Hinduism

Religion and environment: water for the gods – now being conserved in temples

By Anil Sharma - Indo-Asian News Service, 1 April 2013

An astrologer and social activist has turned the religious practice of offering water and milk in temples into a unique way of water conservation. Pandit Purushotam Gaur, known as Guruji, has developed water harvesting infrastructure in more than 300 temples in Rajasthan over the past 13 years.

© 2013 IANS India Private Limited, New Delhi. Posted on Religioscope with permission. — Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) is India’s first multinational and multilingual wire service. Website: www.ians.in. Subscription enquiries: contact IANS (mention Religioscope).

Hindus in the West: American Hinduism expanding while European Hindu events give religion a public voice

By Richard Cimino, 24 April 2011

In the U.S. Hinduism has steadily expanded and diversified in the U.S., while in Europe Hindu rituals are taking on a more public expression, according to two recent studies presented at a Washington conference attended by Religioscope.

Hinduism: a wintry tryst with the Bhagavad Katha

By Ramesh Avadhani, 5 January 2011

On a chilly December evening in Lucknow, Ramesh Avadhani attended a performance of the Bhagavad Katha. Our correspondent shares his experience.

Hinduism: faith drives millions to throng Deoghar temple

By Nityanand Shukla - Indo-Asian News Service, 14 August 2010

They come in droves on foot, trekking for over 100 km to reach this town revered by Hindus for its ancient Shiv temple. The revered Bababaidyanath temple in Deoghar, about 385 km from Jharkhand state capital Ranchi, is witnessing close to 100,000 devotees every day to offer oblations at the Shiv linga there in the month of Shravan. This year more than three million people are expected during the auspicious month.

(Nityanand Shukla can be contacted at nityanand.s@ians.in)

© 2010 IANS India Private Limited, New Delhi. Posted on Religioscope with permission. — Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) is India’s first multinational and multilingual wire service. Website: www.ians.in. Subscription enquiries: contact IANS (mention Religioscope).

India: Uttarakhand to train yoga gurus to tackle swine flu

By Prashant K. Nanda - Indo-Asian News Service, 19 December 2009

Hundreds of hermits and yoga gurus will be taught about the proper practice of hand washing and other necessary medical precautions to control the spread of swine flu during the upcoming Kumbh Mela (a very large religious fair).

© 2009 IANS India Private Limited, New Delhi. Posted on Religioscope with permission. — Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) is India’s first multinational and multilingual wire service. Website: www.ians.in. Subscription enquiries: contact IANS (mention Religioscope).

Hinduism: are gods turning against Nepal’s Maoist government?

By Indo-Asian News Service, 5 May 2009

When King Gyanendra’s army-backed reign ended three years ago followed by the abolition of monarchy in the world’s only Hindu kingdom, it did not come as a surprise to the Himalayan nation’s devout Hindus. “It was on the cards,” says Upendra Dahal, a Brahmin priest who also dabbles in astrology at the revered Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. “The gods were against him and sent him omens.”

Religion and homosexuality: South African priest upsets Hindu community after gay wedding rites

By Fakir Hassen - IANS, 3 May 2009

A Tamil priest who conducted South Africa’s first known gay wedding by Hindu rites has gone underground as upset community leaders slammed the elaborate wedding of two young men, complete with embossed invitations, outfits from India and one tying a necklace with a pendant of Lord Ganesha on his partner.

Hinduism: US website offends believers

By Jagannath Dasa, 27 December 2007

Commercialization of religion is nothing new. In the past, numerous protests have arisen over what some have termed the disrespectful or even blasphemous portrayal of Hindu deities on consumer items. And www.cafepress.com recently reignited that debate on the invasion of Hindus’ sentiment.

India: ex-royals stop animal sacrifice after campaign

By Indo-Asian News Service, 30 November 2007

Sustained campaign by an animal welfare group against slaughter of animals during religious occasions has touched a chord with a former royal family of West Bengal, prompting it to discontinue its century-old tradition. The erstwhile royal family of Nabadwip in West Bengal’s Nadia district stopped its tradition of animal sacrifice during religious festivals after the group People for Animals (PFA) voiced its concern and started a campaign against animal sacrifice.

© 2007 IANS India Private Limited, New Delhi. Posted on Religioscope with permission. — Indo-Asian News Service (IANS) is India’s first multinational and multilingual wire service. Website: www.ians.in. Subscription enquiries: contact IANS (mention Religioscope).

India: incidents over access to Jagannath temple

By Jagannath Dasa, 10 November 2007

Who is a Hindu? And who can access a Hindu temple? In several sections of Hindu society, those remain controversial issues, as illustrated by two recent incidents at the famous Jagannath temple, reported by our correspondent in Puri.