Amarnath Cave Lingam Melts

Source: www.zeenews.com JAMMU, INDIA, August 2, 2010: The naturally-formed ice lingam of Lord Shiva in Amarnath cave shrine in South Kashmir has totally melted, official sources revealed. “The holy ice lingam does not exist any more for this year,” official sources said. The pilgrimage to the Himalayan cave shrine, situated at a height of 13,500 feet, started July 1 and…

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Twelve Fined for Cow Head Protest in Malaysia

Source: www.straitstimes.com KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, July 28, 2010: A Malaysian court on Tuesday fined 12 Muslims and sentenced one of them to a week in prison for illegally protesting the construction of a Hindu temple by parading a severed cow’s head. The 12 men were among scores of Muslims who marched with a bloodied cow’s head from a mosque to…

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A Massive 22-Feet Lord Nataraja

Source: www.lotussculpture.com/huge-22-foot-bronze-nataraja-statue.html SWAMIMALAI, TAMIL NADU, August 1, 2010: For years, metal sculptor Varadaraj dreamed of making the largest-ever bronze statue of Lord Nataraja. The work started this year, and it is shaping up to be a magnificent piece. Scheduled to be cast in late 2010, it will be 22-23 feet tall and weigh nearly ten tons. The base will display…

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Neither Indian Nor British, and Fading Away

Source: www.nytimes.com CALCUTTA, INDIA, August 14, 2010: Before 1947, when the British left India, Anglo-Indians — also known at the time as half-castes, blacky-whites and eight annas (there were 16 annas in a rupee, the official currency of India) — formed a distinct community of 300,000 to 500,000 people. Most were employed in the railroads and other government services, and…

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The Disappearance of Japan’s Revered Elders

Source: www.nytimes.com TOKYO, JAPAN, August 14, 2010: Japan has long boasted of having many of the world’s oldest people — testament, many here say, to a society with a superior diet and a commitment to its elderly that is unrivaled in the West. That was before the police found the body of a man thought to be one of Japan’s…

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What are the Sacred Places of Each Indian State?

Source: mailto:ar@hindu.org KAUAI, HAWAII, August 14, 2010: Hinduism Today is working on its fifth lesson on Indian and Hindu history, covering 1947 to the present. As part of the lesson, we intend to include the major Hindu religious places of pilgrimage within each state (and the larger union territories) of India. We’d appreciate some help from our readers to list…

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Bhutanese Refugee Project

Source: www.facebook.com UNITED STATES, July 2010: Since 2006, Sewa USA has taken initiative in the resettlement of Bhutanese Refugees. By 2012 a total of 60,000 refugees will be calling America home. Sewa’s Bhutanese Refugee Empowerment (BRE) Project is assisting the refugees with education, housing assistance, farming, mobility, essential items, and employment. They are also providing help with heath care, women’s…

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The Role of Religion in America’s Laws

Source: www.religionnews.com USA, August 6, 2010 (By Daniel Burke, Religion News Services): When U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker struck down California’s Proposition 8, he said voters’ motivation for outlawing gay marriage was clear. “The evidence shows conclusively that moral and religious views form the only basis for a belief that same-sex couples are different from opposite-sex couples,” Walker wrote in…

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