Source: www.nationalpost.com MISSOURI, U.S., December 22, 2009: Is it a religion or a recreation? That’s the question facing yogis in Missouri, who say they offer spiritual services that are exempt from sales tax. But the state takes a different view. The tax department has written to 140 yoga and Pilates studios ordering them to start charging the 4% levy. Missouri…
Source: www.thaindian.com LUCKNOW, INDIA, December 21, 2009: The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) is starting a toll-free helpline service in India for Hindu pilgrims and tourists to help them in booking low-cost accommodation, hiring vehicles and medical services during pilgrimages. The 24-hour helpline, which would be functional from January 2010, will be part of the VHP’s “social responsibility programs”, the group’s…
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com AHMEDABAD, INDIA, December 16, 2009: One of the most popular travel guides to the Kailash Mansarovar is available in Gujarati now. The Gujarati version of ‘Kailash Mansarovar’, the book authored by Swami Pranavanand, was launched by popular Ram kathakar Morari Bapu on Tuesday. More than half of the pilgrims going to Kailash, every year, are from Gujarat and…
Source: www.pib.nic.in INDIA, December 18, 2009: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has registered 27, 50 and 31 cases of corporal punishment in school during 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 respectively. This Ministry has issued instructions to all States and Union Territories in December, 2007 to prohibit corporal punishment in all schools under their jurisdiction. Section 17 of…
Source: indianrealist.wordpress. com INDIA, November 20, 2009: It was Ram Swaroop who wrote an interesting article about what caste was actually like in Hinduism and what the British and Catholics deliberately made it out to be. Today, it is as relevant as ever. Here it is, in his own words: Today “casteism” is rampant. Old India had castes but not…
Source: www.hinduismtoday.com 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: indianrealist.wordpress. com INDIA, November 20, 2009: It was Ram Swaroop who wrote an interesting article about what caste was actually like in Hinduism and what the British and Catholics deliberately made it out to be. Today, it is as relevant as ever. Here it is, in his own words: Today “casteism” is rampant. Old India had castes but not…
Source: www.thaindian.com KURUKSHETRA, INDIA, December 12, 2009: The Archaeological Department has unearthed an ancient statue of a Hindu Deity in Kurukshetra. “A few centuries ago, a pilgrimage site might have been situated here on the banks of holy river Saraswati. We were excavating this ancient pilgrimage’s pond and found this statue buried deep inside. This statue is made of sandstone…
Source: news.bbc.co.uk UNITED KINGDOM, December 21, 2009: An international scientific effort has revealed the genetics behind Asia’s diversity. The Human Genome Organisation’s (HUGO) Pan-Asian SNP Consortium carried out a study of almost 2,000 people across the continent. The study answered a question about the origin of Asia’s population. It showed that the continent was likely populated primarily through a single…
Source: www.pressdemocrat.com CALIFORNIA, USA, December 21, 2009: Sonoma County’s top official on Monday ordered the removal of stars, angels and other religious symbols from Christmas trees in county buildings after a complaint that the decorations violate constitutional protections. “I understand the concern about government endorsing religion or a doctrine, and I respect that is not our role,” Acting County Administrator…