Godhra Train Fire Verdict

GUJARAT, INDIA, February 24, 2011: India has imposed tight security measures across much of the western state of Gujarat following the conviction of 31 Muslim men for setting fire to a train in which 60 Hindu pilgrims and activists died nine years ago. The incident, which took place in the town of Godhra in February 2002, triggered some of the…

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Daily Inspiration

As a dog, let loose after being tied up for some time, is energetic and active, so one, who learns to remain summa, or still, gets increased energy which can be put to good use.    Yogaswami of Jaffna (1872-1964) Source

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Goddess Lakshmi Adorns Winning Lottery Ticket

MEXICO, February 2011: Hindu Gods adorn a new series of lottery tickets in Mexico. Not surprisingly, the top prize went to a ticket featuring Lakshmi, Goddess of Wealth. The National Lottery jackpot awarded a $4 million pesos (US$ 330,000) prize for ticket number 5825, whose notes were illustrated with the figure of Goddess Lakshmi during a recent drawing. The Goddess…

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Rare Manuscripts Go Digital

NEW DELHI, INDIA, February 21, 2011: One of the most ambitious and exciting projects in recent years — digitization of India’s ancient manuscripts — has moved a step ahead with the Delhi-based National Manuscript Mission (NMM) creating standards for digitization of close to 3 million manuscripts in its care. Old wisdom in a pdf or a jpeg? That’s right. The…

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Uncle Pai Passes, but his Amar Katha Lives On

MUMBAI, February 25, 2011: It is time to bring out a comic book on the man who started it all. Anant Pai, a visionary who helped millions of children delve into the fascinating treasure trove of Indian sacred stories, mythology, history and legends through comics, died on Thursday at the age of 81 after a massive heart attack. The shy…

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Puri’s Jagannath Temple Hidden Treasure Is Discovered

PURI, February 27, 2011: Thousands would have passed a dilapidated building on their way to Puri’s Jagannath temple, called Emar Math, not sparing a glance at the 200-year-old structure that on Saturday turned out to be a treasure trove worth US$ 20 million. Cops, probing a burglary, went into the Math only to find slabs of silver weighing more than…

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Daily Inspiration

He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it. He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it.    Martin Luther King (1929-1968) Source

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India To EU: Go Easy On Ayurved Med Ban

NEW DELHI, INDIA, February 17, 2011: India is not taking European Union’s ban on the sale of its over-the-counter ayurvedic and herbal drugs across Europe from May 1 lying down. A delegation of officials from India’s department of Ayush and commerce visited Brussels in January to persuade the EU to relax its decision by another 10 years. According to EU’s…

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Puri Pilgrims Miss Out On Shrine Mahaprasad

BHUBANESWAR, INDIA, February 19, 2011: Though Jagannath’s mahaprasad is the most sought-after food by pilgrims in Puri, it has reportedly failed to reach their platter in time these days. The delay in completing the Deities’ daily ritual is taking its toll on availability of the prasad at the temple on time, alleged the shrine’s cooks. Resentment is brewing among the…

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No Blanket Quota For Hindus In TN Archaeology

CHENNAI, INDIA, February 1, 2011: The Madras high court has struck down the Tamil Nadu government’s move to provide ‘blanket reservation’ to Hindus for certain posts in its archaeology department. The state’s stand was that Hindu candidates alone were eligible to apply for posts of epigraphist, archaeological officer and curator. Justice Chandru, describing it as ‘blatant discrimination,’ directed the authorities…

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