Delhi’s Teens Get Religion

Source: Times of India NEW DELHI, INDIA, November 27, 2001: Teenagers in Delhi are conformists to the core — they are more religious than their peers in other metros and want mama to choose their life partners. A recent survey conducted by Hyderabad-based market research firm NFO-MBL over five metros found 53 per cent of Delhi’s youngsters saying religion was…

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Thailand’s White Elephants

GO TO SOURCE BANGKOK, THAILAND, Dec 2, 2001: Khun Phra, Thailand’s esteemed royal white elephant, is in the pink of health and that spells good news for a nation worried about its shaky economy. Thailand considers white elephants to be highly auspicious and deserving of the greatest care. The country has 11 white elephants chosen on the basis of distinct…

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Trustees Object to Billboards Inside Temple

GO TO SOURCE HYDERABAD, INDIA, November 28, 2001: Up until recently, the outer walls of temple compounds have had advertising on them as well as film posters and political agendas. Desperate to maintain temples in the state of Andhra Pradesh, the government, with prompting from the Endowment Department, allowed billboards to be erected within the temple premises. Temple trustees at…

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Sudhir Parikh Donates $151K For World’s Biggest Temple

Source: Press Release NEW YORK, USA, December 2, 2001: The Vraj Temple of the Pusti Margiya Vaishnava Samaj of North America received a major financial boost in its bid to build a large temple on a 50,000 square-foot area. New Jersey-based well-known Indian American community leader and philanthropist, Dr. Sudhir M. Parikh, made a record donation of US$151,000 on the…

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More Hindus Massacred in Kashmir

GO TO SOURCE KASHMIR, INDIA, December 2, 2001: Seven Hindus en route to a wedding in Udhampur district were massacred by Islamic guerrillas in the southern mountains of Kashmir, adding to the 19 deaths in overnight violence. In New Delhi, a defense ministry source said that a “pro-active” plan was being put in place to quell Islamic raiders in Udhampur,…

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George Harrison Dead at 58

Source: CNN LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, December 1, 2001: After a prolonged battle with cancer, former Beatle lead guitarist and songwriter George Harrison is dead at 58. About Indian music and philosophy, Harrison had said: “After ‘Norwegian Wood,’ I met Ravi Shankar at a friend’s house in London for dinner. He offered to give me instructions in the basics of the…

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Pandit Ravi Shankar Reminisces About George Harrison

GO TO SOURCE LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, December 1, 2001: Ex-Beatle George Harrison, stricken with cancer, passed away to the sonorous tone of Hare Krishna chants. He was a lifelong follower of Hindu philosophy and was associated with the Hare Krishna movement. By his bedside was sitar maestro Ravi Shankar, now 82, a father figure to Harrison. Ravi Shankar, who in…

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Record Diwali Turnout in Durban

GO TO SOURCE DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA, November 27, 2001: A record crowd of 120,000 turned up for the Diwali festivities on the Durban beachfront at the weekend. Festivities started on Saturday with a religious program, followed by a variety concert and Indian bazaar ending with a spectacular fireworks display. “I have not seen such a crowd before. It surpassed all…

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Chennai Starts Arresting Smokers

GO TO SOURCE CHENNAI, INDIA, November 9, 2001: When statistics revealed that around 800,000 people die annually in India from smoking tobacco, the Supreme Court of India decided to take action. As of November 2, smoking in public places such as hospitals, courts, educational institutions, libraries, and on public transportation, has been banned. Citizens realized that the government was serious…

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