Vivekananda Memorial Built at Kundhukal

www.thehindu.com RAMANATHAPURAM, INDIA, February 6, 2009: A memorial has been constructed at Kundhukal, on Rameswaram island, where Swami Vivekananda landed on his return after attending the Parliament of World Religions at Chicago in 1893 and a series of lectures in the United States and England. “The historic place and the memorial will propagate Swami Vivekananda’s message of service to the…

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Reinvent Wheel? Blue Room. Defusing a Bomb? Red Room.

www.nytimes.com VANCOUVER, CANADA, February 6, 2009: If a new study is any guide, the color red can make people’s work more accurate, but blue can make people more creative. In the study, published online Thursday in Science magazine, researchers at the University of British Columbia conducted tests with 600 people to see if cognitive performance varies when people see red…

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Preparations For a Big Thaipusam in Malaysia

www.nst.com.my KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, February 4, 2009: Devotees carrying milk pots (paal kudam) for Thaipusam at the Sri Subramaniaswamy Temple at Batu Caves will pay less this year. The temple committee has reduced the fee in view of the economic downturn. With the festival falling on Sunday this year–and with Monday a public holiday–committee members expect good attendance. Last year,…

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Summary of Changes to the Religious Worker Program

www.hinduamericanfoundation.org USA, February 1, 2009: (Following is a press release from the Hindu American Foundation) The Hindu American Foundation would like to take the opportunity to update you on the results of rulemaking the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) religious worker and special immigrant programs underwent in late 2006. Rulemaking, as we explained previously, is the process by…

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Tribals of Tripura Celebrate Ganga Festival

hamaraphotos.com TRIPURA, INDIA, February 4, 2009: Tribals in Tripura recently celebrated the Ganga festival Tuesday in worship of the holy river Ganga, which is revered as divine by millions of Hindus in India and worldwide. Members of about five tribal communities gathered by the river Howrah and traditionally peeled off three pieces of bamboo into beautiful flowers. Then they created…

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Cross Is a Secular Symbol, Say Conservative Christians

www.au.org SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, February 1, 2009: Secularizing the central symbol of Christianity is the newest tactic to preserve government displays of the cross and America’s “Christian heritage.” Americans United is trying to counter that legal movement, and hopes to stop it, beginning in the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals when the court hears the Mt. Soledad case. Fifty-five…

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Daily Inspiration

www.hinduismtoday.com Many advances in the sciences that we consider today to have been made in Europe were in fact made in India centuries ago.    Grant Duff, British historian of India

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Tamil Nadu Government Takes Control of Chidambaram Temple templehttp://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?id=14850132

The Madras High Court ordered that the Tamil Nadu government takeover the management of the 1,200-year-old Nataraja temple in Chidambaram. The decks have been cleared for the government management with High Court on Monday dismissing a writ petition filed by the Podhu Dikshitars challenging the State government’s appointment of an Executive Officer (EO) for the temple. Within 24 hours ,…

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Government Says Control Over Chidambaram is Positive for Tourism http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4071374.cms?prtpage=1

Corporates which are actively associated with temple administration and renovation, also cheered the move. The High Court’s decision on Monday drew mixed reactions, with some sections voicing against Government’s managing of temple funds. But industry officials say the region stands to benefit from more tourists and investments going forward. “Earlier, we faced some problems in getting schemes implemented. We are…

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