timesofindia.indiatimes.com VARANASI, INDIA, February 11, 2007: Governor T.V. Rajeswari, addressing a graduation convocation of students at Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, suggested that Sanskrit learning would lead the students back to the age of bullock carts. “Sanskrit is no longer the language of God,” he said, adding that the knowledge of English and science was essential in today’s world. He went on…
www.newindpress.com TAMIL NADU, INDIA, February 6, 2007: Arulmigu Mariamman Temple held a grand kumbabhishekam to commemorate the covering of the vimana with gold. The news report explained, “The vimana was adorned with 71 kg gold at a cost of US$1.8 million. The gold bars donated by devotees over the years were made into golden sheets before casting them onto the…
www.nst.com.my PENANG, MALAYSIA, February 2, 2007: Britisher Lakshmi Love, 35, persuaded his best friend, Alex Catchpole, 25, to join him in Penang for the annual Thaipusam festival. They both walked the 10 km. trek from the Sri Muthu Mariamman Temple carrying pal kudam (milk pots) and were encouraged whole-heartedly by the Hindu community to complete the pilgrimage. Catchpol prepared for…
jon@hua.edu ORLANDO, FLORIDA, February 9, 2007: (HPI note: Following is a press release from the Hindu University of America.) With profound sorrow and grief, Hindu University of America announces the unexpected passing away of Professor Kuldip Chandra Gupta (known to his associates as KC ji, or KCG), past president of HUA, on Wednesday, February 7, 2007 in Mumbai, India. He…
www.iol.co.za SOUTH AFRICA, February 5, 2007: For thousands of Hindus 10 days of strict fasting ended on Sunday when the festival of Thai Poosam Kavady drew to a close. To mark the last day of the ritual, which was dedicated to Lord Muruga, devotees carried colorfully decorated kavadis on their shoulders during processions to local temples. Kavadis are heavy religious…
www.clicanoo.com REUNION, FRANCE, February 7, 2007: (HPI note: translated from the original French. The first paragraph is an introduction by the author.) With a suicide case every 40 minutes and more than 10,000 deaths every year, France is one of the industrialized countries largely affected by this phenomenon. A national debate this week calls for an urgent need to openly…
www.orlandosentinel.com DELAND, FLORIDA, February 6, 2007: For a while Monday afternoon, the tornado-ravaged 500 block of Beresford Road seemed like interfaith central. A team of five members of the Islamic Society of Central Florida’s disaster relief had just pulled in from Orlando and unloaded their chain saws and other equipment. They started helping the Rev. Bruce Hedgepeth of First Presbyterian…
thestar.com.my KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, February 7, 2007: The mobs of crowd at Batu Caves and the weight of a wooden kavadi decorated with blue and purple trimmings had taken its toll on 10-year-old Kalaiarasi Moorthy. Her mother held her tightly at the arms and chanted, “Vel, Vel”, in encouragement. Her face was contorted in exhaustion, but Kalaiarasi echoed her mother’s…
Press Release UNITED STATES, February 1, 2007: Governor Brad Henry pronounced January 28, 2007 as “Yoga Awareness Day” for Oklahoma and Mayor Kathy Taylor did the same for her city, Tulsa. During the last two weeks, through the country from the San Francisco Bay area to Boston to Houston, mainstream Americans joined with Indian-Americans in learning about and performing the…
www.mmail.com.my KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, February 6, 2007: Over a million Hindus fulfilled their vows and worshipped Lord Muruga at the Sri Subramaniar Swamy Temple in Batu Caves yesterday. This year’s Thaipusam festival, like many others before, also saw devotees carrying pots of milk, kavadis, or with their bodies pierced, making their way up the steps to the temple. The throbbing…