Swami Vivekananda’s Influence in America and India

GO TO SOURCE CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, November 7, 2002: This interesting article by Frank Parlato begins, “The city of Chicago has been the Western architect for Hinduism in America. It was here that Swami Vivekananda, the first Hindu monk to come to the West, introduced Yoga and Hinduism at the World’s Parliament of Religions to America, in 1893. It commenced with…

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Singapore Vinayaka Temple Rebuilt by Hindus and Non-Hindus

GO TO SOURCE SINGAPORE, November 9, 2002: The rebuilding of Sri Senpaga Vinayaka temple is almost complete. A consecration ceremony for the 127-year-old Hindu Temple, often referred to as the Ceylon Road temple, will be held on February 7, 2003. Funds for the work came not only from Hindus but also non-Hindu Singaporeans, including Muslims, Christians and Buddhists. They contributed…

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Singapore Children Learn About Rangoli Art on Deepavali

GO TO SOURCE SINGAPORE, November 4, 2002: A group of children spent Deepavali at the museum learning about rangoli, an ancient art traditionally seen on the ground in front of Hindu homes. The audience were left spellbound by the intricate patterns and colors used. Mrs. Vijaya Mohan, rangoli artist, explained that ‘rang’ means color and rangoli means you are expressing…

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Deepavali Cell Phone Messages Clog Networks

Source: The Hindustan Times NEW DELHI, INDIA, November 5, 2002: Nine million SMS (Short Message Service) messages were sent across the airwaves on Deepavali, sending Delhi’s mobile messaging highways into gridlock. The SMS surge slowed things to a crawl for the better part of Monday. According to estimates, close to nine million SMS messages were exchanged by cell phone users…

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Jewish Groups Face Post 9/11 Insurance Hikes

GO TO SOURCE UNITED STATES, August 14, 2002: In the aftermath of Sept. 11, Jewish institutions are struggling with new insurance rates — 50 percent increases or more in some cases — that threaten to consume critical funds. These institutions — including Jewish community centers, synagogues and organizations — are fighting to maintain their protection in the event of a…

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Thiruvannamalai Temple Caught Between Tamil Nadu Government and ASI

Source: Times of India CHENNAI, INDIA, November 7, 2002: The famous Arunachaleshwarar temple, dedicated to Siva and built in the year 700, is located atop Arunachala Hill at Thiruvannamalai Temple, 200 km from Chennai. A huge sacred fire that burns on the hilltop during Karthika Deepam, November/December, can be seen from as far as 40 km, and thousands of devotees…

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Smugglers Killing India’s Sandalwood Market

GO TO SOURCE MYSORE, INDIA, November 8, 2002: Aromatic sandalwood is on its way to becoming an endangered species thanks to rampant smuggling. With it a long-standing tradition could die, to be replaced by ersatz perfume. Sandalwood has been used by tens of millions across South Asia for centuries. From Myanmar to Maharashtra, its oil and wood have been used…

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Protectors of India’s Cows Seek Extra Help

GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, November 7, 2002: Home to 200 million cows, India has banned their killing everywhere except Kerala and some northeastern states. In August 2001, the Central Government established a National Commission for Cattle to suggest ways of improving their condition, especially cows. The commission recommended that a Rapid Cow Protection Force on the lines of…

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Sanskrit Website Developer Seeks Input

GO TO SOURCE USA, November 8, 2002: This Sanskrit/English web site developers are requesting reader’s suggestions in the following areas: simplifying the spellings, joining of letters, sandhi, conjuncts, etc., in the devbhasa. HPI readers fluent in Sanskrit (and you’ll need to be to read the site) may log on to “source” above and offer your suggestions and assistance.

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Yoga Initiates a Fashion Trend

GO TO SOURCE SINGAPORE, November 7, 2002: For an ancient discipline based on relaxation, yoga looks set to stir up a frenzy in the fitness wear business. Spurred on by the growing popularity of yoga, fashion labels are coming up with apparel that won’t split when you stretch. From active wear brands like Nike to casual wear labels like British…

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