Religion News – Weekly Newsletter for October 18-25, 2010

Religion News – Weekly Newsletter for October 18-25, 2010

Monday, October 25, 2010

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 »»».

Goa Hindu group now to target Narakasur

PANAJI – A Hindu right-wing group, whose members have been accused of the Margao blast at a function to slay demon Narakasura on Diwali eve last year, plans to launch a campaign against the “glorification” of the mythical monster.

“Our campaign is against glorification of Narakasur. We want that Lord Sri Krishna who killed … Read more »».

Shiv Sena demands ban on burqa

MUMBAI – The Shiv Sena Tuesday demanded a ban on burqa, calling the Muslim veil a threat to security interests.

In an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamna, the party said Turkey had once banned the burqa and now France had followed suit.
It said criminals were using the burqa to commit crimes.
It cited how …. Source : Gaea News Network.

Himalayan shrines to be closed for public next month

DEHRADUN – Popular Himalayan Hindu shrines in Uttarakhand will be closed for the winters next month, officials said Monday.

The temple priests decided to close Kedarnath and Badrinath temples for the public Nov 7 and Nov 18.
A decision in this regard was taken by the respective priests on Dussehra (Sunday) after consulting the traditional … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Himalayan shrines to be closed for public next month.

Israel, Google to bring Dead Sea Scrolls online

JERUSALEM – Israel and Google have joined forces to put the Dead Sea Scrolls, the oldest surviving biblical texts, online, Xinhua reported.

The scrolls, housed at the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem since 1967, are the oldest-known surviving manuscripts of the Hebrew Bible, dating back to the Second Temple period.
Written on parchment … Read : Israel, Google to bring Dead Sea Scrolls online.

‘Headgear issue will be sorted out for Obama’s Golden Temple visit’

AMRITSAR – US President Barack Obama’s proposed visit to the Golden Temple seems to have run into trouble over the issue of what headgear he would wear to enter the holiest Sikh shrine. However, Sikh religious leaders are optimistic the issue will be sorted out within this week and Obama’s visit will be confirmed.

“There …. Original article : ‘Headgear issue will be sorted out for Obama’s Golden Temple visit’.

Tirupati temple may get UAV surveillance

BANGALORE – The country’s richest shrine at Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh may get unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveillance as part of security enhancement plans for the temple which is visited by thousands of devotees daily, a temple official said Tuesday.

A two kg, battery-operated surveillance UAV, designed and developed by a Bangalore-based firm, was test-flown …. Source : Gaea News Network.

Hrithik staying off Mumbai this Diwali

MUMBAI – Actor Hrithik Roshan has decided to celebrate this Diwali with family out of Mumbai to avoid cracker pollution, fretting bronchial problem of his son.

Diwali I am celebrating hopefully not in Bombay because I have problem with the pollution and my son has a bronchial problem, Hrithik told IANS in an interview.
…. Original source : Hrithik staying off Mumbai this Diwali.

Yoga belongs to no religion, Indian guru tells US pastor

AGRA – Yoga does not belong to any particular religion, says yoga guru and college principal Father John Ferreira in response to a US pastor labelling the ancient healing and fitness regime “demonic” and an agent of Hinduism.

“Should Christians stay away from yoga because of its demonic roots? Totally. Yoga is demonic. If you … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Yoga belongs to no religion, Indian guru tells US pastor.

Obama’s always welcome to Golden Temple: Sikh leaders

AMRITSAR – Barack Obama’s proposed visit next month to this Sikh holy city is off his itinerary, but Sikh religious leaders here say that the doors of the shrine are open for the US president to visit anytime.

Though I have only heard through the media that he is not coming but we are not … Read more >>>.

Sikhs disappointed Obama is skipping Amritsar

WASHINGTON – Sikh Americans and a leading US inter-religious non-profit organization have expressed disappointment over reports that President Barack Obama has dropped his plan to visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar over a misunderstanding over what headgear he should wear.

Rajwant Singh, a prominent Sikh American leader, who was at the forefront of the move … Read more »».

Verdict doesn’t condone Babri razing: Sonia

NEW DELHI – Congress president Sonia Gandhi has said that the Ayodhya court verdict in no way condones the demolition of the Babri Masjid for which the perpetrators must be brought to justice.

In a letter to Congresspersons in the September issue of party mouthpiece Sandesh, Gandhi reiterated that the 1992 razing of the …. Original source : Verdict doesn’t condone Babri razing: Sonia.

Andhra minister returns home after row over Saudi visit

HYDERABAD – Andhra Pradesh’s Minority Welfare Minister Mohammed Ahmadullah Friday returned home after facing an embarrassing situation in Saudi Arabia of visiting the country on Haj visa but returning without pilgrimage.

However, the minister termed the reports about him being stopped at the Jeddah airport while returning home as “baseless”. He told reporters that he … Read : Andhra minister returns home after row over Saudi visit.

Sikhs twitter Obama to visit Amritsar

WASHINGTON – With the White House stressing that President Barack Obama’s India visit schedule is not “finalised”, Sikh American groups are using new age tools like e-mail, twitter and facebook to persuade him to visit the Golden temple.

Disappointed over reports that Obama will not visit the Golden Temple in Amritsar during his visit to …. Source : Gaea News Network.

NGO welcomes Shiv Sena’s demand to stop mosque loudspeakers

MUMBAI – Awaaz Foundation, a Mumbai NGO fighting against noise pollution, Thursday welcomed the Shiv Sena’s demand to stop mosques from using loudspeakers to give the call to prayer.

“The Shiv Sena has at last supported my request for banning loudspeakers atop mosques, though it took some provocation to reach this point,” said NGO chief … Read this article on Gaea Times at : NGO welcomes Shiv Sena’s demand to stop mosque loudspeakers.

Art of Living ashram to open in China

BANGALORE – Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will embark on a two-day tour of China Sunday to open the first Art of Living ashram in Beijing.

This is the first ever visit by an Indian spiritual leader to China.
Ravi Shankar will attend a public satsang at the ashram, co-organised by the state-run …. Source article on Gaea Times at : Art of Living ashram to open in China.

Ravi Shankar to unveil Art of Living in China

BANGALORE – Art of Living founder Ravi Shankar will inaugurate his global organisations first China centre in Beijing Sunday.

On his maiden two-day trip to China, Ravi Shankar will also conduct a spiritual gathering (satsang) at the centre, co-organised by the state-run Chinese Peoples Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Art of Living said Thursday.
… Read more : Ravi Shankar to unveil Art of Living in China.