Religion News ServiceLONDON, ENGLAND, June 10, 2003: Any attempt to change the current law on blasphemy to provide protection for all religions “is likely to run into profound controversy,” according to the chairman of a House of Lords committee studying the issue. The present law on blasphemy protects only the Church of England. Laws on race relations have the effect…
SourceCHENNAI, INDIA, June 8, 2003: Leaders of the women’s movement in Tamil Nadu have decided to make the two recent anti-dowry incidents–Vidya in Chennai and Nisha Sharma in Delhi calling off their marriages because of new demands–prototypes for young brides harassed by greedy grooms and their families. The follow-up action by the police and the media attention that these two…
SourcePARAMARIBO, SURINAM, June 6, 2003: In a bid to get Hindi established as an international language, the 7th World Hindi Conference began here today with the singing of Saraswati Vandana. Surinam President Ronaldo declared the four-day conference open with nearly 400 delegates from 20 countries participating, the largest contingent being from India. Indian President Kalam said the conference would enrich…
SourcePENNSYLVANIA, U.S.A., June 8, 2003: Down an unmarked dirt road in a hilly corner of eastern Pennsylvania, Sankar Sastri calls out to his nine cows who, after a moment, romp around Sastri like children at play. “They’re all happy today,” the former engineering technology professor says. They have good reason to be for the cows live on Sastri’s Lakshmi Cow…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, June 5, 2003: At one time water was considered an endlessly renewable resource, but this is no longer true as much of the world faces a serious water crisis. This is particularly evident in India where lakes and wells are drying up and monsoon rains are late this year. The Central Ground Water Authority says that in…
SourceNEW DELHI, INDIA, June 1, 2003: The Legend of Dwaraka, city of Lord Krishna, is it fact or legend? Historians studying ancient texts and eminent archaeologists have come together trying solve the mystery. Indian archaeologist Dr. S.R. Rao writes about his undersea find of the famed city in his book, The Lost City of Dwaraka. “The discovery is an important…
SourceKUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, June 7, 2003: A. Vaithilingam, President of the Malaysia Hindu Sangam has been awarded the Darjah Kebesaran Panglima Jasa Negara (PJN) (approximately, “Most Honorable Knight in Service of His Country”) by Seri Paduka Baginda Yang Di-Pertua Agong (His Majesty, The King) of Malaysia on the occasion of His Majesty’s official Birthday Celebrations, Saturday, June 7, 2003. This…
SourceTRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, June 9, 2003: It’s a most beautiful site to behold, say visitors nearing the Mandir. One passerby described it as “like visiting India itself” while foreigners who came in four maxi-taxis yesterday marveled at its beauty and serenity. They were all eyeing the magnificent 85-foot-high Hanuman murthi — the largest outside India it’s claimed, and the exquisite…
SourceTAMIL NADU, INDIA, June 2, 2003: Rock art, with origins from prehistoric times, has been receiving publicity in Tamil Nadu for the past several years when G. Chandrasekaran, professor at Chennai’s Government College of Fine Arts, formed a society called Roots. Under this banner, artists, art historians and archaeologists are attempting to save over fifty sites in Tamil Nadu from…
SourceKEDAH STATE, MALAYSIA, June 9, 2003: The MIC division here appealed to the Kedah government yesterday for land to relocate the Sri Muniswaran Temple in Jalan Kisap. The temple has been ordered demolished because it was renovated illegally. Division chairman T.Manogharan said the 80-year-old temple was one of the oldest Hindu temples on the island. “We understand that the temple…