Page 71 - Religion Belief
Sabarimala closes marking the end of 41-day Mandalam season
After witnessing frenzied protests by devotees over the entry of young women in the past few weeks, the doors of Lord Ayyappa temple here closed Thursday with the auspicious Mandala puja, marking the culmination of the 41-day annual Mandalam festivities. This marks the conclusion of the initial phase of the two-month-long annual pilgrim season, which began on November 17. Chanting "swamiye saranam Ayyappa," thousands of devotees thronged the hill top temple for hours to witness the special pujas and rituals including 'kalabha abhishekam" and "kalasa abhishekam". When the 'mandala puja' was held in the noon under the aegis of the head priest Kandaru Rajeevaru, the sea of pilgrims chanted hymns of the lord in unison. The idol of the Lord Ayyappa was adorned with 'thanka angi," the sacred golden attire, which was brought here last evening in a ceremonial procession from the Sree Parthasarthy temple at Aranmula. Several dignitaries including Devaswom Minister Kadakampally ..
Namaaz organiser appeals Muslims not to gather at Noida park for Friday prayers
A key organiser of Friday prayers in Noida's Sector 58 Thursday appealed to Muslims not to gather at a park, which was declared off-limits to religious gatherings by the police, as permission has not been granted for holding prayers there. The 45-year-old Adil Rashid, one of the organisers of the Friday namaaz at the park, told PTI he did not want to "whip up" any further controversy on the issue. Police said they will be monitoring the situation tomorrow. Early this month, the Nodia Police had issued orders stating that Friday prayers cannot be held at the government plot as there was no requisite permission. "I had made an application to the administration for permission to allow namaaz in the park and it has been denied. So I want to appeal to the people who may not be aware of this that please do not come to that park tomorrow, and find other appropriate place for offering namaaz," Rashid told PTI. The 24-year-old Cleric Noman Akhtar, who claimed to have been leading the prayers ..
Triple talaq a socil evil like 'sati-pratha': Naqvi
BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Thursday likened the practice of triple talaq with long abolished 'sati-pratha', saying the practice of divorce among Indian Muslims is not related to Islam but is a social evil.
Prez felicitates Pejawar seer on completing eight decades of initiation into sainthood
President Ram Nath Kovind Thursday felicitated Sri Vishwesha Theertha Swamiji of Pejawar Adhokshaja Mutt here, on his completing 80 years of initiation into sainthood, religious services and life devoted to Lord Krishna. The president, who took part in the festivities being held here, praised the seer for his achievements and "liveliness" at the age of 88 years, sources in the 'mutt' said. The Pejawar seer gave details regarding the history of the more than 800-year-old Sri Krishna Mutt here and preaching of Madhwacharya, the founder of Dwaita (dualism) school of philosophy. Madhwacharya is considered one of the three great Acharyas, the other two being Shankaracharya and Ramanujacharya. Madhwacharya is believed to have installed the Lord Krishna idol here which, according to legend, he discovered from a ship and saved it miraculously from a storm in the sea at Malpe near here. Later, the swamiji honoured the president and his wife in traditional manner. An idol of Lord Krishna was ...
Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje's identity certificate invalid
The identity certificate of the 17th Karmapa, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, who has been out of India and residing in the US since May 2017, is invalid and he has not applied for Indian visa, it has been learnt.It was also learnt that the Karmapa holds a Dominican passport, which he never revealed to the Indian authorities. According to the procedure, the identity certificate, which is issued to stateless citizens, gets cancelled once they get a foreign passport.It is learnt that India is ready to give him a visa and he is free to come and reside in India.The Karmapa, who is the head of the powerful Karma Kagyu sect of Tibetan Buddhism, was expected to return to India to participate in 13th Religious Conference on Tibetan Buddhism that was to be organised at Dharamshala from November 29 to December 1.However, it was indefinitely postponed due to the sudden death of Kathok Getse Rinpoche, head of the Nyingma Council, in an accident.According to reports, the Karmapa had travelled to the US on an
No restriction on offering prasad to God, UP Minister on marijuana use at Kumbh Mela
There cannot be a restriction on 'prasad' being offered to the Gods, Uttar Pradesh Minister for Civil Aviation Nand Gopal Gupta said on Thursday, when asked if the government would continue to allow the use of marijuana during the 2019 Kumbh Mela celebrations.
Modi to kick-off 2019 polls campaign on Jan 6 in Kerala
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will arrive at Pathanamthitta in Kerala on January 6 to kick-off the campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, a senior BJP leader said on Thursday.
Cops identify 5 members of group which attacked Christians
Police in western Maharashtra have identified five members of a radical group which attacked a Christian gathering in Kolhapur district, an official said Thursday. The group members hail from Belgaum city and rural area in Karnataka, police said. "We have identified at least five members of the group with the help of CCTV footage. We have their names and addresses and are search for them," Superintendent of Police, Kolhapur, Abhinav Deshmukh, told PTI. Police formed several teams, including one from the crime branch, to investigate the case, Deshmukh said. "We are seeking help of the Karnataka police as well," he added. A Christian gathering was attacked on December 23 during Sunday prayers in a small village in Kolhapur district. The incident took place at the New Life Church in Kowad village ahead of Christmas. A group of around 40 people was offering prayers when around 15-20 people barged into the church. With their faces covered, they threatened the victims and ...
Will appeal govt not to interfere in religious matter: Cong on Triple Talaq Bill discussion in Lok Sabha
Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday said they will appeal to the government not to interfere in religious matter when the Lok Sabha discusses the Triple Talaq matter today."We will take part in the discussion and keep forward our opinion. We will appeal to the government that it should not interfere in a religious matter," Kharge told ANI.Lok Sabha will take up The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018 today for consideration and passing.Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad will move the Bill which aims at making instant divorce illegal, a practice followed by a section of Muslims.On Tuesday, the BJP issued a whip to its Lok Sabha members to be present in the House on December 27 when the Bill to ban instant triple talaq is taken up for discussion and is likely to be put to vote.The three-line whip is a strict instruction to the Members of Parliament from their respective party which necessitates their presence in the House and participates in .
'Ayyappa Jyothi' participants line up with lit lamps on 795-km stretch
More than a million people stood with a lit lamp from the northern most district of Kasargode to the southern tip in the state capital to protest against the Pinarayi Vijayan government's attempt to dilute the traditions of the Sabarimala temple.
After Namaz row, Noida admin disallows Hindu religious event
Couple of days after denying permission to offer Namaz in public parks in Gautam Budh Nagar, Greater Noida Authority officials, along with Noida police, on Wednesday removed a tent placed for a Hindu religious event on a government land in Sector 37 here, an officer said.
'Thanka Anki' reaches Sabarimala temple
: Amid high security, the ceremonial procession carrying the sacred 'Thanka Anki' (golden attire), to be worn by Lord Ayyappa, the presiding deity of the Sabarimala temple,reached here Wednesday evening. The procession, which had set off four days ago from the Sree Parthasarthy temple at Aranmula, reached the Lord Ayyappa temple by around 6.30 PM, temple sources said. Lord Ayyappa would adorn the sacred attire tomorrow for the 'Mandala pooja'. After the 'Athazha pooja' in the evening, the shrine will be closed for two days, marking the culmination of the 41-day pilgrimage season, the first phase of the annual festivities. The shrine will re-open on December 30 for the 'Makaravillaku' festival, which falls on Januaury 14. Meanwhile, during this mandala puja season, 32 lakh pilgrims have so far trekked to the hill shrine, A Padmakumar, president, Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB), which manages the temple, said. During this pilgrim season, there has been a dip in the ...
Owaisi attacks UP govt over 'namaz' order
AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday hit out at the Uttar Pradesh Government over a Noida police order against offering of Friday prayers at a local park, saying it was "showering petals on Kanwariyas" (devotees of Lord Shiva) but was issuing notice to Muslim faithful who want to offer prayers in public places. The police in Noida had recently sent notices to 23 private firms located under its jurisdiction, asking them to stop Muslim employees from offering Friday 'namaz' (prayers) at a local park. The district administration had Tuesday said "unauthorised" religious gatherings would not be allowed at public places. Slamming the order, Owaisi tweeted, "UP cops literally showered petals for Kanwariyas, but namaz once a week can mean disrupting peace & harmony," "This is telling Muslims: aap kuch bhi karlo, ghalti to aapki hi hogi (No matter what you do, you will be in the wrong," the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader said. "Also, by law, how does one hold
UK launches review on global persecution of Christians
Britain has launched a review into the persecution of Christians worldwide in response to a surge in violence against members of the faith, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced Wednesday. The report will make recommendations on steps the government can take to better support persecuted Christians. The Foreign Office cited a "dramatic rise" in violence that saw 215 million Christians face persecution for their faith last year. Women and children are particularly vulnerable and often subjected to sexual violence, the ministry said. Last year, on average 250 Christians were killed each month because of their faith, the Foreign Office said. "So often the persecution of Christians is a telling early warning sign of the persecution of every minority," Hunt said. "We can and must do more." The report, due in April, will attempt to map Christian persecution across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, analyse the levels of British government support and suggest a comprehensive policy ...
Roseanne Barr to address Israeli parliament
Actress Roseanne Barr says she will be travelling to Israel in January and has been invited to address the country's parliament.
Kolkata celebrates Christmas with great enthusiasm
Decked with beautiful chains of fairy lights, Christmas trees and colourful paraphernalia, the aroma of cakes filled the air as the eastern metropolis celebrated Christmas with fervour on Tuesday.
Muslims better off in Gujarat than other states: Rupani
Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani Tuesday claimed the condition of Muslims living in the state was better than anywhere else in the country. Accusing the Congress of creating a rift between Hindus and Muslims, Rupani said the "votebank politics" in the country should come to an end now. Rupani was speaking in Gandhinagar after inaugurating the renovated office of state Waqf Board. Referring to the Sachar Committee report, Rupani, according to an official press release, said the condition of Muslims in BJP-ruled Gujarat was better than any other part of the country. The report had examined the socio-economic and educational status of the Muslim community in India. "For over 50 years, the Congress treated Muslims as mere votebank, as a result Muslims lagged behind in education, employment and in terms of economic development," the statement quoted Rupani as saying. The chief minister said the formation of the Sachar Committee to examine the condition of minorities by the then Congress
Discussion on Triple Talaq Bill in LS on Dec 7, BJP issues whip to MPs
BJP on Tuesday issued a whip to its Lok Sabha members to be present in the House on December 27 when the Triple Talaq Bill will be taken up for discussion and is likely to be put to vote.The three-line whip is a strict instruction to the Members of Parliament from their respective party which necessitates their presence in the House and participates in the voting. Any breach of the whip has serious consequences including disciplinary action against the violators of the whip.The fresh Triple Talaq Bill aims to make the practice of instant triple talaq among Muslims an offence under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) with the provision of three-year jail for the husband. The Bill, which was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 17, will replace the ordinance issued by the Central government in September, banning the instant triple talaq.With the Lok Sabha failing to function properly due to disruptions ever since the Winter Session began on December 11, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan on last Friday
Christmas celebrated across the nation with fervour and gaiety (Roundup)
Christmas, marking the birth of Jesus Christ, was on Tuesday celebrated with fervour and gaiety across the country with lakhs of people thronging churches since morning to celebrate the day.
We should learn from Christians how to serve humanity: Dalai Lama
Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama on Tuesday said the Buddhists should learn from the Christians how to serve the humanity.