GO TO SOURCE AYODHYA, INDIA, March 11, 2002: In a major climbdown, the Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, spearheading the temple movement, on Monday virtually dropped plans for a bhoomi pujan near the disputed site in Ayodhya and announced a scaled down program for March 15. In a day of conflicting signals emanating from Nyas-VHP circles, Nyas Chief Mahant Ramchandra Das Paramhans…
GO TO SOURCE AYODHYA, INDIA, March 10, 2002: Attempting to instill confidence among residents, a 100-vehicle convoy of gun-totting paramilitary forces personnel staged a flag march of the twin towns of Ayodhya and Faizabad. Security was further beefed up following intelligence reports that a group of terrorists in the garb of kar sewaks might try to target the makeshift temple.…
GO TO SOURCE PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA, March 11, 2002: A massive tourism invasion threatens to overwhelm Cambodia’s legendary Angkor Wat temples. With an airport upgrading master plan, conservationists predict that the Unesco World Heritage site will be ill-prepared for the millions of visitors expected to arrive in the next five years. Tourism has seen a dramatic take-off since 1997 when…
GO TO SOURCE TORONTO, CANADA, March 1, 2002: From March 1st to June 30th, Toronto is hosting an exhibition from ‘Scuderie del Quirinale’ showcasing diamonds estimated in worth at US$440 million. This display from the President’s palace in Rome will feature 20 world-famous diamonds, 200 diamond jewellery masterpieces, and over 150 jewels. Of special interest to Hindus is the “Idols…
GO TO SOURCE HOUSTON, TEXAS, March 7, 2002: Yoga practioners, physicians and researchers from all cities of US, India, Germany, Japan and China shared a common platform at the International Conference and Workshop on Yoga for Positive Health held here from March 2 – 7. Erudite scholars and researchers from the Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation (sVYASA), as well as…
GO TO SOURCE AUSTRIA, March 11, 2002: In April 2002 one of the world’s most loved and respected spiritual Masters, Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda (Swamiji) will visit New Zealand and Australia with the message that “World Peace is in Your Hands.” Sri Swamiji kicks off his world tour “Down Under” with a seminar in Wellington, New Zealand, on April 5-7. (Contact…
GO TO SOURCE WASHINGTON, D.C. March 10, 2002: Excerpts from this long article: “As the Roman Catholic Church faces a widening scandal over child abuse by priests in Boston and around the country, some Catholics cite cases of misconduct by clergy of other religions and ask: Does the Catholic Church really have a bigger problem with sexual abuse? Or are…
GO TO SOURCE GRAND BASSIN, MAURITIUS, March 10, 2002: Since last Thursday, March 7, Maha Sivaratri pilgrims have begun their long walk towards the sacred lake here known as Ganga Talao. Most of these pilgrims are from the north of the island, which is the farthest point from the sacred lake. Devotees who live closer to the lake will begin…
GO TO SOURCE KARACHI, PAKISTAN, March 1, 2002: Rioting in the state of Gujarat and the resultant violence against Muslims has caused Pakistani authorities to offer vigilant protection of the Hindu community. Minority Hindus live mainly in the southern Sindh province and mostly in the capital city of Karachi. Deputy Inspector General of Police in Karachi, Tariq Jamil said, ”…
Source: Press Release INDIA, March 6, 2002: Sri Shivarudrabalayogi issued the following message on the occasion of Sivaratri in response to devotees’ questions about violence in the world. “Do not worry, the violence will recede. Since the Beginning, these tensions have always come in the Creation of the Divine from time to time. There is no need to worry. Meditate,…