Mayor says arsonist burn mosque in Palestinian village in West Bank, damage holy books

Mayor: Arsonist torch mosque in West Bank village

RAMALLAH, West Bank – The mayor of a Palestinian village in the West Bank says arsonists have torched a local mosque.
Mayor Ali Satawa says he believes hardline Jews from a nearby Israeli settlement are responsible because arsonists scrawled the word “revenge” in Hebrew on the mosque wall in …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Mayor says arsonist burn mosque in Palestinian village in West Bank, damage holy books.

Why didn’t Tulsidas mention Ram temple demolition?

NEW DELHI – Was legendary poet Tulsidas, who wrote “Ram Charit Manas” in the 16th century, so scared of Mughal emperor Akbar that he did not mention the demolition of a Ram temple in Ayodhya and the construction of the Babri mosque thereupon in his work?

“If a temple standing on the premises in dispute …. Source article  : Why didn’t Tulsidas mention Ram temple demolition?.

Indonesia’s information minister sparks controversy with anti-gay tweets, AIDS joke

Indonesian minister draws fire for AIDS comment

JAKARTA, Indonesia – An Indonesian government minister who has in the past blamed natural disasters on immorality has caused more controversy by posting anti-gay comments on Twitter and joking about people with AIDS.
Tifatul Sembiring, who is information minister and also a member of the National AIDS commission, jumped into … Read more : Indonesia’s information minister sparks controversy with anti-gay tweets, AIDS joke.

In Egypt’s ‘marriage crisis,’ a TV sit-com becomes a hit by laying out the women’s side

In a TV comedy, Egyptian women gain a voice

CAIRO – It’s rare in Egypt’s pop culture to get a direct and frank look inside the minds of Egyptian women and what they really think of marriage and love. So a TV comedy became a startling voice in this conservative society’s debate over the changing role … Read : In Egypt’s ‘marriage crisis,’ a TV sit-com becomes a hit by laying out the women’s side.

Police: Imam behind mosque planned near ground zero, wife get telephone death threats

Police: NYC mosque’s imam, wife get death threats

NEW YORK – The wife of an imam planning an Islamic community center and mosque near ground zero said Sunday that she and her husband have received death threats.
“For the record, my life is under threat,” Daisy Khan said during a town hall debate on Islam broadcast on … Read more »».

Ayodhya Muslim litigant visits seer to urge negotiated settlement

LUCKNOW – In a major development, Mohammed Hashim Ansari – who has fought legal battles since 1961 for the land where the Babri Masjid stood – Sunday visited a prominent Hindu seer to urge him to jointly work out a negotiated settlement on the lines indicated in the Sep 30 verdict of the Allahabad High … Read more >>.

AP Interview: Sunni governor says prime minister threatens ‘last chance for democracy’

Key Sunni: Iraq facing ‘last chance’ for democracy

MOSUL, Iraq – An Iraqi governor and leading Sunni politician said Sunday that the nation’s “last chance for democracy” could be derailed if the Shiite prime minister keeps his job despite losing to a Sunni-backed coalition in elections seven months ago.
Ninevah provincial Gov. Atheel al-Nujaifi’s warnings show the …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : AP Interview: Sunni governor says prime minister threatens ‘last chance for democracy’.

Embattled megachurch leader says he won’t be pulled into ’street fight’ amid sex allegations

Pastor says he won’t be pulled into ’street fight’

LITHONIA, Ga. – A megachurch pastor accused of luring four young men into sexual relationships said Sunday that he won’t be pulled into a street fight over the allegations and vowed that his faith has been strengthened.
Bishop Eddie Long did not directly mention the accusations to thousands …. Read the original article  : Embattled megachurch leader says he won’t be pulled into ’street fight’ amid sex allegations.

AP Interview: Sunni Iraqi governor says democracy won’t survive under al-Maliki

Key Sunni says PM is threat to democracy in Iraq

MOSUL, Iraq – An Iraqi governor and leading Sunni politician says democracy will be threatened if Iraq’s Shiite prime minister keeps his job.
Ninevah Gov. Atheel al-Nujaifi said in an Associated Press interview Sunday that Iraq is “headed for a dictatorship” if Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki secures … Read more : AP Interview: Sunni Iraqi governor says democracy won’t survive under al-Maliki.

‘To solve Ayodhya, court had to step out of law book’

LUCKNOW – The first bench of the Allahabad High Court that heard the Ayodhya petition in 1989 had made clear that it was doubtful if the questions involved could be solved by judicial process, says one of the three judges who heard the case then.

The court felt it would have to step out of … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : ‘To solve Ayodhya, court had to step out of law book’.

Thousands of Serb pilgrims gather in western Kosovo for enthronement of Serbian patriarch

Serb pilgrims gather in Kosovo for enthronement

PEC, Kosovo – Thousands of Serb pilgrims gathered in a medieval monastery in western Kosovo amid tight security on Sunday to attend the enthronement ceremony of the new Serbian Patriarch Irinej.
The ceremony, in the Pec Patriarchate, the spiritual seat of Serbian clergy, took place just outside the ethnic Albanian-dominated …. Original source  : Thousands of Serb pilgrims gather in western Kosovo for enthronement of Serbian patriarch.

Ayodhya ruling recognises belief on Ram’s birthplace: Advani

NEW DELHI – Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani said Sunday that the Allahabad High Court judgment on the Ayodhya dispute has given judicial recognition to the belief of millions of Hindus that the makeshift temple where Ram idols are installed is the deity’s birthplace.

In the latest post “It is not faith …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Is disputed Ayodhya site the exact birthplace of Ram?

NEW DELHI – Does the 1,500 square yard piece of land where the disputed Babri Masjid once stood support the mansion of Queen Kaushalya, the mother of Hindu god Ram, and is it the exact place of his birth?

According to Justice S.U. Khan, one of the three judges in the Lucknow bench of the …. Read the original article  : Is disputed Ayodhya site the exact birthplace of Ram?.

Mumbai readies for Durga Puja

MUMBAI – A nearly million-strong Bengali community, including Bollywood celebrities like Rani Mukherjee, is all set to celebrate Durga Puja in this Maharashtra capital and its adjoining areas starting Oct 13.

The number of Durga Puja mandals (associations) have gone up from last year’s 86 to 91, indicating the growing popularity and significance of the … Original source on Gaea Times at : Mumbai readies for Durga Puja.

Nirmohi Akhara ready for out-of-court settlement

LUCKNOW – Close on the heels of the initiative taken by 90-year-old Hashim Ansari for a negotiated settlement on the Ayodhya issue, the Nirmohi Akhara too has expressed its inclination to talk and resolve the dispute once and for all.

“I welcome the initiative taken by Mahant Gyan Das and Hashim Ansari and will be … Read more >>.

NYC mosque imam and wife have contact in NYPD to deal with hate mail and death threats

NYC mosque imam, wife have police point person

NEW YORK – The couple at the center of the proposed Islamic community center and mosque near the World Trade Center site have been receiving threatening messages for months, but they’ve been working with the police department.
Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said Monday that Daisy Khan and Imam Feisal … Read more »».

Iraq’s political marathon: Fight over prime minister now, battles over posts ahead

Iraq’s marathon: Fight over leader, then posts

BAGHDAD – The flurry to close the first chapter of Iraq’s seven-month political drama is suddenly intense with angry Sunnis pledging to dig in for a fight while Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki tries to win over the last few allies he needs to stay in power.
But after the …. Original article  : Iraq’s political marathon: Fight over prime minister now, battles over posts ahead.

Vatican bioethics official: Nobel prize winner started new chapter but IVF not the answer

Vatican: Nobel to IVF pioneer raises questions

VATICAN CITY – The Vatican’s top bioethics official said Robert Edwards, who received the Nobel Prize in medicine Monday for developing in vitro fertilization, opened “a new and important chapter in the field of human reproduction” but is also responsible for the destruction of embryos and the creation of … Original source on Gaea Times at : Vatican bioethics official: Nobel prize winner started new chapter but IVF not the answer.

Muslims should conform to German values: Merkel

BERLIN – German Chancellor Angela Merkel demanded Monday that Muslims living in Germany conform to “fundamental German values”, saying there was no leeway on the issue.

She spoke a day after Germany’s largely ceremonial president, Christian Wulff, had reached out to Muslims in a speech marking 20 years of reunification, assuring them they belonged.
Wulff’s … Read more »»».

Mayor: Arsonists burn mosque in Palestinian village in West Bank, damage holy books

Arsonists torch mosque in West Bank village

RAMALLAH, West Bank – Arsonists torched a mosque in a West Bank village Monday, scrawling “revenge” on a wall in Hebrew and charring copies of the Muslim holy book in an attack that threatened to stoke tensions over deadlocked Mideast peacemaking.
Palestinians say they suspect hard-line Jewish settlers of setting …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

PM’s intervention sought for Kashmir’s Haj pilgrims

SRINAGAR – The 6,700 pilgrims from the Kashmir Valley going for the Haj this year want Prime Minister Manmohan Singh intervenes after Saudi Airlines refused to operate from the Srinagar airport.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah sought the prime minister’s intervention when he met him in the capital Monday.
Omar Abdullah wanted … Read more : PM’s intervention sought for Kashmir’s Haj pilgrims.

Ram Lalla’s ‘tailor’ stitches together a story in harmony

AYODHYA – He heads no religious group or political party but his is the voice for peace struggling to be heard. Sadiq Ali, who has been stitching clothes for the Ram Lalla deity in Ayodhya for over a decade, says he is living proof that the entire dispute has nothing to do with religion.

“I … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Ram Lalla’s ‘tailor’ stitches together a story in harmony.

President offers prayers at Golden Temple

AMRITSAR – President Pratibha Patil Wednesday arrived in this Sikh holy city and offered prayers at ‘Harmandar Sahib’, popularly known as the Golden Temple, the holiest of Sikh shrines in the world.

Dressed in an ivory-coloured saree with a deep red border and her head covered, the president went around the ‘parkarma’ of the Golden …. Read the original article  : here.

Paedophile scandal like banking collapse: Catholic leader

LONDON – A Roman Catholic leader in Britain has compared the paedophile scandal involving priests with the banking collapse that led to recession worldwide.

Archbishop of Westminster Vincent Nichols linked the behaviour of abusive priests with that of the city traders whose unrestrained lending threw the world into a financial crisis, according to the Daily … Read : Paedophile scandal like banking collapse: Catholic leader.

Santhal Durga Puja symbolises revolt against British

SULUNGA – There is no chanting of mantras or ostentatious decor, but simple prayers to the goddess. A goat sacrifice is also held to symbolise the fight against British colonial rulers. Welcome to the Durga Puja of the Santhal tribals of this village.

Santhals are not known to follow Hindu rituals, but the ones in …. Original source  : Santhal Durga Puja symbolises revolt against British.

Lawyer defending her anti-gay, anti-military church to Supreme Court a study in contradictions

Anti-gay church’s lawyer study in contradictions

TOPEKA, Kan. – In one photo, Margie Phelps has a furrowed brow and is stomping on the American flag at one of the numerous protests her fundamentalist church has held nationwide against the military, gays and the Catholic church.
Another picture reveals a different Phelps. One with a warm smile as …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Let reconciliation process on Ayodhya continue: Prasad

NEW DELHI – Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ravi Shankar Prasad Tuesday stressed that the Ayodhya verdict was neither a victory nor defeat for any party and said a new India of “goodwill and brotherhood” has emerged after the judgment.

Speaking at a discussion on ‘Ayodhya: the Verdict’ organised here by the Delhi BJP, … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Let reconciliation process on Ayodhya continue: Prasad.

Court orders hate speech trial of Dutch anti-Islam politician to resume

Dutch politician hate speech trial to resume

AMSTERDAM – An Amsterdam court Tuesday ordered the hate speech trial of anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders to resume, rejecting his arguments that judges are biased against him.
Wilders, who is enmeshed in negotiations to help form a new conservative government in the Netherlands, faces charges of inciting hatred against Muslims.
In … Read more >>.

Ayodhya verdict: Waqf board resolves to move apex court

LUCKNOW – Virtually derailing efforts at a possible reconciliation, the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board Tuesday said it is all set to take the Ayodhya legal battle to its logical next stage – the Supreme Court.

An announcement to this effect was made by board chief Zufar Ahmad Farooqui after a meeting here.
“At …. Read the original article  : Ayodhya verdict: Waqf board resolves to move apex court.

Thousands gather to watch ‘Ram baraat’

AGRA – Thousands of people, including women and children, lined up along roadsides, on balconies and rooftops here Tuesday to catch a glimpse of the ‘Ram baraat’, a procession of caparisoned elephants, horses, colourful tableux and ‘baraatis’ for the divine marriage of Hindu god Ram and Sita.

The procession will head to Balkeshwar, on …. Original source  : Thousands gather to watch ‘Ram baraat’.

Egyptian newspaper sacks chief editor critical of government

Egyptian newspaper sacks dissident chief editor

CAIRO – A leading independent Egyptian daily has fired its chief editor, an outspoken government critic, amid what journalists are calling a state crackdown on the media ahead of parliamentary elections.
Ibrahim Eissa’s dismissal from Al-Dustour, announced in the paper Tuesday, comes as uncertainty has grown over Egypt’s political future, with …. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Egyptian newspaper sacks chief editor critical of government.

Shubho Mahalaya Makes Bengalis Nostalgic

KOLKATA, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- Today is Shubho Mahalaya and the Bengalis in various parts of the country are feeling nostalgic. The day marks the beginning of the Devipaksha an auspicious fortnight. The children and adults in Bengali household revel in the festive mode inmost of the families in West Bengal. For the NRIs this is … Read more >>.

Indians raise memorial to fallen Canadian soldiers

TORONTO – In a unique inter-faith gesture by the Indo-Canadian community, the Canadian Museum of Hindu Civilization (CMOHC) here has raised a memorial to fallen Canadian peace-keeping soldiers to commemorate their sacrifices around the world.

The grand Maple Leaf Memorial, built with granite imported from India, sits on the premises of the Hindu Temple in … Read more »»».

Russian court sentences 3 neo-Nazi pagans to up to 21 years in jail for killings and bombings

3 Russian neo-Nazis sentenced for hate killings

MOSCOW – A Russian court has handed long sentences to three ultranationalists convicted of hate killings and bombings.
The Moscow City Court said in a statement Wednesday that the three were in a militant neo-pagan cult and preyed on labor migrants from ex-Soviet Central Asia and the Caucasus.
It said between … Read more >>.

Growing calls in Nepal to halt animal slaughter during Dussehra

KATHMANDU – When she was eight, Pramada Shah nee Rana remembers how she threw a tantrum when her grandmother ordered a goat to be bought and sacrificed as a thanksgiving to the gods for fulfilling a wish.

“When they brought the goat home from the market, I thought it was going to be a …. Original article  : Growing calls in Nepal to halt animal slaughter during Dussehra.

Mata Vaishno Devi Pilgrim Accidents On Rise

KATRA, (GaeaTimes.com)- In the most religious season of the year, when many people travel to Mata Vaishno Devi for pilgrimage, accidents seem to be on a rise. This season has witnessed more than three pilgrim accidents in one week and strangely, all three of them died due to Cardiac attack.
Mata Vaishno Devi pilgrim, Rajinder Joshi … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Mata Vaishno Devi Pilgrim Accidents On Rise.

Navaratri 2010 Starts Today

(GaeaTimes.com)- The Navaratri 2010 festival kickstarts from today and the ten day long festival will see its closure on October 18. Navaratri, which in Sanskrit means nine nights, is dedicated to Shakti, represented by Goddess Durga. This is one of the most important festivals in India, which is celebrated in many stated.
Navaratri 2010 began from …. Read the original article  : Navaratri 2010 Starts Today.

Utah gay activists stage silent protest over Mormon church leader’s remarks on homosexuality

Utah gay activists protest Mormon church remarks

SALT LAKE CITY – Gay rights activists staged a silent protest Thursday outside the headquarters of the Mormon church in Salt Lake City in response to a church leader’s remarks that homosexuality is an immoral condition that can and should be overcome.
The sermon by Boyd K. Packer, president of … Read : Utah gay activists stage silent protest over Mormon church leader’s remarks on homosexuality.

Republican Angle’s longtime pastor denounces Reid’s faith, calls Mormon Church cult

Angle’s longtime pastor denounces Reid’s faith

LAS VEGAS – The former pastor of Senate candidate Sharron Angle denounced Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s faith, calling the Mormon Church a cult that pretends to embrace Christianity.
Sonrise Church Pastor John Reed told The Associated Press on Thursday that the Nevada Democrat has devoted his political career to advancing … Read more >>.

Iran thanks Pope for condemning Quran burning plan

TEHRAN – Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has thanked the Pope for condemning an American pastor’s plan to burn the Quran, a media report said.

Ahmadinejad wrote a letter to Pope Benedict XVI, thanking him for condemning the move by a Florida pastor and stressed the necessity of close cooperation between religions, Xinhua reported citing the …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Mormon, Muslim, old, young: Gay community pouring hearts out on YouTube over teen suicides

Gay community sends video message: It gets better

NEW YORK – David Valdes Greenwood was 15 when he climbed to the highest arch of a bridge in his small Maine town and got ready to jump.
It was 1982. He was distraught over a pastor’s Sodom and Gomorrah sermon that his homosexuality would bring God’s wrath down …. Original source  : Mormon, Muslim, old, young: Gay community pouring hearts out on YouTube over teen suicides.

French Constitutional Council endorses ban on Islamic face veils, removing key hurdle

France’s constitutional watchdog endorses veil ban

PARIS – France’s constitutional watchdog on Thursday endorsed a divisive law forbidding face-covering Islamic veils anywhere in public, but expressed concern about applying it in places of worship such as a mosque.
The decision of the Constitutional Council removes a key hurdle for the law, overwhelmingly approved in both houses of … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : French Constitutional Council endorses ban on Islamic face veils, removing key hurdle.

Swedish Prophet cartoonist Lars Vilks completes disrupted lecture amid tight security

Controversial Swedish artist finishes lecture

UPPSALA, Sweden – A Swedish artist who angered Muslims by caricaturing the Prophet Muhammad has given a lecture on artistic freedom at a location heavily guarded by police.
Police say there were no disturbances as Lars Vilks spoke in Uppsala, near Stockholm. He was continuing a lecture he had tried to give …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Sri Lanka\’s Buddhist monks seek release of ex-army chief

DPA
COLOMBO – Hundreds of Buddhist monks held a prayer meeting in Sri Lanka Thursday to call for the release of the country\’s ex-army chief and presidential candidate who was jailed last week.

An estimated 1,000 monks plus members of the public held a prayers in Kandy, 117 km from the capital, and offered flowers at a …. Source article  : Sri Lanka\’s Buddhist monks seek release of ex-army chief.

Pope taps Italian to head office for world’s clergy; Guinean takes over Vatican charity branch

Pope taps Italian to head office for world priests

VATICAN CITY – The pope has tapped an Italian to head the Vatican office in charge of the world’s 400,000 Catholic priests.
Monsignor Mauro Piacenza, 66, replaces retiring Cardinal Claudio Hummes of Brazil as prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy. Piacenza had been Hummes’ No. 2.
In another …. Original article  : Pope taps Italian to head office for world’s clergy; Guinean takes over Vatican charity branch.

Durga Puja Countdown Begins

KOLKATA, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The countdown for Durga Puja the biggest festival for the Bengalis has started. The Puja this year will begin on October 14 and conclude on Oct 19th. This is a festival millions of people wait for the whole year. While lots of money is spent after the Puja all over … Read : Durga Puja Countdown Begins.

Navratri 2010 Commences From Tomorrow

NEW DELHI, INDIA (Gaea Times.com)- The nine day festival of Navratri is commencing from tomorrow, Oct 8, 2010. “Nav” means nine and “ratri” means night, this translates into the festival of “nine nights”. Though the festival is associated with Durga, the festival worships the nine forms of “Shakti” on the nine nights. The nine …. Original source  : Navratri 2010 Commences From Tomorrow.

APNewsBreak: National gay rights leaders to deliver more than 100k letters to Mormon church

APNewsBreak: US gay rights leaders headed to Utah

SALT LAKE CITY – National gay rights activists said Friday they’ll descend on Salt Lake City’s Mormon church headquarters to deliver more than 100,000 letters asking a senior church leader to recant recent anti-gay statements.
The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest gay civil rights organization, this week called … Read : APNewsBreak: National gay rights leaders to deliver more than 100k letters to Mormon church.

RSS prefers out of court settlement on Ayodhya: Spokesperson

NEW DELHI – The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) will prefer an out of court settlement in the Ramjanmabhumi-Babri Masjid dispute in the light of the recent Allahabad High Court judgment, RSS spokesperson Ram Madhav said Friday.

“Of course, we will prefer an out of court settlement. The court has upheld the main contention of … Read more >>>.

Archbishop of Canterbury to arrive in India Saturday

NEW DELHI – The Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams will arrive in Kolkata Saturday and visit several prominent churches during his 16-day visit to India.

“I look forward greatly to being back in India once more. Family connections, many friendships and the memory of two inspiring earlier visits mean that India is a special place …. Source article  : Archbishop of Canterbury to arrive in India Saturday.

Iraq’s political dealmakers hitting the road with al-Maliki trying to hang on

Iraq’s political gambits move to regional stage

BAGHDAD – Iraq’s political bazaar is branching out.
Envoys for Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and his chief rival crossed paths in Kuwait this week. Iraq’s deputy prime minister just returned from Turkey and a top Shiite powerbroker and others have beaten a path to Syria recently to discuss Iraq’s seven-month …. Read the original article  : Iraq’s political dealmakers hitting the road with al-Maliki trying to hang on.

Sarkozy heads to papal audience seen as fence-mending visit after flap over Gypsies

Sarkozy seeing pope amid Gypsy crackdown fallout

VATICAN CITY – French President Nicolas Sarkozy met Friday with the pope and top Vatican officials in a fence-mending visit following France’s controversial crackdown on Gypsies, while a top Vatican cardinal urged France to welcome immigrants and those who have been persecuted.
Sarkozy’s government has linked Gypsies, or Roma, to … Original source on Gaea Times at : Sarkozy heads to papal audience seen as fence-mending visit after flap over Gypsies.

South African group to trace roots in India

DURBAN/NEW DELHI – A group of South Africans will arrive in India Oct 12 to trace their roots and know more about the land their forefathers left over 150 years ago to work as indentured sugarcane labourers.

The arrival of the 16-member Christian group from South Africa marks the 150th anniversary of the departure of …. Read the original article  : South African group to trace roots in India.

Pregnant Muslim ordered to remove veil in court

LONDON – A British court asked a Muslim woman to remove burqa to show her facial expression while testifying against her husband in a physical abuse case.

Georgina Richards, 36, who is eight-month pregnant, reluctantly agreed when magistrates said they might not accept her evidence if they could not see her “facial expressions”, according to …. Read the original article  : here.

Rains spoil pre-Durga Puja mood in northeast

AGARTALA/GUWAHATI – Medium to heavy rains over the past three days have badly affected life in most parts of the northeastern region in the run-up to the Durga Puja festival, beginning next week.

According to the Regional Meteorological Centre officials in Guwahati, a depression formed over west central and adjoining northwest Bay of Bengal earlier … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Rains spoil pre-Durga Puja mood in northeast.

Bipasha wants to go home for Durga Puja

NEW DELHI – Bengali beauty Bipasha Basu is dying to go home to join her family for Durga Puja celebrations.

“Missing Ma and Papa! ‘Aakrosh’ releases on 15th October, otherwise I would have gone to Cal (Kolkata) to celebrate Durga Puja,” Bipasha posted on her Twitter page.
The actress is now considering going to her …. Original source  : Bipasha wants to go home for Durga Puja.

Mysore Dasara promises a feast of pomp and pageantry

MYSORE – The famed Dasara festival that draws thousands of visitors to this cultural capital of Karnataka every year has got under way, promising a feast of pomp and pageantry over the next nine days.

Recreating the aura of the glorious Vijayanagara Empire and the Wodeyar dynasty, which continues the ancient tradition of celebrating …. Source  : Gaea News Network.