Though smaller temples had begun to keep elephants out, bigger temples continued to shy away from breaking with convention. “This decision by a big temple like Pazhavangady will definitely inspire others to follow suit,” said V. K. Venkitachalam, the state’s foremost elephant activist. On Vinayaka Chathurthi, September 5, the Elephant God will not move around [...]
June 17, 2016
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Archives, India
The Supreme Court has reduced the polymorphic religion to a bunch of meaningless myths. On the Sabrimala temple issue, the Supreme Court of India observed on April 13, 2016: “In Hindu dharma there is no denomination of a male or female. A Hindu is a Hindu.” And just like that a constitutional body has, probably [...]
April 16, 2016
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Analysis/Insights, Archives, India
An explosion and blaze sparked by fireworks have killed at least 100 people at a Hindu temple in the Indian state of Kerala, police say. The fireworks, which were to be used to celebrate a local new year festival, exploded about 03:30 (22:15 GMT Saturday), local media say. A building at the temple then collapsed, [...]
A fresh row is brewing at the Sabanayagar temple, also known as Thillai Natarajar temple, here, over recent constructions undertaken at the premises. Historians and archaeologists are calling for declaration of the temple as a national monument and heritage site to preserve its antiquity, while Podhu Dikshitars, who are the administrators of temple, have expressed apprehension [...]
December 24, 2015
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Archives, India
“There were old houses located in this street, which must have once belonged to Hindu families living here. I wondered in what condition they must have left their homes in 1947, temporarily locking their doors, perhaps burying their precious belongings, hoping to return one day. They never returned, but perhaps they told their loved [...]
October 3, 2015
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Archives, Pakistan
If you read between the lines of the vandalized signboard in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, you’ll see more than just 60 bullet holes perforating the blue sans serif lettering that reads ‘Hindu Temple’. The punctures, though ominous, do little to threaten the place of the Hindu temple – in Forsyth County, and the rest of America. [...]
August 14, 2015
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Archives, Global Hindus
The Hindu Munnani has called upon the Tamil Nadu Government to hand over the control of Hindu religious places of worship to independent trusts. The trusts must ensure that revenue generated from these places are solely utilised to develop the temples. It also demanded scrapping of ‘darshan’ fees in all temples. This was among the [...]
June 13, 2015
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Archives, India
MADURAI/CHENNAI: Six brass idols and a spear were stolen from the 1,000-year-old Adhi Ratneswarar temple at Tiruvadanai in Ramanathapuram district on Monday night. The idols stolen — of Vinayaka, Murugan, Bhavani, Sita, Chandrasekar (Shiva) and Soolapidari (Kali) — were one foot and two feet tall and belonged to the Pandya period. The theft was noticed [...]
April 22, 2015
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Archives, Articles, India
AHMEDABAD: Next month, a Swaminarayan temple will be thrown open to devotees in Los Angeles, California. While there are many Hindu shrines the world over, a majority of them built by global Gujaratis, the consecration scheduled on July 22 is special. For, this abode of Lord Swaminarayan was once a run-down church. The 80-year-old church [...]
December 15, 2014
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Archives, News updates
It is specious of Geelani and his rage boys to claim Pandits visiting Kounsar Nag for annual religious rituals will cause damage to the environment. Their bluff should have been called but the state has capitulated, yet again Srinagar was shut down on Saturday on the instructions of separatist leader and All Party Hurriyat Conference [...]