet their economic demands. “All Dalits in the village intend converting to Islam,” said the local panchayat (village governing body) president, Murthy. “The upper…
GO TO SOURCE GEORGETOWN, MALAYSIA, January 23, 2001: “We don’t want an angry confrontation with the Malays because we know that racial harmony is the key to our country’s peace and success,” so expounds Khoo Huck Cheong, a Chinese tourist guide. Until recently Malaysia’s Chinese minority population of 6.6 million have been content to cultivate their culture and live peacefully…
GO TO SOURCE NEW YORK, NEW YORK, January 13, 2001: International peace leader Sri Chinmoy presented the prestigious U Thant Peace Award to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in recognition of his lifetime service to Mother India recently, according to a New India-Times report. The award is named after for late Secretary General of the United Nations and has been…
GO TO SOURCE GUJARAT, INDIA, Feb 5, 2001 – The Saraswati river, the missing third link in Allahabad’s Sangam is making an appearance in quake-injured Gujarat. Scientists say shifting of tectonic plates in the Allah Bund fault area has led to a geographical osmosis in the Rann of Kutch area, pushing the Saraswati over-ground in spurts. Hundreds of villages in…
GO TO SOURCE AHMEDABAD, INDIA, February 4, 2001: Over 12,000 people attended the mass wedding of 51 couples even though the aftermath of the earthquake is visible throughout Ahmedabad. In honor of the recent tragedy claiming so many lives, the brides of the occasion chose not to wear any gold jewelry.
GO TO SOURCE GURUN, MALAYSIA, February 3, 2001: Seventy Hindu devotees are walking barefoot for 109 km for the Thai Pusam festival on Wednesday. Wearing saffron-colored robes and sarees, the group began a five-day journey from the Kedah state capital on Thursday and is expected to reach Penang on Monday evening. The purpose of the journey is for the devotees…
GO TO SOURCE KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, February 3, 2001: Devotees and the public can view the Thai Pusam celebrations at Batu Caves on Feb 7 live on the Net in what is believed to be the first project of its kind in Malaysia and possibly the world. The broadcast will be covering the once-a-year festival held at Batu Caves for…
Source: Rediff on the Net GUJARAT, INDIA, February 2, 2001: The aftermath of the earthquake in Gujarat has left many survivors feeling helpless and depressed after losing loved ones, property and other belongings. In an attempt to bring normalcy back into their lives, the government is organizing religious ceremonies to honor the death of loved ones. It is hoped that…
GO TO SOURCE CLEVELAND HEIGHTS, OHIO, February 5, 2001: On January 1, 2150, the winner of a trust fund, starting today with 300 dollars and estimated to then be worth US$500 million, will be announced. Two scientists have set up a bet on the highest obtainable life expectancy. Estimating the age to be 130, S. Jay Olshansky of the University…
GO TO SOURCE DHARAMSALA, INDIA, February 3, 2001: Last year the 14th Karmapa fled Tibet for India. He is the third-ranking Tibetan Buddhist leader, after the dalai lama and the pancha lama. He has now been given refugee status in India. The teenager’s escape from a closely-guarded monastery in Tibet embarrassed the Chinese government.