Religion News – Weekly Newsletter for February 14-21, 2011

Maramon convention begins in Kerala

MARAMON – The Maramon Convention, considered to be the largest Christian congregation in Asia, opened its 116th session Sunday in the central Kerala town of Maramon.

Joseph Marthoma Metropolitan, the head of the Mar Thoma Church, inaugurated the convention organised by the Syrian Mar Thoma Church headquartered in Thiruvalla, about 130 km from Thiruvananthapuram. … Read : Maramon convention begins in Kerala.

Ayodhya case: Hashim Ansari to file appeal

LUCKNOW – Hashim Ansari, the oldest litigant in the Ayodhya land dispute, has finally given up hope for an out-of-court settlement on the issue, saying he will file a special leave petition in the Supreme Court Monday against the verdict of the Allahabad High Court.

Ninety-year old Ansari, who had initiated moves for a final …. Original article on Gaea Times at  : Ayodhya case: Hashim Ansari to file appeal.

Nepal’s valentines face wrath of Pashupatinath temple’s keepers

KATHMANDU – Nepal’s oldest and most famous Hindu temple, Pashupatinath, has begun a crackdown on couples found necking inside its premises, fining over 70 pairs since Valentine’s Day, celebrated worldwide as the day of lovers.

The keepers of the seventh century shrine, also a Unesco-declared World Heritage Site, began the drive Monday after warning that … Read more »»».

Milad-un-Nabi celebrated with gaiety in Hyderabad

HYDERABAD – Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi, the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammad, was celebrated Wednesday with gaiety and fervour in Hyderabad and other parts of Andhra Pradesh.

Public meetings, rallies, feeding of the poor, ‘mehfil-e-milad’ or special gatherings in praise of the Prophet were held to mark the occasion.
Religious scholars and community leaders exhorted Muslims to strictly … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Milad-un-Nabi celebrated with gaiety in Hyderabad.

Tamil Nadu leaders greet Muslims on eve of Milad-un-Nabi

CHENNAI – Leaders in Tamil Nadu Tuesday greeted Muslims on the eve of Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Mohammed.

Conveying his heartiest greetings to Muslims in Tamil Nadu and in other places Governor Surjit Singh Barnala said: “On this solemn occasion, let us pledge to carry on the message of Prophet Mohammed to the youth …. Source article  : Tamil Nadu leaders greet Muslims on eve of Milad-un-Nabi.

Bajrang Dal forces lovers to tie rakhi or get married

RANCHI – Bajrang Dal activists in Jharkhand played the moral police on Valentine’s Day Monday, forcing lovers in parks and other public place to either tie a rakhi or get married on the spot.

Hundreds of Bajrang Dal activists reached Jubilee Park in the steel city of Jamshedpur and caught lovers. The activists first asked … Read more »»».

Karmapa asked to apprise monastery officials of Indian laws

DHARAMSALA – Top officials of the 17th Karmapa say the central government, while signalling a clean chit to the Tibetan leader in the controversy over unaccounted foreign currency, wants him to register his trust and also apprise monastery functionaries on Indian laws.

“It’s true that we met senior home ministry officials in Delhi yesterday (Wednesday) … Read more : Karmapa asked to apprise monastery officials of Indian laws.

Cabbage field at Bangladesh’s Buddhist temple site

DHAKA – A cabbage field has replaced a Buddhist temple at an archaeological site built around 1,500 years ago during the rule of the Pala dynasty in northwestern Bangladesh, a media report said Thursday.

The ancient Mahasthangarh complex in Bogra district, the country’s oldest archaeological site, is at risk of destruction, The Daily Star said.
…. Source article on Gaea Times at  : Cabbage field at Bangladesh’s Buddhist temple site.

Buddha’s home Kapilavastu lies in utter neglect

KAPILAVASTU – The Uttar Pradesh government may be trying to project itself as a champion of Buddhism, yet his original home Kapilavastu, in the remotest corner of the state along the India-Nepal border, lies in a condition of utter neglect.

Way back in 563 BC, Queen Maya Devi might have conveniently traversed the distance of …. Read the original article  : Buddha’s home Kapilavastu lies in utter neglect.

Thousands offer prayers at Valley’s Hazratbal shrine

SRINAGAR – Thousands of people braved the cold and inclement weather Wednesday to offer prayers at Kashmir Valley’s holiest Muslim shrine of Hazratbal in summer capital Srinagar to celebrate the birthday of Prophet Mohammad.

Dressed in warm clothes, men, women and children converged at the shrine on the banks of the Dal Lake to … Original article on : Thousands offer prayers at Valley’s Hazratbal shrine.

Karmapa to visit Sarnath next month

DHARAMSALA – As the controversy over the recovery of foreign and Indian currency worth Rs.70 million ($1.5 million) from the 17th Karmapa’s monastery is gradually coming to an end, the Karmapa is headed next month to Sarnath, the birthplace of Buddhism, monastery officials said.

Even as the state and central intelligence agencies are keeping tabs …. Read the original article  : Karmapa to visit Sarnath next month.

Was Pakistani Maulana’s visit aimed at reinforcing anti-Vastanvi lobby?

LUCKNOW – The two-day India visit by Islamic hardliner and Pakistans Jamiat-ul-Islami chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is believed to be aimed at reinforcing the lobby against recently-appointed Darul-Uloom Deoband Vice Chancellor Ghulam Mohammad Vastanvi, who has drawn much flak for praising governance in Narendra Modi-ruled Gujarat.

Ostensibly, Rehman was in Deoband and New Delhi earlier … Read more »».

Karnataka bishops to protest church attacks

BANGALORE – Bangalore Archbishop Bernard Moras will lead 17 bishops in a sit-in protest Friday and the Christian community will hold a rally and candle light vigil here Monday to protest attacks on churches in the state.

The sit-in and the candle light vigil follow a judicial commission report absolving Hindu groups of the series … Read more »»».

Europe’s biggest Hindu temple to come up in Netherlands

BRUSSELS – The biggest Hindu temple complex in Europe – consisting of three temples, residential areas and tourist spots – is going to be built in the Dutch city of The Hague.

Three Hindu groups would be building three temples on a site behind the Hollands Spoor railway station, EuAsiaNews reported citing the Netherlands’ Trouw … Original article on : Europe’s biggest Hindu temple to come up in Netherlands.

India must change, give up lazy attitude: Dalai Lama

MUMBAI – India needs to buck up, the “lazy attitude is holding it back”, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama said Friday addressing students of Mumbai University here.

“Dowry, gender discrimination would be the ancient traditional practices here but India needs to understand now that all of it is outdated. India must change,” he … Original article on : India must change, give up lazy attitude: Dalai Lama.

Mosque demolition: CBI challenges Advani clean-chit

NEW DELHI – The CBI Friday challenged in the Supreme Court the Allahabad High Court verdict discharging Bharatiya Janata Party leader L.K. Advani and 20 others from a criminal conspiracy case linked to the Dec 6, 1992 Babri Masjid demolition in Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya town.

Advani and 20 others were discharged by the high court … Read more : Mosque demolition: CBI challenges Advani clean-chit.

Amarnath pilgrimage to begin June 29

JAMMU – The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir that attracts more than half a million pilgrims each year, will be held from June 29 to Aug 13, the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) said Friday.

The shrine board that met in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Governor N.N. … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Amarnath pilgrimage to begin June 29.

Karnataka to drop cases against Christians

BANGALORE – The Karnataka government Friday said it would withdraw cases registered against over 300 Christians when they protested attacks on churches in 2008.

“The government will take steps to withdraw the cases,” Home Minister R. Ashok told a delegation of 18 bishops who met him with the demand for rejecting a judicial panel … Read : Karnataka to drop cases against Christians.

Model nikahnama missing from Muslim law board website

LUCKNOW – A model nikahnama, aimed at curbing rising incidences of divorce among Muslims by means of triple utterance of the word “talaq”, has abruptly been removed from the website of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB).

The nikahnama, that was formulated after much deliberation by the board, was posted six years ago.
… Read : Model nikahnama missing from Muslim law board website.

Indian ban to hit Pashupatinath’s festival in Nepal

KATHMANDU – When devotees celebrate the night of Lord Pashupatinath, the Hindu god who is both the destroyer and saviour of the world, the rituals are going to be sorely hit, thanks to a ban by neighbouring India on the export of powdered milk.

Washing the deity at the hallowed Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu with … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Indian ban to hit Pashupatinath’s festival in Nepal.

Spanish nun expelled for spending excess time on Facebook

LONDON – A nun who has lived in a convent in Spain for over 35 years, has now been asked to leave after she was found to be “spending too much time” on social networking website Facebook.

Sister Mara Jesus Galan – dubbed “Sister Internet” by her fellow nuns – wrote on her Facebook page … Original source on Gaea Times at : Spanish nun expelled for spending excess time on Facebook.