Hindus in Pakistan celebrate Dussehra

ISLAMABAD – Hindus in Lahore city of Punjab province celebrated Dussehra Sunday with pomp and pageantry.

A large gathering was held at Krishna Mandir Ravi Road where hundreds of Hindus gathered to celebrate the occasion, The News International Monday reported.
Hindu priests delivered sermons at the gathering.
Evacuee Property Trust Board (EPTB) officers …. Original article  : Hindus in Pakistan celebrate Dussehra.

Bal Thackeray, Uddhav thunder at Dussehra rally

MUMBAI – Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray was his usual fiery self at the partys annual Dussehra rally and took potshots at all and sundry in a 45-minute-long speech laced with witticism and criticism here Sunday night.

Coming close behind Thackeray was son and party executive president Uddhav Thackeray, who set the tone for the … Original article on : Bal Thackeray, Uddhav thunder at Dussehra rally.

Haryana, Punjab see tallest, revolving Ravans

CHANDIGARH – An extremely tall Ravan effigy being consigned to the flames in a village in Haryana’s Ambala district and revolving effigies of Ravan and his kin in Punjab’s Bathinda town were the highlights of the Dussehra festival in the two states Sunday.

The Ramlila committee in Bathinda town in south-west Punjab put up the [..] Read the original article: here.

Mysore Dussehra ends with grand elephant procession

MYSORE – The 10-day Dussehra festivities here culminated Sunday as thousands of people from across India and abroad witnessed its grand finale – the famed ‘Jamboo Savari’ or procession of caparisoned elephants.

The four-km procession route in the city of palaces was lined by men, women and children to see the majestic tusker Balarama carry …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Mysore Dussehra ends with grand elephant procession.

PM, Sonia attend Dussehra function

NEW DELHI – Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi Sunday attended the Dussehra celebrations at the Ramlila ground in central Delhi.

The two top Congress leaders watched the burning of the effigies of Ravan, his son Meghnad and brother Kumbhakaran to mark the victory of good over evil.
Congress general secretary Rahul …. Read the original article  : here.

Pope canonises six Catholic saints

ROME – Pope Benedict XVI Sunday canonised six Catholic saints, including Australia’s first, during a ceremony at St Peter’s Square in Rome.

Mary MacKillop (1842-1909) co-founded the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the Sacred Heart in the 19th century. The Melbourne-born nun was involved in educating underprivileged children and neglected rural communities in Australia.
She … Read more »»».

Durga Puja ends as idols immersed with fanfare

KOLKATA – Four days of revelry and merriment came to an end Sunday as idols of goddess Durga and her four children were immersed by teary-eyed devotees in ponds, lakes and rivers across West Bengal on Bijoya Dashami.

The banks of the Ganga and other rivers wore a festive look, as puja organisers came in … Original article on : Durga Puja ends as idols immersed with fanfare.

Eco-friendly idols ensure pollution-free Dashami

NEW DELHI – From paper mache and natural dyes to arrowroot and terracotta, most of the capital’s Durga Puja committees used bio-degradable material for their Durga idols so that the Yamuna and other waterbodies were not choked after their immersion Sunday.

Dashami, the last day of the puja, sees hundreds of clay idols of the …. Source  : Eco-friendly idols ensure pollution-free Dashami.

Ayodhya verdict: Nirmohi Akhara to also move Supreme Court

LUCKNOW – The decision of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) to take the Ayodhya battle to the Supreme Court has prompted one of the key Hindu parties, Nirmohi Akhara, to follow suit, almost ruling out any chance of an out-of-court settlement.

“We have no choice but to move the Supreme Court now, …. Original article  : Ayodhya verdict: Nirmohi Akhara to also move Supreme Court.

Bollywood wishes fans happy Dusshera

NEW DELHI – Bollywood stars have wished their fans “Happy Dusshera” on micro-blogging website Twitter.

Here are some of those Twitter posts:
Shammi Kapoor: “Dussera ki badhai sabko.”
Amitabh Bachchan: “Dasshera ki pyaar bhari shubh kamanayein…victory of good over evil…and may it be so in all your lives…ever!”
Abhishek Bachchan: “Aap sabko Dushera …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Bollywood wishes fans happy Dusshera.

Himachal deities’ followers ignore compromise bid

KULLU – The Himachal Pradesh government has again failed to end a decades-old impasse between the followers of two deities over the superiority of their gods before the week-long Dussehra celebrations that began here Sunday.

“This time again, the supporters of both the deities refused to relent despite the intervention of Chief Minister Prem Kumar …. Original article  : Himachal deities’ followers ignore compromise bid.

Elephant procession begins to mark Dasara end in Mysore

MYSORE – The famed ‘Jamboo Savari’ or elephant procession of the 10-day Dasara festivities, which draws thousands of visitors to this cultural capital of Karnataka every year, got underway on Vijayadashami Sunday.

Amid pomp and pageantry, the majestic tusker Balarama, standing tall at 2.7 metres and weighing around 4,900 kg, led the procession of 12 …. Source  : Gaea News Network.

Sikh Americans agog over Obama’s Amritsar trip

WASHINGTON – To the delight of Sikh Americans, US President Barack Obama, the first chief executive to celebrate Guru Nanak’s birthday at the White House, is expected to visit Sikhs’ holiest shrine, the Golden Temple, in India’s Amritsar city.

While Obama’s schedule for his visit to India next month has not been announced, he … Read more »»».