Page 184 - Religion Belief
Ramdev to give 'Deeksha' to religious scholars tomorrow
Yoga Guru Ramdev will be giving 'Deeksha' (initiation ceremony into asceticism) to 85 religious scholars in Haridwar, on Sunday.Speaking to ANI, the scholars said the purpose of serving the country drove them to choose asceticism .Mahila Patanjali Yoga Samiti National Chief Coordinator and a PhD scholar in Philosohpy Suman said, "I always knew I have to live for God and my country, but how to live was a question mark. I have been in touch with Swami ji for the last three years, so I came here without qualms.""For India to reach where Swami ji has envisioned it to be, we need spirituality and a sense of service. We found a great platform for this here, so we connected with Patanjali Yogpeeth for serving others," she added.Shruti, a student pursuing her Master of Arts (MA), said, "Asceticism is a path of service. As an ascetic, a person accepts the whole world as a family. People ask me why I am choosing this path when I can serve the society otherwise too. But, I say why not, it has ...
Land deal: Priests' council meeting resolves to end crisis
A meeting of the council of priests today decided to initiate steps to resolve the crisis in the Ernakulam-Angamaly archdiocese over alleged irregularities in a land deal involving Cardinal George Alencherry and some priests. The meeting of the presbyterial council of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese was attended by 49 priests. In his address, Alencherry sought to reach out to the priests who have declared war against him over the land deal, calling for reconciliation. Talking to reporters after the meeting here, a representative of the priests said initial steps have been taken to end the crisis. He, however, maintained that they needed to get a clear picture about the land deal involving Alencherry and two other priests. There is no need for intervention of Pope Francis, if the issue is resolved here itself, the priest said. "It is an internal matter of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese," he said. The reconciliation efforts began in the diocese following the negotiation
Bloggers from 28 countries to arrive in Kozhikode tomorrow
The city is all set to welcome about 30 bloggers from various countries, including France, UK and Germany, who are travelling across the state to promote Kerala's rich tourism potential. The bloggers from 28 countries, who commenced the two-week long journey from Thiruvananthapuram as part of the fifth edition of 'Kerala Blog Express,' will arrive here tomorrow, a Kerala Tourism department release said today. The participants will document their experiences while travelling across the hills, beaches, backwaters, villages and various city life experiences in Kerala as part of the campaign, which will culminate in Kochi on April 1. Photos, videos and articles will be uploaded by the travellers and shared among their followers all over the world, it said. During their visit, the bloggers will engage in various activities to imbibe the rich tradition and heritage of the city. Kerala Tourism will organize a kite-flying event in association with One India Kite Team, tomorrow ..
Solution to Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case lies with SC: Ajmer Dargah head
The spiritual head of the Ajmer Dargah in Rajasthan, Zainul Abedin Ali Khan, today said the solution to sensitive issues like the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case lies with the Supreme Court. He also appealed to leaders of all religions to wait for the apex court's judgment in the case and respect its verdict. "Religious fanaticism cannot provide solutions. Efforts to settle the matter outside the court were also unsuccessful and, hence, the court's decision (in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case) should be respected in the interest of the country," he said. Khan was addressing chiefs of various shrines during the ongoing Urs of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti in Ajmer. He is the Deewan of the dargah. Present religious, political and cultural organisations are not being able to provide a practical solution to the disputed site in Ayodhya and there is doubt among followers of all religions, he said. "Looking at the present atmosphere, aware citizens and followers of religions ...
Gujarat's Madhavpur Mela to showcase cultural integration with Northeast
In a first, cultural integration will be witnessed at Gujarat's famous Madhavpur Mela where a group of 150 people from the Northeast will be given a traditional welcome as part of efforts to symbolise the country's unity in diversity, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said today. The four-day mela is being organised from March 25 to 28 in Madhavpur Ghed, district Porbandar. "The purpose of this integration is to bring various parts of the country especially the Northeast, close to each other under the banner of Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Sharma said during a press conference. He said that the Madhavpur Mela shares its connect with the Mishmi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh. The Mishmi tribe traces its ancestry to the legendary King Bhishmak and through him to his daughter Rukmini and Lord Krishna, Sharma said. "For the first time ever, the festival will celebrate the immortal journey which Rukmini undertook from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat with Lord
Devotee donates Rs 39 lakh gold lamp to Shirdi's Sai temple
A Mumbai-based devotee has donated a five-wick lamp made from 1,351 grams of gold worth Rs 39 lakh to the renowned Sai Baba temple here, temple authorities today said. Temple authorities identified the devotee as Jayantbhai, from Mumbai, but refused to divulge any more details about him. Rubal Agarwal, chief executive officer of the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust (SSST) said that the offering was made by the devotee on the first day of the three-day Ramnavami festival that began here today. The gold "panchaarti" lamp will be used at the saint's "samadhi mandir" during rituals, Agarwal said. The first day of the festival saw the arrival of processions bringing in 175 palanquins from different parts of the state, all of them having made the journey on foot, said temple authorities. They said that elaborate arrangements had been made as thousands of devotees are expected to arrive at the temple town over the next three days to participate in various rituals. Agarwal said that
Goa Governor extends Ramnavmi greetings
Governor Mridula Sinha today greeted the people of Goa on the occasion of Ramnavmi.Talking about Lord Rama' life she said "Ramnavmi marks the arrival of Lord Vishnu's seventh avatar, Lord Rama, who exemplifies perfection and hence is called "Purshottam"."He teaches us how to be the perfect son, the perfect brother, the perfect husband and the perfect king. His reign in Ayodhya is referred to as Ramarajya, the epitome of perfection," the Governor added.Further lauding Lord Rama, she said, "He lived his life in accordance with dharma and divine principles and was the embodiment of compassion, gentleness, kindness, righteousness and integrity".The Governor further exhorted the people of Goa to follow and try to imbibe the teachings of Lord Rama."On the pious occasion of Ramnavmi, let us follow and try to imbibe the simple teachings of Lord Rama, of fulfilling your duty without any selfish motives, putting other people before yourself and take a pledge to let truth, purity, honesty, ...
Hardline Buddhist group accused in anti-Muslim riots in Lanka to float political party
A hardline Sinhala-Buddhist group in Sri Lanka, which was allegedly involved in attacks on Muslims during the recent communal riots in the country, has decided to float a political party. Mahason Balakaya or the Devil Mahasona's Force, which had allegedly published videos of hate speech against Muslims, said it has forwarded papers to the authorities for the party's registration. "Sinhalese have got no political party while every race has one. We have decided to form a new political party with Mahason Balakaya and several other Sinhala organisations," a spokesman for the group said in the north central town of Anuradhapura. Mahason Balakaya was accused in arson attacks on Muslims, their religious sites and properties during the communal violence between majority Sinhala Buddhists and minority Muslims in the island's central hills Kandy and Ampara districts. The communal violence was triggered by the death of a Sinhalese man at the hands of a mob. The government had imposed a state of .
Once a mosque, always a mosque, SC told (Lead, Correcting intro)
The Supreme Court was on Friday told that a mosque will remain a place of worship even after it has been desecrated and destroyed through a "barbaric act."
SC to decide whether 1994 Ayodhya verdict be referred to larger bench
The Supreme Court today said it would decide on whether to refer to a larger bench the issue of reconsideration of the entire 1994 verdict dealing with the acquisition of the disputed land in Ayodhya or parts of it. One of the original litigants in the Babri Masjid-Ram Temple land dispute, M Siddiq, who has died but is being represented through his legal heir, is currently before the top court assailing certain findings of the 1994 verdict in the case of M Ismail Faruqui, like a mosque is not integral to the prayers offered by the followers of Islam. The Faruqui verdict had dealt with the constitutional validity of the Acquisition of Certain Area at Ayodhya Act, 1993 by which the Centre had then taken over the disputed site and the adjoining land. "First, we should put this controversy (on 1994 verdict) to rest. We may refer the entire or parts of the judgement to larger bench," the special bench comprising Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices Ashok Bhushan and S A Nazeer ...
Once a mosque, always a mosque, SC told
The Supreme Court was on Wednesday told that a mosque will remain a place of worship even after it has been desecrated and destroyed through a "barbaric act."
Armed rallies on Ram Navmi: Bengal BJP chief
Confirming that rallies with the tradition of carrying arms would be taken out in certain parts of West Bengal on Ram Navmi this year, state BJP chief Dilip Ghosh on Friday said his party is planning to celebrate the occasion in a bigger and much more grandiose manner compared to the last time.
Fake Rs 2,000 notes seized, 2 held
The Vijay Nagar police have arrested two persons with fake Rs 2,000 notes from near an engineering college here. District police chief Vaibhav Krishna said that the duo was arrested on a tip-off. They were identified as Mohd Ujeer and Mohd Mairaz of Malda West Bengal. The matter is being probed, he said.
Cong MP urges PM to remove GST on 'langar' at Golden Temple
Congress MP Pratap Singh Bajwa today wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding revocation of the GST on purchases made for "langar/prasad" at the Golden Temple, Durgiani Mandir and Ram Tirath temple in Punjab. His appeal came a day after the Punjab government decided to waive its share of the GST imposed on purchases made for "langar" (community kitchen) at the Golden Temple. "The imposition of the GST on langar items at the Golden Temple is onerous and burdensome. The doors of the Golden Temple are open to members of all religious communities and lakhs of devotees are provided langar on a daily basis. "The people of Punjab have significantly contributed to the process of nation building, ranging from agriculture to national security. The imposition of the GST on langar items at the Golden Temple is an unnecessary burden that must be rescinded forthwith," he wrote in the letter.
HC directs TN govt to evict shops in temples
The Madras High Court today directed the Tamil Nadu government to initiate action to evict commercial establishments located in 36,000 temples. Justice S M Subramaniam ordered the secretary and the commissioner of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR and CE) department, administering the temples, to ensure that consolidated circular for evicting the shops should be issued by officials within eight weeks. He was dismissing a batch of petitions challenging recent notices by various temple administrations asking them to vacate the shops citing safety among other reasons. The circular and instructions should contain the procedures to be followed for the purpose of evicting all the commercial establishments, situated inside the temple premises. The circular should contain a clause mentioning that any violation of the instructions and procedures contemplated would be viewed seriously and suitable disciplinary action initiated against the officials concerned, the judge said. The .
Two held, counterfeit currency seized
Police in Ghaziabad arrested on Thursday two criminals and seized counterfeit currency in Rs 2,000 denomination totalling Rs 200,000.
All kinds of religious people are equally unreasonable: Javed Akhtar
Irked by a social media user who asked him if Shia and Sunni were different religions, veteran writer-lyricist Javed Akhtar on Thursday said all kinds of religious people were "equally unreasonable".
Police book unknown vandals for tearing Ambedkar's posters
Police have booked unidentified vandals for tearing posters with images of B R Ambedkar, a Dalit icon and architect of the Indian Constitution. Police today said an NGO had put up 85 posters about a blood donation camp to be organised here next month to mark his birth anniversary, they said. Several of these posters with Ambedkar's picture were found removed while a few were found torn in Palahigate locality last night, they said. The police registered a case against the unknown vandals on a complaint of one Parminder Bodh of Bhullarai village. The case was registered on the charge of deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs.
More Kerala Churches upset over new 'liquor policy'
The Syrian Mar Thoma Church and the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church on Thursday lashed out at the Pinarayi Vijayan government in Kerala for deciding to open closed liquor vends.
Stern action against anyone trying to disturb 'religious
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami today said stern action would be taken against anyone attempting to disturb "religious peace" in the state. Palaniswami was responding to the opposition DMK and Congress members who raised the issue of some Christian prayer homes being attacked in Madurai, in the state Assembly. Referring to the incidents on March 11, Palaniswami said four cases had been filed in two police stations in connection with the attacks with three persons, including a local functionary of a Hindu outfit, being arrested. He said some persons raised objections to the prayers being held in different localities in Madurai, with miscreants entering into a scuffle with those holding prayers. They also allegedly abused them and damaged a copy of the Bible, he said. Following complaints, Alanganallur police arrested Dinesh and Sathish Babu while Hindu Munnani activist Aravindan was picked up by Koodal Puthur police, he said. The local Hindu Munnani unit also filed .