Page 144 - Religion Belief
Shimla's 250-year-old hilltop temple regains its past glory
A steep road winding its way to one of Shimla's hilltops will transport tourists back to a glorious past with the rebuilding and restoration of the 250-year-old Tara Devi temple at its original location.
Man thrashed at registrar's office by mob over interfaith marriage
A man was allegedly thrashed by a group of right-wing activists at a marriage registrar's office here, when he had gone there to register his marriage with a woman from another religion, police said today. After a video of the incident went viral on social media, the Sihani Gate police booked 11 youths who were purportedly seen beating the man, in his mid 20s. Senior Superintendent of Police Vaibhav Krishna said some youths opposed to the interfaith marriage arrived at the Tehsil compound and disrupted the registration process. The video shows the youth being dragged and brutally thrashed by the mob. The accused claimed that the man lured the woman into marriage by lying about his religion. The woman is employed with a private company in Noida. The police arrived at the scene after being informed about the incident and took the couple to the Sihani Gate police station. Police said they identified those who thrashed the man and accordingly an FIR was registered yesterday. The SSP said .
VHP to hold massive Janmashtami celebrations in Bengal, take out 1,000 rallies
The Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) will hold the Janmashtami celebrations in West Bengal on a much larger scale compared to the previous years by taking out close to 1,000 processions across the state, a state leader said on Tuesday.
Muslims should stop 'Gorakh Dhanda' related to cows and respect sentiments: Rajasthan minister Yadav
Rajasthan Labour Minister Jaswant Yadav today stoked a controversy saying that members of the Muslim community should stop the 'Gorakh Dhanda' (smuggling) related to cows and respect the sentiments of Hindus. He, however, condemned those taking the law into their hands. "Muslims and Meo community should stop the 'Gorakh Dhanda' of cows and understand the sentiments of Hindus to maintain harmony in the country," he told reporters. Yadav said the "reactions" that occur everyday were due to the sentiments of Hindus for cows. "When 50 cows are stuffed in a truck, transported and acid is poured in their mouths, this boils the blood of Hindus so Muslims should respect the sentiments and their faith in cows," the minister said. Yadav's remarks increase the troubles for the state government, which has been pressing its leaders to refrain from making loose comments. Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria, who was in Alwar today, avoided commenting on the issue, saying that Yadav should answer for ..
Sailendra Mitra popularised chutney in Bengal: Mukherjee
Former President Pranab Mukherjee today said Sailendra Krishna Mitra popularised chutney and pickle in the state. Mukherjee today unveiled a statue of Late Sailendra Krishna Mitra at the Midas group factory here in West Bengal's Hooghly district. Speaking on the occasion, the former president said Sailendra was a pioneer in food processing in the state and popularised chutney and pickle. Sailendra became so popular with chutney and pickle that people used to call him 'Chutney Mitra' he said. Shailendra had set up the factory of the Midas group in Konnagar Veteran film actor Soumitra Chatterjee was also present on the occasion.
Mob lynching worst period for minorities: Azam Khan
Samajwadi Party leader Mohd Azam Khan on Tuesday said the safety and security of minorities in the country was in danger, adding that post independence this was by far the worst period for Muslims.
Thai soccer boys' heads shaved for Buddhist ordination
The young soccer teammates and their coach who were rescued after being trapped in a cave in northern Thailand had their heads shaved in a ceremony today as they prepared to be ordained as Buddhist novices and monks. Eleven of the 12 boys and their coach prayed to ancient relics and offered drinks and desserts in gilded bowls to spirits at a Buddhist temple. The 12th team member who was trapped in the cave didn't take part because he isn't Buddhist. The boys, whose ages range from 11 to 16, will be ordained to become Buddhist novices in a ceremony tomorrow, while the 25-year-old coach will be ordained as a monk, said Parchon Pratsakul, the governor of Chiang Rai province. Tomorrow's ordainment ceremony will take place at another temple on a Chiang Rai mountaintop before the group returns to reside for more than a week at the Wat Pha That Doi Wao temple near Thailand's northern border with Myanmar. That temple is close to the group's homes, making it easier for friends and relatives to
Arrest Kerala Catholic Bishop accused of abusing nun: Achutanandan
Former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan on Tuesday wrote to state police chief Loknath Behra demanding the arrest of Franco Mulakkal, the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Jalandhar (Punjab), who is alleged to have sexually abused a nun.
Religious monuments in Konkan not under ASI protection: Sharma
Religious monuments in the Konkan region on the western coastline of the country do not fall under the protection list of the Archaelogical Survey of India (ASI), Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said today. He was replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha on whether the government planned to include religious places like Ganapati temple in Konkan, Keshavraj temple and Vyagreshawar temples, among others in the central list of ASI, which conserves over 3,500 monuments across the country. The Minister said that as per Maharashtra government, the temples date back to late medieval period, but due to frequent changes and repairs by trusts and religious organisations, they have lost relevance. He said there was a process for bringing monuments under the ASI list, which includes notification of more than 100- year old monuments in the Gazette of India and objections are sought from people. These are notified after two months in the protected monuments category. Sharma said ...
Muslims should stop eating beef: UP Shia Waqf Board chief
Uttar Pradesh Shia Waqf Board chairman Waseem Rizvi said that Muslims should stop eating beef.Speaking to ANI, Rizvi said that even in Islam cow meat is considered 'haram' (forbidden). He pitched for strict action against culprits who kill cows."Muslims should stop eating beef. Killing of cows should stop. You cannot stop mob lynching, security cannot be deployed everywhere. So a law should be made awarding strict punishment to those killing cows," Rizvi said.Backing the statement of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar on cow killing, Rizvi further said that someone with status of a mother should not be killed."I think Indresh Kumar's statement has a point. Religious sentiments should not be hurt. You can't kill someone who is given the status of a mother by a community," he added.The RSS leader has drawn flak from various quarters including the Congress for his lynching remark.On Monday, while addressing a conference in Delhi, the RSS leader said, "If cow-killing ..
Congress slams RSS leader for lynching remark
Congress MP Husain Dalwai on Tuesday slammed Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar for his remark that mob lynching in the country would stop if cow killing came to an end.Speaking to ANI outside Parliament, Dalwi wondered why no action has been taken against Dalwai for his statement."Indresh was named in bomb blast case. Why does the government allow him to speak like that? Why is he not jailed?" Dalwai added."Unka lynching hoga to samjhega kya? (Will he understand when he is lynched?) We do not want this for anyone. They want to make India Pakistan or Afghanistan," he added.Echoing similar sentiments, another Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said hatred was being spread in communities in the name of cow and beef."Hatred is being spread in the country and various communities. Cow and Beef have just become an excuse to attack people," Tharoor said.The RSS leader has drawn flak from various quarters for his lynching remark.On July 23, while addressing a conference in Delhi, .
China: Tibetan students banned from religious activities
Children in traditionally Buddhist Tibet have been banned from taking part in religious activities over the summer holidays, an official Chinese Communist Party newspaper has reported. The Global Times quoted an education official in the regional capital of Lhasa as saying that students were required to sign an agreement to "not take part in any form of religious activity" during the break. The policy appears to reflect increasingly harsh restrictions on the Himalayan region's traditional Buddhist culture, largely aimed at reducing the influence of the region's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, who lives in exile in India. "The students are following the regulation under the guidance of their parents and teachers," the paper said, quoting Choephel, the head of the political education department at Lhasa Middle School, who like many Tibetans uses just one name. No phone number was available for the department and Chinese authorities severely limit foreign journalists' access to Tibet. .
RSS leader draws flak for lynching remark
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader Indresh Kumar has drawn flak from various quarters for his lynching remark.Earlier on Monday, while addressing a conference in Delhi, the RSS leader said, "If cow-killing is stopped then mob lynchings will also automatically end. And the violence in any form practiced by any person belonging to any caste, sex, religion is a deplorable act. In India there is no such belief whick okays cow slaughtering for religious practices."His remark comes on the backdrop of Rajasthan's Alwar lynching incident where a 28-year-old Akbar Khan was allegedly beaten to death by an agitated mob on suspicions of cow smuggling.Criticising Kumar's statement, Gulzar Azmi, head of Maharashtra's Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, legal aid committee said that it is high time that the RSS must deeply think before assaulting innocent Muslims on the suspect of consuming beef.Azmi further said that all the Muslims who were recently killed by a violent mob across India were actually ...
Man drowns in Ganga canal while worshipping
A man drowned in the Ganga canal near Nagla village here while performing a religious ritual, police said today. The incident took place last evening when Tanuj Kumar (28) was worshipping in the canal. He slipped into the waters, SHO H N Singh said. The body has not yet been recovered, he said.
Hindus, Muslims unite to restore cleanliness post 'Bahuda Yatra'
In a display of communal harmony, a group of people, consisting of both Hindus and Muslims, joined hands to clean up after the commencement of the Bahuda Yatra here on Monday.A group of volunteers was seen cleaning the streets of Baripada after the commencement of the Bahuda Yatra or return car festival of Lord Jagannath.The volunteers present echoed the importance of cleanliness, adding that it had nothing to do with religion."Cleanliness doesn't have any religion. So, we all have come together. We feel lucky to have been given this opportunity," a volunteer told ANI.Another volunteer said, "We want to set an example for people of the country. We should keep our cities clean in order to stay healthy."The 'Rath Yatra' is an annual event, during which idols of Lord Jagannath (Vishnu), his elder brother Balabhadra and younger sister Subhadra are taken out in a procession to Gundicha Temple, where they are placed for nine days.On the other hand, Bahuda Yatra symbolises the retreat of the
Chile investigating 158 in Catholic Church over sex abuse
Chile is now investigating 158 members of the country's embattled Catholic Church -- both clergymen and lay people -- for perpetrating or concealing the sexual abuse of children and adults, prosecutors have said. The cases relate to incidents dating back as far as 1960 and involving 266 victims, including 178 children and adolescents, according to public prosecutor Luis Torres. The prosecutor's statement offered the first general view of the extent and scope of the abuse scandal faced by Chile's Catholic Church -- and how many people are implicated. Last month, Pope Francis accepted the resignation of five Chilean bishops amid accusations of abuse and related cover-ups. "The vast majority of reported incidents relate to sexual crimes committed by priests or people linked to educational establishments," Torres told reporters. The entire strata of the Catholic Church -- from bishops to monks -- were involved in the crimes, as well as "lay people exercising some function in the ...
Religious procession by Hindus attacked in Bangladesh
A religious procession organised by the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh was attacked by a group of people, leaving six devotees injured, police said. The assailants struck when the Ulto Rath Yatra, or the reverse journey of Lord Jagannath's chariot, was being carried out yesterday in Gopalganj district's Kotalipara upazila, bdnews24.com reported. The report said that a group of locals attacked the Ratha Yatra, a major festival of the Hindu community. The devotees, dressed as Lord Krishna and Radha, pulled the chariot in the procession organised by ISKCON from the Dhakeshwari National Temple to Swamibagh, the report said. The accused entered the festival venue in Tarashi village with sticks and assaulted six devotees. They also vandalised the venue and looted gold ornaments from one of the devotees, the report said. The festival committee filed a case accusing 10 to 15 people for the attack. Two accused were arrested, Kotalipara police station's Officer-in-Charge Md Kamrul Faruk
Stone from Jerusalem's Western Wall crashes into prayer area
One of the ancient stones from Jerusalem's Western Wall has dislodged and crashed into an adjacent prayer area. No one was hurt. Footage shows the block plummeting on Monday and landing on a raised wooded platform used for egalitarian prayer. Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinovich called it a most unusual event that hadn't happened in decades. He says moisture or plant growth could have dislodged the stone. The Western Wall, a remnant of the compound where the biblical Jewish temples once stood, is the holiest site where Jews can pray. Jews marked Sunday the Tisha B'Av fast commemorating the temples' destruction. Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said it's "a great miracle" that the 100-kilogram (220-pound) stone landed near a worshipper and did not harm her. The area was closed for maintenance.
Lord Jagannath's 'Bahuda Yatra' celebrated across Bengal
The 'Bahuda Yatra' or the return journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra was on Sunday celebrated at Mayapur, the global headquarters of International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Nadia district here along with other parts of West Bengal.
One dead, eight injured in building collapse
One person was killed and eight others were injured when a five-storey building collapsed here on Sunday when workers were giving finishing touches to it.