Source: Associated Press SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA, December 29, 2002: Until recently, Cambodia was happy to let the temples of Angkor exist as a beacon of Khmer pride, rising from a jungle canopy like jewels dotting a green silk scarf. Now the ancient Buddhist and Hindu monuments have become the pillars of Cambodia’s nascent tourism industry, and officials are counting on…
GO TO SOURCE BURLINGTON, UNITED STATES, December 31, 2002: You probably don’t know this, and it has nothing to do with Hinduism, but Sandi Weld of Sorrento, Florida, just won the 72nd World Champion Liar Contest over hundreds of competitors. Weld won by writing: “When I moved to Iron Mountain, Michigan, (a real mining town) I brought my pet sheep.…
GO TO SOURCE CHENNAI, INDIA, December 30, 2002: In a significant ruling, the Chennai high court on Friday said that Personal Laws cannot be declared void, since they do not come under the ambit of the Constitution. The ruling came when a division bench, comprising Justice R. Jayasimha Babu and Justice G. Padmanabhan, dismissed a petition by a Muslim divorcee,…
GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI,INDIA, December 29, 2002: A three-day concert was held in Bhopal to revive people’s interest in classical music instruments. The instruments, which played a big part in palace concerts, are slowly on the way out with the advent of fast-paced music. Lack of trained musicians also have led to a decline in the use of such…
GO TO SOURCE TAMIL NADU, INDIA, December 27, 2002: South India is the treasure trove of silk saris with gold embroidery — the six yards of fabric has been draped in styles seen today for centuries. However, today many younger women feel it’s too cumbersome for daily wear. Younger girls for centuries have worn the half sari (pavadai thavani) consisting…
GO TO SOURCE UNITED STATES, December 30, 2002: A recent story on the origin of the word “Indian” as it applies to Native Americans gave an incorrect source. Readers wishing further information or have information to add may contact “source” above.
GO TO SOURCE BERLIN, GERMANY, Dec 26, 2002: After the patents of neem and turmeric, it is now the turn of Vastu, an ancient Indian architectural philosophy. It was recently discovered by the Delhi-based Vastu Shastra Institute that Vastu had been registered as a trademark nearly five years ago by a German company. They are considering legal recourse against the…
GO TO SOURCE UNITED STATES, December 29, 2002: With the introduction of GM (genetically modified) corn, soybeans and other crops, a debate has emerged over their long-term effectiveness and safety within the present biological environment. One concern has been the weeds would evolve to resist the herbicides used to destroy them, rendering them immune to the poisons. This concern voiced…
GO TO SOURCE WEST VIRGINIA, UNITED STATES, December 26, 2002: Andrew Jackson “Jack” Whittaker J., a contractor in West Virginia, won the US$113.4 million Powerball payout from the Multi-State Lottery Association on Thursday. Mr. Whittaker said to interviewers that work, family and God have long been the three most important things in his life, and he said the winnings won’t…
GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, December 28, 2002: Renovation work on the historic Dakshineshwar ghats in West Bengal is expected to start within a month. Ghats are the steps, often hundreds of feet wide, which lead down into a river or lake, allowing easy access fetching water, bathing, etc. The central tourism and shipping ministries have also decided to…