SourceZAGREB, CROATIA, July 17, 2003: Croatia’s education ministry has withdrawn its recommendation that teachers take yoga classes because the Roman Catholic Church accused it of trying to sneak Hinduism into schools. Deputy education minister Ivan Vavra said that instead, yoga classes will be organized strictly in teachers’ spare time and focused on exercises only, with no students to receive instruction.…
Associated PressNEW DELHI, INDIA, July 15, 2003: Bachchan Singh Bahadur poured cups of melted butter on the wood fire of his father’s funeral pyre on the outskirts of New Delhi. He was in keeping with a centuries-old Hindu funeral tradition, but it’s also the stuff of ecological nightmares for the Indian government. Bahadur could have used an electricity-powered crematorium less…
SourceU.S.A., July 22, 2003: From giant sodas to supersize hamburgers, America’s approach to food can be summed up by one word: Big. Many health experts are hoping that, in the service of combating an epidemic of obesity, the nation might be coaxed into a cultural shift in its eating habits. Traditionally, the prescription for losing extra pounds has been a…
SourcePOTTUVIL,SRI LANKA, July 19, 2003: Wildlife Department officials have been bracing for the largest-ever flow of foot pilgrims following the traditional Pada Yatra (“foot pilgrimage”) route through Yala National Park. The Park, which normally echoes with the songs of peacocks and jungle fowl, resounded with the songs of Pada Yatra pilgrims vowing to reach Kataragama, one of the most ancient…
The Jakarta Post BALI, INDONESIA, July 17, 2003: Chieko Komatsu and a number of other Japanese women came to Payangan, a famous art village, inviting 100 farmers to collaborate with them on a multi-cultural art project. The women are artists currently studying Balinese traditional dances at the Bali Institute of Arts in Denpasar. And the Payangan farmers are not only…
SourceINDIA, July 20, 2003: Extracts from the Indian neem tree been shown to damage the DNA of sperm when fed in large quantity (up to 10% of their weight) to mice. Researchers who made the discovery think that neem could be a “long-term genetic hazard,” and have called for further investigation to ensure that eating neem products does not produce…
SourceDEHRADUN, INDIA, July 20, 2003: The Hardwar-New Delhi Highway was today closed for vehicular traffic for a month as thousands of pilgrims were on their way to the holy city in Uttaranchal to collect Ganga water, official sources said. The pilgrims, known as “Kawandias,” pour into Hardwar from Punjab, Delhi, Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh in the thousands during the…
SourceAMARNATH, JAMMU AND KASHMIR, INDIA, July 20, 2003: As the Amarnath Yatra enters its second week, inclement weather, unregistered pilgrims, multiple injuries and deaths are proving to be a nightmare for both the administration and the devotees. Administration officials said unprecedented cold coupled with a heavy rush of pilgrims was leading to an average of two deaths every day, in…
SourceSACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, July 17, 2003: Grandparents doting on their grandchildren is more than just a stereotype. An article in the current Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences proposes the theory that nurturing grandparents are a powerful force in extending life spans through their care of the young generation. Backing the “grandmother hypothesis,” a growing belief among anthropologists that women…
Jakarta PostJAVA, INDONESIA, July 13, 2003: The Hindu temples of Gedung Songo are not as famous as their younger Javanese successors, but the scenery, clear mountain air and outstanding views create a setting that rivals Java’s more celebrated temples. The beauty of visiting Gedung Songo lies in being able to slowly meander up and down the hillside, appreciating each temple…