GO TO SOURCE USA: Robert Redford’s latest movie, “The Legend of Bagger Vance,” which opened in 2,000 theaters across America this weekend, is based upon the book of the same name. The book is an adaptation of the “Bhagavad Gita” into the story of a 1920’s game of golf. Most viewers won’t make the connection, and most professional reviewers seem…
GO TO SOURCE LONDON, ENGLAND: In a UK meeting, Conservatives said they would give churches and other faith communities new opportunities to establish their own full-time schools to teach their religious values along with providing a general education. Already the UK has a state-funded Sikh school. Conservative leader William Hague said, “Close to their communities and offering role models that…
Source: Hinduism Today: Anil Mahabir, Trinidad Correspondent PORT LOUIS, TRINIDAD: Trinidadians will go to the polls to elect a new government on Monday, December 11, 2000. The two major parties in the race are: the UNC, widely touted as “the Indian/Hindu party” which is led by Basdeo Panday and the PNM, which is seen as the “African/Christian party” led by…
GO TO SOURCE JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA: Yogapragasan Naidoo has organized an AIDS awareness concert with the help of religious, cultural and nongovernment organizations in South Africa. A float procession through Lenasia will be followed by a concert of bhajan and kirtan groups (religious singers) and speakers from various AIDS organizations. “The idea,” explained Naidoo, “is part of the schools initiative…
GO TO SOURCE “Yoga for Positive Health”, 10th International Conference, will be held in Tampa, Florida in December. The conference is co-sponsored by sVYASA and The Center for Positive Health at the University of South Florida, College of Public Health. The main conference will focus on “Yoga and Consciousness” and “Applications of Yoga for Health and Diseases” with many nationally…
GO TO SOURCE The Hindu Temple Society of North America, which operates the Ganesha Temple in Flushing New York, has been awarded a place in the “People’s Hall of Fame” for providing excellent cultural example to the community.
Source: The Tribune, November 1, 2000 PATNA, INDIA: The four day festival of Chatth kicks off Wednesday in Bihar State, India. Millions of Hindus are expected to congregate along different rivers and lakes in the state for the do-it-yourself offerings which require no priests. Similar religious festivals involving millions of Hindus–a scale never seen in the West–will occur all over…
Source: Press Trust of India DELHI, INDIA: Indian Railways announced a special fare for pilgrims from Delhi to the Vaishno Devi Shrine near Jammu, on the border with Kashmir, 500 miles from Delhi. This famed shrine to the Goddess attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims every year. Now they can travel by train and bus from Delhi, stay in hotels,…
Source: Hindustan Times, October 30 DELHI, INDIA: 72,000 Muslims from India will make the pilgrimage to Mecca this year financed by the Indian government at US$435 each to cover airfare and accommodations to Saudi Arabia. The subsidy, which totals US$32 million, allows poorer Muslims to make the requiste once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage. The subsidy was increased over last year due to increase…
GO TO SOURCE COLOMBO, SRI LANKA: In a remarkable development in the long Sri Lanka civil war, Norwegian special envoy Eric Solheim met the leader of the Tamil Tigers, Velupillai Prabhakaran, in the jungles of Wannai, northern Sri Lanka. Norway has long sought to help mediate the conflict, but during the last state elections it appeared their help was no…