GO TO SOURCE JAMMU, KASHMIR, August 28, 2001: A curfew has been declared in the town of Poonch in Indian-administered Kashmir following the murder of two Hindu priests by suspected militants late on Monday, according to this BBC report. Police say a group of militants entered a temple dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali near Surankot in the mountainous district…
Source: India Times CHENNAI, INDIA, August 22, 2001: Vinayaka Chathurthi was celebrated with religious fervor and gaiety in the city today, with special pujas and functions being conducted at various temples on the occasion. Songs and hymns praising the elephant-headed Lord rent the air from the early hours of the morning. In colonies and apartment complexes, residents performed puja. Hundreds…
GO TO SOURCE MUMBAI, INDIA, August, 23, 2001: Indian leather exporters have suffered a major setback after four big US retail chains, Casual Corner, LL Bean, Timberland and Eddie Bauer, decided not to buy its goods in protest against the ill-treatment of animals following a sustained campaign by the Indian arm of the US-based animal rights group, People for Ethical…
GO TO SOURCE JAFFNA, SRI LANKA, Aug, 23, 2001: Two decades of civil war in northern Sri Lanka have caused widespread psychological trauma to an estimated 40% of Tamil civilians of Jaffna by years of bombardment, displacement, disappearances and terror at the hands of both Tamil militants and the Sri Lankan army. In a conservative society where people traditionally don’t…
GO TO SOURCE TEXAS, USA, Aug. 25, 2001: A Texas company’s attempt to patent a type of basmati rice became a touchstone for anti-globalization protest in the 1990’s. But the long-simmering issue was largely settled this week, when the United States granted a narrower patent to the company, Ricetec of Alvin, Texas. The United States originally granted the patent in…
Source: Afternoon Dispatch MUMBAI, INDIA, August 23, 2001: Celebrating Ganesha’s birthday with pomp and gaiety has always meant prosperity for merchants in the city. While this still holds true for those shopkeepers selling puja accessories such as flowers, incense sticks, coconuts, fruits, Ganesha murthis, and the ever popular modaka (a round sweet made from rice, coconut, and sugar), other merchants…
Source: The Hindu VELLORE, INDIA, August 21, 2001: Even as an unprecedented water scarcity affected the business of moulding clay and making idols, the traditional potter families of Vellore carried on their job without any let-up on the eve of Vinayaka Chathurthi. The potter families spread over the Kuttaimedu, Salavanpet and Kosapet areas had to struggle to fetch water for…
GO TO SOURCE NEW DELHI, INDIA, August 19, 2001: A statement last Saturday by Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on the conversion motive of Christians has the Catholic community up in arms. “I am questioning the welfare activities being carried out by some Christian missionaries in the country’s backward areas, and it was not proper though conversion was permissible under…
GO TO SOURCE MUMBAI, INDIA, August 20, 2001: For safety reasons, Ganesha Visarjana devotees have been asked by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to move their celebrations from Dadar Chowpatty beach to nearby Mahim Chowpatty instead. An unusually high tide level and crowd management due to the beach’s small size are contributing factors for the request. The BMC has also encouraged…
GO TO SOURCE SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, August 25, 2001: The Sydney Opera House is reverberating with the sounds of tablas, sarods, guqins, cymbals and other Asian musical instruments as the Asian Music and Arts Festival opened in this Australian city on Friday. A number of artistes are set to enthral the audience with their performances in Indian classical dance and music…