Source: The Press Democrat, November 15, 2000 SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA: In the Marin Civic Center exhibition hall in San Rafael, the seekers and devotees sat on the floor before Mata Amritanandamayi, or Ammachi, a Hindu spiritual leader and humanitarian from India, waiting for her hug of benevolence. The report in the local Press Democrat treated the Hindu leader with great…
Source: The Fiji Sun, November 16, 2000 SUVA, FIJI: Justice Anthony Gates of the High Court of Fiji ruled today that the 1997 constitution remained valid and ordered the president to summon the Parliament which existed prior to the failed coup of May 19, 2000. The case is going immediately to the Appeals Court, which will have the final say.…
Source: Australian Associated Press, November 14, 2000 MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA: Subramaniya Punutharajakurukkal, a priest originally from Sri Lanka, is standing trial in Melbourne, for arson and two charges of endangering life. He is charged with setting two mysterious fires at the Hindu temple in The Basin, east of Melbourne on the night of March 11, 1999. The Crown Prosecutor, Geoff Horgan,…
Source: The New Straits Times, October 25, 2000 KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: In the true spirit of Divali, spreading light and love to all, devotees of Melmaruvathur Athiparasakthi collaborated with members of the Malaysian Hindu Sangam, the Divine Life Society and others to bring hope to Hindu inmates at Sungai Bulon Prison in Kuala Lumpur. The inmates were lavished with murukkus…
Source: The Hindustan Times, November 15, 2000 NEW DELHI, INDIA: There has been a sharp twelve percent rise in the number of Indian students, mostly Hindus, in American colleges and universities during the academic year 1999-2000. The Indian presence went up from 30,641 in 1996-1997, to 33,818 in 1997-1998, to 37,482 in 1998-1999 — and now jumped to 42,337 in…
GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA: Motilal Banarsidass is launching a new series of books, “India’s Scientific Heritage.” Dr. L.M. Singhvi is the general editor for the series, which is expected to run at least 25 volumes and include Vedic and Jain mathematics and other sciences. They are looking for qualified contributors to the series. Contact: R P Jain, Motilal…
GO TO SOURCE BHAKTAPUR, NEPAL: Representatives of 11 major faiths of the world have jointly pledged to work for the protection of global environment. They made the pledge at a colorful ceremony during a three-day conference being held in an ancient Nepalese town, Bhaktapur, near the capital, Kathmandu. The conference has been organized by the World Wide Fund for Nature…
Source: The Boston Globe, November 9, 2000 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS: Schools faced with stressed-out children are introducing relaxation breaks using positive mental imagery (best for girls), or deep breathing or muscle relaxing (works on boys). Other methods include repeating a line from a favorite song, carrying a good-luck charm, have a buddy to turn to in times of stress. “It used…
Source: Catholic World News, October 13, 2000 VATICAN: A group of Hawaiians and natives of Caribbean islands held an orderly demonstration in St. Peter’s Square on Thursday, asking Pope John Paul II to repudiate a 500-year-old papal bull that encouraged Christian nations to enter the New World to convert pagans. The small group of about a dozen presented a copy…
GO TO SOURCE SEATTLE, WASHINGTON: We’re not sure what inspired this company to put Hindu deities on toilet seats. But they are surely in for some serious protests from the Hindu community, who will consider this an outrageous sacrilege. The company sells two seats, one with Lord Ganesha and one with Goddess Kali on the bottom side of the lid…