BHUJ, INDIA, January 27, 2001: Hindu priests in thousands of temples led community prayers Saturday as people in the western Indian state of Gujarat grieved on the anniversary of a devastating 7.9-magnitude earthquake a year ago. Men, women and children crowded colorful tents that sprang up overnight at street corners and outside temples to accommodate the masses mourning the more than 13,000 victims. The temblor, rated the worst natural disaster of 2001 by the U.S. Geological Survey, destroyed 1.2 million homes and caused an estimated $4.5 billion in damage. The prayers reached a crescendo at 8:46 a.m., the moment the earthquake struck. Temple bells rang out and devotees banged tiny cymbals, blew on conch shells and sang in unison. Priests chanted prayers and read from sacred texts. Women in saris lit hundreds of small oil lamps in memory of the dead.
A daily summary of world news for Hindus and non-Hindus alike