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Conversion, Reconversion Led to Kandhamal Riots, Says Justice

2009-07-09T23:04:01Z

BHUBANESWAR, INDIA, July 3, 2009: A judicial commission probing last year’s riots in Kandhamal, Orissa, has found that conversion and re-conversion were the decisive factors. “Sources of the violence were deeply rooted in land disputes, conversion and re-conversion and fake certificate issues,” according to the interim report prepared by justice S. C. Mohapatra.

Mohapatra said the Kandha tribals, who are 52 percent of the population and largely uneducated, have suspected the Pano Dalits, who are Christians, of capturing the tribals’ land through fraudulent means and using fake certificates to co-opt quotas meant for the tribals. He suggested that the state government expedite freeing of tribal lands from non-tribals, take up fake certificate cases and remain vigilant to conversion and re-conversion.

The CPI (a Maoist organization) claimed responsibility for killing VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati on August 23 last year. The large-scale violence triggered by the killing of Saraswati and four of his associates claimed 43 lives and damaged many houses and churches. Mohapatra said no blame has been assigned in the interim report.

Final Phase Of Chariot Festival In Puri

2009-07-09T23:03:01Z

Source: silverscorpio.com

PURI, INDIA, July 3, 2009: Over 700,000 devotees gathered at the temple town of Puri on Thursday as the 10-day long chariot festival came to an end. Extensive security arrangements were on place during the Bahuda Yatra (Return Journey) of the chariot, when the chariots are brought back to the temple.

Devotees pull three well decorated chariots carrying the murti of Hindu deity Lord Jagannath, his brother Lord Balabhadra and sister Goddess Subhadra, from the main temple to another nearby temple, where they remain for seven days.

Urban Young Are Diving Into Sanskrit

2009-07-09T23:02:01Z

Source: www.outlookindia.com

INDIA, July 2, 2009: Especially in urban areas, India’s young are rediscovering the lure of the Sanskrit language. As many as 30,000 people have enrolled for countrywide Sanskrit classes that are starting this July under the aegis of the Gita Shiksha Kendra; 60 per cent of these are in the 18-28 age group. At the Delhi Samvadshala, students from 37 countries come down in winters to learn spoken Sanskrit. And in 2008, 2,000 Delhiites, mostly in their 20s, enrolled for spoken Sanskrit crash courses that were held across the city

These students include young techies, MBAs, civil servants, students of history and philosophy, as well as those interested in ayurveda or yoga. They are attracted by Sanskrit’s highly logical grammatical structure; the access it gives them to classics and texts on ayurveda, yoga; and the guidance on ethics, leadership and strategy in texts like the Bhagavad Gita and the Arthashastra. The fact that Sanskrit is a scoring subject in CBSE, UPSC exams has also fueled interest. Recently, according to this report , an orthodox Muslim girl called Rahmath, 21, won the first rank in the Sanskrit Vedanta degree course conducted by the University of Kerala.

But for Hindus, it’s all about claiming one’s heritage. “We’re going back to our roots,” smiles Krishna Shastry, who helped to initiate the Sanskrita Sambhashanam (Speak Sanskrit) movement in 1981.

Melting Himalayan Glaciers To Trigger Massive Migration

2009-07-09T23:01:01Z

Source: www.zeenews.com

LONDON, ENGLAND, June 10, 2009: A report released Wednesday claims the melting of the glaciers, also known as ‘Water Towers of Asia’ will bring perils to poor section of the populations dependent on the river systems in India, China, Pakistan and other Asian countries by the year 2050.

Titled ‘In Search of Shelter: Mapping the Effects of Climate Change on Human Migration and Displacement’, the report announced in Bonn, Germany, says ongoing melting of the glaciers will devastate heavily irrigated farmlands of Asia by increasing floods and decreasing long-term water supplies.

The glacier-fed basins of the Ganges, Brahmaputra, Irawaddy, Salween, Mekong, Yangtze and Yellow rivers now support over 1.4 billion people in India, Pakistan, China, Bangladesh and other neighboring countries.

Changes in the rivers and livelihoods dependent on them could bring profound economic, cultural and demographic impacts, the report warns.

Daily Inspiration

2009-07-09T23:00:01Z

Source: www.hinduismtoday.com

Life is a boomerang. It brings you back what you send out. It is a child, not an old person, who makes progress in life. If you really want to become a child, then you have to feel that there is always something to learn and that God is there to teach you.
Sri Chinmoy, spiritual leader, author, poet, artist, musician and athlete

Making Hindu Last Rites Hassle-Free

2009-07-05T23:03:01Z

Source: epaper.hindustantimes.com

ALLAHABAD, INDIA, June 28, 2009: Kanpur, lost his uncle a year ago, he made just one telephone call. And with it, all the funeral arrangements were taken care of, for a payment of $700. “There was no confusion at all,” he says. “We could grieve in peace. We only had to attend the cremation like any other visitor.”

Traditional Hindu funerals have always been elaborate affairs: expensive and time-and energy-consuming. They remain expensive, but in the major towns of Uttar Pradesh, organizing them need no longer be full of hassle.

For those prepared to pay, there is a new breed of funeral operators who take care of everything, from transporting the corpse to the cremation ground to performing the shraddha ceremony some days later.

As with holidays,there are a range of packages on offer, varying from a budget class $100 to a premium $2,000.

New Friendship Between Two Ancient Religions

2009-07-05T23:02:01Z

Source: www.njjewishnews.com

USA, July 2, 2009: Recent studies have found that, on average, Jews and Hindus are the most educated religious groups in the United States, with similar economic structures and the highest retention rate of believers. Both are ancient civilizations, both are diaspora religions and both emphasize the importance of scripture and ritual. On June 14, these two faith groups became better acquainted at a Hindu-Jewish interfaith meeting sponsored by the World Council of Religious Leaders and hosted by the American Jewish Committee, the Hindu American Foundation, and the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha.

The first Jewish-Hindu Summit was held in February, 2007, in Delhi, India, with both sides affirming that their “respective traditions teach that there is One Supreme Being… who has communicated Divine ways of action for humanity, for different peoples in different times and places.” The second took place in Jerusalem in February 2008, when the Jewish delegation accepted that Hindus accept One Supreme Being and do not regard the representations used in worship as idols.

At the 2009 meeting, the Hindu religious leaders–representing a variety of paths– shared their concerns about unethical Christian proselytizing, receiving support from the Jewish leaders.

The Hindu representatives spoke of the imminent arrival to the United States of 60,000 Hindu refugees from Bhutan and wanted to learn from the Jews how to build community as a diaspora minority and set up an immigrant aid society. They also expressed the need to fight anti-Hinduism and change the derogatory descriptions of Hinduism in textbooks.

Rabbi David Rosen mentioned the rapid growth of political, economic, and military connections between Israel and India and emphasized the need for religious encounters.

Unanimous applause greeted one speaker’s statement that in 2000 years there has been no indigenous anti-Semitism in India.

Rare Indian Bronzes To Change Hands

2009-07-06T03:40:59Z

Source: mailto:webmaster@jewelofthelotus.com

KAUAI, HI, USA, July 5, 2009: Rare indian bronzes, 19 pieces dating from the 10th century Pala period to the 17th century Vijayanagar, are being sold by the foundation that is their current owner, triggering interest from collectors, museums — and maybe temples.

The collection comprises Shivite, Vaishnavite and Jain pieces in bronze and copper, along with two metal vessels, “Ganga Jumna, ” examples of India’s finest bronze work. Some of pieces are murtis that were worshiped for centuries, and according to the Kauai Lotus Foundation’s press release, “have a power that can only be felt in person.”

You may reach them at the source e-mail above.

Daily Inspiration

2009-07-05T23:00:01Z

Source: www.hinduismtoday.com

As is your devotion, so is your liberation. Good work brings good wages, a little work brings only a little wage.
Swami Nityananda (?-1961), guru of Baba Muktananda

Hindu Temple Expands In New York

2009-07-04T23:05:01Z

Source: www.zwire.com

FLUSHING, NEW YORK, June 25, 2009: The Hindu Temple Society of North America is in the midst of a $5 million expansion on its Ganesh Temple at 45-57 Bowne St, and for a good reason. There’s just not enough space for the 3,000 devotees who pray there every week.

The society offers outreach programs for seniors, children and the general public, including classes in yoga, guitar and dance. Its temple has become a popular tourist attraction, drawing people from around the world, and its canteen, open seven days a week, is a favorite stop for vegetarians.

The society will host a five-day rededication program that will culminate on July 13. Fourteen artisans from India have completed their task of carving 16 pillars showing the 16 forms of Ganesh for the front walkway.

The society continues to raise funds for the expansion project, which is expected to be completed next year. The last item will involve constructing a 62-foot-high tower that will face east.

New Government Reconsidering Anti-Conversion Laws

2009-07-04T23:04:01Z

Source: in.christiantoday.com

INDIA, June 23, 2009: Home Minister P. Chidambaram will be reviewing and making recommendations on the controversial “Freedom of Religion Acts,” enacted to prevent forced and fraudulent conversions. It is said that these Acts will be repealed.

Presently, anti-conversion laws are in force in five states - Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat. In two other states - Arunachal Pradesh and Rajasthan, the laws have been passed but not yet implemented. They are teh result of community pressure against deceitful and unethical conversions, especially those performed by some missionaries.

In Himachal Pradesh, the stringent anti-conversion bill declares that anyone found guilty of forcing an individual to change religion can be punished with a two-year jail term, a fine of up to 25,000 rupees (US$560) or both. The law also states that a person intending to change her or his religion should inform the government 30 days in advance.

Ramayana Sites, Tourist Attractions In Sri Lanka

2009-07-04T23:03:01Z

Source: www.etravelblackboardasia.com

SRI LANKA, June 17, 2009: The Ramayana Trail of Sri Lanka revolves round the Ramayana, the great epic of Asia. Over 50 sites associated with the Ramayana, are located within Sri Lanka, with around 12 of them being sites with archeological evidence. The rest of the sites are largely based on unwavering faith and traditional beliefs.

A dedicated team from the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (SLTDA) and the Sri Lanka Tourism Development Bureau (SLTPB), is handling the promotion and development of the Ramayana sites, and have created interest among local travel agents and hoteliers on the subject. Nearly 30 guides have been trained and a brochure, a DVD, and a travel planner have been published.

Good Karma Can Be Really Fast

2009-07-04T23:02:01Z

Source: HPI

KAUAI, USA, July 2, 2009: When choosing a name for its new eco-friendly sports car, Florida-based Fisker Motors choose a Hindu word: karma.

The Fisker Karma, an electric hybrid,reaches 60mph in 5.8 seconds and has an autonomy of 50 miles before it needs any gas.

This car’s good karma? More than 100 miles a gallon and “a cleaner conscience than ever before,” the manufacturer says.

Karma has become the most widely-known Hindu word in the west. The Hindu concept of reincarnation is also widespread, but its sanskrit word — punarjanma — is not nearly as famous.

You can see the Fisker Karma http://karma.fiskerautomotive.com/

Hinduism Today Looking for a Writer to Explore Hinduism’s Views on Homosexuality

2009-07-04T23:01:01Z

Source: HPI

KAUAI, HAWAII, July 4, 2009: Hinduism Today invites experts to write about the Hindu view of homosexuality from a historical perspective, creating an article for publication on Hinduism Today.

Please e-mail Arumugaswami, Managing Editor, at ar@hindu.org

Daily Inspiration

2009-07-04T23:00:01Z

Source: www.hinduismtoday.com

Ignorance is a powerful magician in the human mind. It makes invisible that which is most visible–God.
Sage, mystic and philosopher Swami Omkarananda Saraswati, a direct disciple of the late Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh