Source JAKARTA, INDONESIA, November 7, 2017 (Reuters): Indonesia’s Constitutional Court on Tuesday affirmed the rights of devotees of faiths outside the country’s officially recognized religions, in a move activists welcomed as a “new chapter for religious freedom”. Against a backdrop of rising intolerance toward minorities in the world’s largest Muslim-majority nation, the court said Indonesians would not be required to…
Source Arise, awake! Stop not till the goal is reached.— Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902), disciple of Sri Ramakrisha
Source UNITED KINGDOM, November 6, 2017 (BBC by Christian Blauvelt): The comedian Hari Kondabolu is trying to wake up TV viewers to how generally accepted the questionable portrayal of the Simpsons’ character, Apu, has been. “After a while, you’d watch The Simpsons on a Sunday and you’d get a sense of how you’d be made fun of at school on…
Source THRISSUR, INDIA, November 7, 2017 (Kaumudi Global): The Malabar Devaswom Board [see definition below] has taken over the Parthasarathy temple in Guruvayoor despite oppositions from various Hindu organizations. Though the board had come to take over the temple earlier, they had to return following strong oppositions. Malabar Devaswom Board officials arrived Tuesday morning. A team of police also arrived…
Source UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA, October 28, 2017 (Indian Express): The Uttar Pradesh government on Friday issued an order notifying Vrindavan and Barsana towns in Mathura district as “pavitra teerth sthals” (sacred pilgrimage sites). No meat and liquor shops will be allowed in these towns anymore. Principal Secretary (Religious Affairs) Avinish Kumar Awasthi said: “… from now, meat and liquor shops…
Source We want to claim that which we already are. You are already the Self. You are just not aware of it. Do not put it off based upon some concept that we are not ready, we are not worthy, we need more of this or that. None of those principles apply when it comes to Self-realization.— Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami,…
Source HOUSTON, TEXAS, October 19, 2017 (Chronicle): Last fall, as the days grew shorter and the weather cooled, Sheetal Parwal began preparing her home for Diwali. This year, Parwal and her family will celebrate a holiday meant to bring good fortune and prosperity in a rented apartment – their Katy house sitting gutted miles away after taking on 2 feet…
Source SITTWE, MYANMAR, October 30, 2017 (Irrawaddy): The Rakhine State government will close camps for displaced persons who have fled violence in northern Rakhine State by Nov. 2, said the Rakhine State minister for electricity, industry and transportation U Aung Kyaw Zan. According to the minister, camps in Sittwe, Ponnagyun, Kyauktaw, Mrauk-U, and Minbya townships will be closed as the…
Source DENPASAR, BALI, October 26, 2017 (Republika): Balinese Hindus will soon celebrate the Galungan Holy Day on November 1, 2017 and Kuningan on November 11, 2017. The chairman of the Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI) of Bali Province, I Gusti Ngurah Sudiana, appealed to society to observe this year’s religious ceremonies differently keeping in mind the status of Gunung Agung…
Source KERALA, October 25, 2017 (Daily Pioneer): Debate has resurfaced in Kerala over whether non-Hindus who believe in Hindu faith should be allowed to offer worship at Hindu temples with an important temple personality supporting the idea of allowing non-Hindus at the famous Guruvayur temple and major political parties like the CPI(M), CPI and Congress joining the campaign for bringing…