SourceRAJAHMUNDRY, ANDRA PRADESH, August 8, 2003: A large number of pilgrims are thronging the replica of Venkateswara temple put up at the Gowtham ghat on the river Godavary. The hundi collections stood at US$12,500, a spokesman of the Tirumala-Tirupathi Devasthanam (TTD) said on Thursday. He said that the look-alike temple, constructed at a cost of $31,250, was opened to pilgrims…
SourceKERALA, INDIA, August 5, 2003: After her husband abandoned her twenty years ago, Gomathi, a Palghat brahmin, took the advice of an uncle and began to offer her services to bereaved families. Within hours of hearing about the death in a family, Gomathi arrives with a priest, books the crematorium and a hearse, and she even accompanies the body to…
Coventry Evening TelegraphCOVENTRY, U.K., August 11, 2003: Rugby’s mayor has been honoured by members of the Indian community in a traditional Hindu ceremony. Members of the Indian Association visited Councillor Laurie Wright in his parlour on August 8, 2003. The ceremony aimed to celebrate the Indian festival Raksha Bandhan, which takes place on August 12. The festival sees female family…
SourceLOS ANGELES, U.S.A, August 1, 2003: Writing a book about Hinduism was the last thing on Prithvi Raj Singh’s mind when he emigrated to the United States from Hyderabad, India, 32 years ago. A chemical engineer by training, Singh became preoccupied with the subject: How would he teach his American-born children about Hinduism? His answer came in the form of…
SourceSRINIGAR, INDIA, August 14, 2003: The annual pilgrimage which witnessed a record number of two hundred thousand yatris (pilgrims) from all over the country, concluded at Pahalgam after last rituals were performed today. The last rituals — Pujan and Visarjan — were performed on the bank of River Lidder at Pahalgam by Mahant Deependra Giri today. Large number of sadhus…
Times News NetworkMAHARASHTRA, INDIA, August 12, 2003: The state government has decided to issue an ordinance to dissolve the existing board of trustees of Sai Baba Temple in Shirdi. The trust has funds worth around US$32 million. Minister for law and judiciary Govindrao Adik, a Congress legislator from Ahmednagar district, sought to introduce a bill in the last session of…
SourceRAJAHMUNDRY, INDIA, August 7, 2003: The international working president of the VHP, Ashok Singhal, on Thursday advocated administration of temples by independent, self-governing bodies and stressed the importance of people’s participation. In the name of better administration, state governments, including Andra Pradesh government, had been interfering with the temple administration. There was a lot of corruption. Nearly 80 percent of…
SourceCHEBEL, MAURITIUS, July 6, 2003: Once again Hindus in Mauritius have an occasion to celebrate their heritage. On July 6 a new temple, called the Kali Parashakti Thava Sidhar Peedam Kali Kovil, was consecrated. This unique temple, located near Beau Bassin, was built according to Vastu and Shilpa Shastras and is located on one acre of donated land. The Maha…
KATHMANDU POST REPORTKATHMANDU, NEPAL, August 8, 2003: The 348-year old Pratappur temple, flanking the eastern entrance of Swoyambhunath and declared a World Heritage Site in 1976, could collapse any momen. The devastating fire outbreak on Tuesday morning has left gaping fissures on its crumbling walls. The fire was completely doused only yesterday, four days after the outbreak. However, the fire…
SourceDELHI, INDIA, August 7, 2003: The Indian government plans to cut down on the number of public holidays. A review, announced yesterday in parliament, will come as some relief to those who argue that urgent steps are needed to raise the productivity of India’s civil service. Last year India’s 20 million public sector workers were all entitled to 201 days…