Page 69 - Religion Belief
Activist Trupti Desai hails young women's entry at Sabarimala
Social activist Trupti Desai Wednesday hailed the entry of two women in their mid forties into the Lord Aayyappa hill shrine in Kerala's Sabarimala, saying it is a "victory of equality". Desai was forced to return from the Kochi airport when she arrived to offer prayers at Sabarimala with six young women, following "nama japam" (chanting of Ayyappa hymns) protests by devotees and right wing outfits for 13 hours on November 16. The Bhumata Brigade founder said she was happy to hear that two women in their forties had managed to reach the 'sannidhanam' (temple complex) and offer prayers to Lord Ayyappa and congratulated their effort. "This is a big victory for our agitation. It is a victory of equality. This is a good beginning for women in the new year", Desai told PTI from Pune. "Those against women's entry had openly thrown a challenge that no women in the 10-50 age group will be able to reach the 'sannidhanam'. Their agitation has now failed", the right to pray campaigner said. She .
BJP, Yuva Morcha activists protest, wave black flags at two ministers
Protests erupted in various parts of Kerala Wednesday against the entry of two women in their forties into the Lord Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala, police said. BJP workers waved black flags at Devaswom minister Kadakampally Surendran in Guruvayur where he had gone to attend a function. Health minister K K Shylaja also had to face the ire of activists of the Yuva Morcha, the party's youth wing at Kannur, who showed black flags, they said. The protestors were removed by the police. BJP workers also took out a protest march in the state capital. In Kasaragod, they blocked traffic on the national highway. Two women in their forties entered the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa early Wednesday and offered prayers. Following their entry, the chief priest decided to close the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in order to perform the 'purification' ceremony.
Sabarimala temple shut after two women pray at shrine
The Sabarimala temple in Kerala was shut on Wednesday after two women from the hitherto banned age group prayed there and was reopened an hour later after the priests performed "purification rituals".
Police provided security to women who entered Sabarimala temple, says Kerala CM
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the two women who entered the Sabarimala temple early Wednesday were given police protection during their trek to the shrine. The two women in their 40s entered the Lord Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala and offered prayers. "Earlier, women were not able to enter the temple due to certain hurdles. They may have entered the shrine today because they would not have faced any issues. It is a fact that the women have entered Sabarimala. Police have given them security," Vijayan told media here. Despite the Supreme Court's verdict on September 28 last year, permitting women in the 10-50 age group, no children or young women in the 'barred' group were able to offer prayers at the shrine following frenzied protests by devotees and right wing outfits. The two women, identified as Kanakadurga (42) and Bindu (42), wearing the traditional black dress, with their heads covered, climbed the hill shrine at 3.38 am Wednesday. The women trekked to the hill a day
2 women enter Sabarimala temple, shrine shut for 'purification' ritual
Scripting history, two women in their 40s entered the Lord Ayyappa temple in Kerala early Wednesday and offered prayers. Speaking to media, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said "it is a fact that the women have entered the temple". Following the entry of two women at the shrine, the chief priest has decided to close the sanctum sanctorum of the temple in order to perform the 'purification' ceremony. The temple which opened at 3 am was closed at 10.30 am for performing the ritual. Normally, the shrine closes at 12.30 pm. Since the purification ceremony is on, devotees have been asked to move out of the shrine. The shrine will open in the afternoon after completion of the ritual. Despite the Supreme Court's historic ruling on September 28 last year, permitting women in the 10-50 age group, no children or young women in the 'barred' group were able to offer prayers at the shrine following frenzied protests by devotees and right-wing outfits. CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan ..
Author booked for depicting Lord Ram, Gandhi in poor light
Academician and author K S Bhagawan has been booked for allegedly insulting Lord Ram and Mahatma Gandhi in his book, police said Tuesday. The case was filed under IPC Section 295A (Deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), a police official said. The Kannada book "Rama Mandira Yeke Beda" (Why Ram temple is not required) claims Ram was not a God and he suffered from weaknesses just as any other human being. Right-wing organisations had on Friday staged a demonstration against Bhagawan, accusing him of depicting Lord Ram in poor light in his book and making derogatory references. A complaint was lodged by Hindu Jagaran Vedike Mysuru district president K Jagadish Hebbar on Saturday against Bhagwan's alleged derogatory references to Lord Ram and Gandhi in his book, the police official said. Bhagawan, who had courted controversy by making certain references to the Bhagavad Gita that are .
Women in nat'l capital extend support to 'Women's wall' campaign
A group of women here on Tuesday expressed solidarity with protesters in Kerala who formed a 'Women's wall', demanding gender equality and justice for all. The demonstration was held outside Kerala House here in Jantar Mantar where members of National Federation of Indian Women held placards saying, "Equality and Justice is Women's Constitutional Right". The 'Women's wall' was conceived in the backdrop of frenzied protests witnessed in the hill shrine of Lord Ayyappa at Sabarimala after the CPI(M)-led LDF government decided to implement the Supreme Court verdict, allowing all women to pray at the Ayyappa shrine. The participants consider the campaign as an expression of unity against 'Brahmanical Patriachy'. Lakhs of women from various walks of life participated in the 620 km-long state-sponsored 'Women's wall' campaign, stretching from the northern tip of Kasaragod to the southern end in Thiruvananthapuram to uphold gender equality and renaissance values. The 'Women's wall' was ...
Will go to any extent to protect Ayyappa temple customs:NSS
Hitting out at Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the Sabarimala issue, an outfit of Kerala's forward Nair community Tuesday said it would go to any extent to protect the customs of the Lord Ayyappa temple. A day after Vijayan flayed the Nair Service Society for its 'double standards' on the 'Women's Wall', the outfit's general secretary G Sukumaran Nair said the 'wall' sponsored by the government would divide the people of the state on the basis of caste. Addressing an annual conclave of the NSS leaders at its headquarters in Changanassery on the occasion of 'Mannam Jayanthi' celebrations, Nair alleged that the government was trying to convert 'God's Own Country' into 'Ghost's Own Country' by erecting such walls. Responding to Vijayan's allegation, Nair claimed that the NSS had never adopted "double standards" and said those who do not know differences between traditions and obsolete practices were coming forward to teach the society about renaissance. "NSS has only .
Triple Talaq is a matter of gender equality, Sabarimala is about tradition: PM Modi
New Delhi [India], Jan 1 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that while Triple Talaq is a matter of gender equality, entry of women in Sabarimala is related to tradition.In an exclusive interview to ANI, Prime Minister tried to clear the air on BJP's apparent contradiction in its stand on the controversial Triple Talaq Ordinance and the ban on entry of women between the age group of (10-50 years) in the Sabarimala Temple by saying the Ordinance against Triple Talaq was brought keeping in mind gender equality and social justice and it should not be seen as interference in religious issues.However, on the entry of women of menstrual age in the Sabarimala Temple and protests by Hindu groups, Prime Minister Modi said that the issue relates to tradition and the Supreme Court judgement that saw a dissent by a lady judge should be read carefully."Triple Talaq Ordinance was brought after Supreme Court verdict. We have said in our BJP manifesto that a solution would be found to
Kerala church feud: Five-member ministerial panel to mediate
A five-member ministerial committee headed by Kerala Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan was set up on Tuesday to resolve the ongoing row between the Orthodox and Jacobite church factions.
Pope ode to motherhood ushers in 2019 after disastrous 2018
Pope Francis has ushered in the New Year with an ode to motherhood, reminding the faithful that a mother's example and embrace is the only antidote to today's disjointed world of solitude and misery. Francis celebrated Mass Tuesday in St. Peter's Basilica to formally open 2019. In his homily Francis urged Catholics to allow themselves to be led again as children are led by their mothers. He said: "We need to learn from mothers that heroism is shown in self-giving, strength in compassion, wisdom in meekness." The New Year followed a disastrous 2018 for Francis, which opened with the explosion of the global sex abuse scandal and ended with the sudden departures of the Vatican spokesman and deputy in a sign of discord and dysfunction within the Holy See.
Mirwaiz Umer-led Hurriyat ridicules Mehbooba
The Mirwaiz Umer Farooq-led separatist Hurriyat Conference on Tuesday ridiculed former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti's expression of outrage over the desecration of Jamia Masjid here.
Hundreds brave chill to offer prayers at Golden Temple
Hundreds of devotees thronged the Golden Temple complex in Punjab and other shrines in the region despite the biting cold to offer prayers early on Tuesday to usher in the New Year.
Mehbooba condemns youths entering Jama Masjid with IS flag
Days after a group of youths, carrying ISIS flags, forced their entry into the historic Jamia Masjid here, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Monday said barbaric forces cannot be allowed to defile the grand mosque in the name of Islam. Mehbooba spoke to separatist leader and moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who delivers the Friday sermon at the mosque, on phone over the incident and conveyed her outrage. Appearance of a few youth with IS flag in Srinagar Jama Masjid is desecration of the most important institution of Kashmir's religious, social life. Called @MirwaizKashmir, Umar sahheb to convey my outrage, the former chief minister wrote on Twitter. The PDP president said Jamia Masjid and its pulpit were the most important landmarks of Kashmir's religious and cultural moorings. Jama Masjid & it's pulpit are most important landmarks of our religious, cultural moorings. Can't allow barbaric forces to defile it in the name of Islam, she
Prez Kovind offers prayers at Somnath Temple in Gujarat
President Ram Nath Kovind Monday visited the Somnath Temple in Gujarat's Gir Somnath district and participated in 'maha aarti' and 'maha tatkal' puja, officials said. This is Kovind's first visit to the temple since becoming president, they added. He was accompanied by his wife and daughter as well as Gujarat Tourism Minister Ganpatsinh Vasava and chief coordinator of the temple trust Dr Y Bhatt, a temple trust press release said. He also paid tributes at the statue of Sardar Patel situated in the premises of the temple, officials said.
CM lashes out at NSS for 'double standards' on Women's Wall
: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Monday flayed caste based outfit NSS for its 'double standards' on the Women's Wall on January 1, saying they should introspect if it was right for an outfit,which was part of the renaissance movement, to join hands with RSS. "Those who participated in the 'Ayyappa Jyothi' (lighting of traditional lamp) must self-introspect whether it is right for an organisation, which was part of the renaissance movement in Kerala, to join hands with the RSS. This shows how true they are with their equi-distance policy. This shows their double standards," Vijayan told mediapersons here. The Nair Service Society had declared its equi-distance policy, claiming it will maintain an equal distance from all political parties. The had on December 26 supported the 'Ayyappa Jyothi', organized by Sabarimala Karma Samiti against the governments decision to implement the September 28 Supreme Court order, allowing women of all ages into Sabarimala. The ...
Koregaon Bhima anniv: Pune bishop appeals churches to pray for
Bishop of Pune diocese, Thomas Dabre has appealed to churches and institutions in the west Maharashtra city to hold prayers for "peace and harmony" during the 201st anniversary of the Koregaon Bhima battle that falls on January 1. Against the backdrop of caste clashes around Koregaon Bhima on January 1, 2018, a heavy police bandobast is put in place around villages near "jay stambh" or the victory pillar which is visited by lakhs of people, mainly Dalits, to commemorate the 1818 battle between the British and the Peshwas. One person was killed and several others injured in the violence on January 1 which had broken out a day after the Elgaar Parishad conclave was held in historic Shaniwarwada in Pune. "As the Bishop of the Diocese of Ponna (Pune), I have issued a circular to around 60 churches and 20 institutions in the city to hold prayers for peace and harmony to be prevailed in Koregaon Bhima and in the Pune district during the 201st anniversary of the Koregaon ...
Mirwaiz asks people to expose 'anti-Islam elements' who desecrated
Senior separatist leader Mirwaiz Umer Farooq on Monday asked people to remain vigilant and expose "anti-Islam" and "anti-movement" elements responsible for desecration of the Jamia Masjid.
Vatican spokesman and his deputy resign
The Vatican on Monday announced the resignations of its spokesman and his deputy, without giving any explanation. Pope Francis "has accepted the resignation of the director and deputy director of the press office of the Vatican, Greg Burke and Paloma Garcia Ovejero, and named Alessandro Gisotti as acting director," it said in a statement. American Burke, a member of the ultra-conservative and influential Opus Dei movement, was appointed in July 2016 after having been deputy spokesman. The 59-year-old had previously worked as a journalist in Rome for the weekly National Catholic Reporter, for Time magazine and for the US television network Fox News. He was the second Opus Dei member to hold the post after Spain's Joaquin Navarro Valls, the powerful head of communications for Pope John Paul II. Garcia Ovejero, 43, a Spaniard, was the first woman to hold the number two post in the press office. She was previously Vatican correspondent for Spanish radio network Cadena COPE.
Govt to mediate in Kerala church feud
Breaking his silence, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said here on Monday that the state government will do its best to end the ongoing row between the warring Orthodox and Jacobite church factions.