Page 88 - Religion Belief
TN Guv, Palaniswami extend Meelad-un-Nabi greetings to Muslims
Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Chief Minister K Palaniswami Tuesday extended greetings to the Muslim community on the eve of Meelad-Un-Nabi, the birth anniversary of Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). In a statement, the governor said the prophet stood for human values such as discipline, kindness, compassion and charity. "I extend my heartiest greetings and best wishes to all our Muslim brothers and sisters," he said. The Chief Minister in his greetings recalled the services provided by the AIADMK government for the benefit of the Muslim community. "The government led by late J Jayalalithaa has taken various steps including providing Haj subsidy", he noted.
Pak issues visas to over 3800 Sikh pilgrims for attending Guru Nanak birth anniversary celebrations
Pakistan has issued visas to over 3,800 Sikh pilgrims to participate in the birthday anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev there from November 21-30. These visas are in addition to those issued to Sikh pilgrims participating in the event from other countries, the Pakistan High Commission here said in a statement on Tuesday. "This is by far the largest number of visas issued in recent years to Sikh yatrees for Baba Guru Nanak's birth anniversary celebrations, well beyond the maximum number of 3000, mutually agreed between the two countries for this event," the statement said. Under the framework of the Pakistan-India Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines of 1974, a large number of Sikh pilgrims from India visit Pakistan to observe various religious festivals and occasions every year, it said. According to Pakistan High Commissioner Sohail Mahmood, this was a "special gesture" by the Pakistan government in view of Guru Nanak's 550th anniversary celebrations commencing from this ..
Rumours of couple's plan to visit Sabarimala shrine sparks protest
Devotees opposing the entry of women of menstrual age into the Sabarimala temple Tuesday raised a banner of protest following rumours that a young couple reached here for visiting the hill shrine. However, the issue was resolved when the couple from Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh informed the protesters that they were not going to Sabarimala, officials said. Devotees, comprising women in large numbers, had assembled at Erumeli, about 50 km from the hill shrine, following information that the couple were travelling in a Sabarimala-bound Kerala state transport corporation bus. The devotees started their protest when the bus reached the station here. Police threw a security ring around the duo. Protesters followed them when they went to the Erumeli temple to offer prayers. Erumeli is an important pilgrim centre associated with the Lord Ayyappa hill shrine. The couple left for Chengannur in Alappuzha district after informing protesters that they came to Kerala to offer prayers in various ..
Chardham Yatra ends as Badrinath portals closed for winter
Amid special prayers and chanting of Vedic hymns before hundreds of devotees braving cold winds, the annual Chardham Yatra in Uttarakhand came to an end Tuesday with the ceremonial closure of gates of the Badrinath temple. The portals of the shrine were closed at 3.21 pm after special pujas were performed by chief priest Ishwari Prasad Namboodiri to the presiding deity Lord Vishnu in the presence of a host of temple committee officials, Badri-Kedar Mandir Samiti CEO B D Singh said. Soon after the temple gates were closed, an idol of Lord Vishnu, kept in a flower-laden palanquin, was taken to Narsingh Mandir, Joshimath, where the deity will be worshipped during winter. Over5,000 devotees thronged the temple on the last day of the yatra season, including Yoga guru Ramdev and Pradesh BJP president Ajay Bhatt, as its sacred portals were closed for winter when the temple remains snow-bound, he said. A total of over 10 lakh pilgrims visited the Himalayan temple this year with 5,237 paying ..
President greets nation on Milad-un-Nabi
President Ram Nath Kovind on Tuesday greeted the nation on the occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi, the birthday of Prophet Mohammed.
Sabarimala row: Kerala Human Rights Commission visit Pamba
A three-member team of Kerala Human Rights Commission (KHRC) reached Pamba in Sabarimala on Tuesday to look into the allegations that there were gross human rights violations at Sabarimala Sannidhanam, Nilackal and Pamba.The KHRC recently directed the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) and other local authorities to ensure that basic facilities were provided to Lord Ayyappa devotees in and around the temple complex.The pilgrims take a dip in the rivulet before ascending to the Sabarimala hilltop for the 'darshan' of Lord Ayyappa. Many people find this water body polluted with even faeces being discharged into it.The state's human rights commission, after receiving complaints about the deplorable conditions, took a strong view of the situation around the shrine, which is thronged by millions of devotees.Meanwhile, the political storm around the Sabarimala Temple row is not dissipating.Some followers of Lord Ayyappa- the deity of the temple- are angry with the recent Supreme Court decision
Wish it's my last visit to Ram Lalla in tent: Bhaiyyaji Joshi
"Sah Karyavahak" of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) Bhaiyyaji Joshi on Monday prayed at the makeshift temple of Lord Ram at the disputed site in Ayodhya and wished this was his last "Darshan" of the deity under a tent.
Minor protest breaks out at Sabarimala
A minor protest broke out at the Sabarimala Temple late Monday night after 20 pilgrims were asked to move out of the shrine's 'vavarunada' area, a high sensitive zone, police said. However, the protesters were soon pacified by the police and taken to Nadapanthal area, a covered pathway in front of the temple, Superintendent of Police (special officer) Pratheesh Kumar said. On the third day of the two month-long pilgrimage season, the devotees started agitating when they were asked to move out of 'vavarunada' due to the imposition of section 144 that prohibits assembly of more than four people at a spot, he said. The devotees stopped their protest but complained that the newly allotted place was not clean. Earlier in the day, 69 people, who had protested in the high security zone at the shrine Sunday night, were remanded in 14 days of judicial custody. Activists of the BJP, Yuva Morcha and other right-wing outfits also stepped up protests across Kerala against the late night police ...
Spanish Catholic Church wants to 'eradicate' sexual abuse
Spain's Catholic Church wants to "eradicate" cases of sexual abuse of minors within the church and not cover them up, the president of the Spanish bishops' conference said Monday. As in other countries, Spain's Catholic hierarchy is under pressure from local scandals and cases elsewhere that have seen critics accusing it of dragging its feet in delivering a response to abuse allegations. "The Church openly recognises cases of abuse of different nature and has taken the firm decision to eradicate them," Cardinal Ricardo Blazquez Perez of Valladolid, president of the Spanish bishops' conference told a gathering of bishops in Madrid. "Abuse should not be covered up nor should it be met with the wrong answer," he added. In his address, the cardinal also cited the conclusions of a month-long meeting, or synod of Church leaders from around the world held last month in Rome saying: "Confronting the issue of abuse in all its aspects...could be an opportunity for a historical reform." Last ...
CM urges parties, SGPC chief to celebrate 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday appealed to all political parties, religious and social organisations to set aside "petty considerations" to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in a "befitting manner". Amarinder Singh urged the 'sant samaj' (the fraternity of seers) to come forward in prevailing upon the leaders of these parties and organisations to ensure their participation for commemoration of the historic event. He also urged SGPC president Gobind Singh Longowal to join hands with the state government to make the 550th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev a "grand success". The chief minister solicited cooperation from all organisations in the development of the historical town of Sultanpur Lodhi associated with the first Sikh Guru as holy city. "The life and philosophy of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was the common heritage of Punjab and therefore all the political/religious parties/groups/individuals should sink their political ...
Rahul can't differentiate between temple and mosque: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday took a jibe at Congress president Rahul Gandhi, stating that he could not differentiate between a temple and a mosque.Adityanath said that despite so many temple visits, Rahul Gandhi had to be told by a priest that he had come to a temple and not a mosque when he was spotted sitting on his knees in a temple."In a temple, you need to sit by crossing your legs. One should not sit as if he were performing 'namaz' inside a temple. No matter how much he tries to defend himself by claiming that he wears the sacred thread, he has failed and the truth is out in front of everyone," Adityanath said while addressing an election rally here.He also accused the Congress party of encouraging Naxals, extremists, and militants in the garb of development.Lauding the BJP, he said that the party has done a lot to uplift the state's people in a short time.Taking pride in renaming Allahabad to Prayagraj, he said that earlier the people used to go to ...
Govt to set up a National Institute of Inter-Faith Studies in Punjab
The Centre will set up a first-of-its-kind institute of Inter-Faith Studies in Punjab to promote brotherhood and diversity as part of the year-long activities to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak, Union minister Mahesh Sharma said Monday. The activities will begin from November 23 and go on for a year, the Union Culture minister said, adding the decision was taken at a meeting of the National Implementation Committee (NIC) headed by Home Minister Rajnath Singh earlier this month. The government will also develop Sultanpur Lodhi in Punjab where Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, is believed to have spent most of his life. The area will be developed as a heritage city incorporating 'Pind Babe Nanak Da'. A high powered telescope will be installed in Indian territory to view Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan where the first Sikh guru spent his last days, Sharma said. "We will set up an institute for inter-faith studies in Punjab on the lines of the teachings of Guru Nanak ..
Govt to instal high-powered telescope for devotees of Kartarpur Sahib
A high-powered telescope will be installed along the Indo-Pak border for devotees to view Kartarpur Sahib in Punjab, one of the holiest shrines of Sikhs. The government Monday also announced that a commemorative coin and postage stamps will be released as part of a series of activities planned to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. The Ministry of Electronics and IT will install a high-powered telescope in India for the devotees to view Kartarpur Sahib in Pakistan, while the Railways Ministry will run a train, which will pass through places associated with the Sikh guru, a Home Ministry statement said. The issue of Kartarpur Sahib came into focus after Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu visited Pakistan in August to attend the oath-taking ceremony of his cricketer-turned-politician friend Imran Khan as prime minister of that country. After his return, Sidhu claimed that Pakistan Army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa had told him that Pakistan may open a corridor to Kartarpur ...
Congress-led opposition to intensify stir over Sabarimala
With the BJP-RSS going hammer and tongs at the Pinarayi Vijayan government over the way the police is handling the Sabarimala pilgrimage season, the Congress-led United Democratic Front has decided to intensify its protest.
Powerful sheikh steps aside from IOC after forgery charge
World sport powerbroker Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah said he was "temporarily" stepping aside from his International Olympic Committee duties on Monday after he was charged with forgery in Switzerland. The Kuwaiti, one of the most influential figures in international sport, said he "strenuously denies any wrongdoing", calling the allegations "maliciously motivated by political factions within Kuwait". Sheikh Ahmad said he would stop his work with the IOC until he had been investigated by the body's ethics commission. "Sheikh Ahmad has today decided to step aside temporarily from his roles and responsibilities as an IOC member and chairman of Olympic Solidarity Commission, pending the outcome of an IOC Ethics Commission hearing," said a statement from his office.
Sri Sri visits Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi, hails its 'good vibrations'
Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has visited the UAE's largest mosque Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque whose marble pillars have been designed by Indian artisans believed to have worked for the Taj Mahal. Sri Sri, who was on four-day visit to the UAE, visited the mosque on Sunday and hailed its beauty and "good vibrations". Director-General of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre (SZGMC) Yousef Al Obaidly briefed the Art of Living (AOL) founder about the Indian connection of the mosque. The SZGMC director explained to Sri Sri that the white marble pillars, inlaid with floral patterns in the mosque, were inspired and done by the descendants of skilled families from India who are believed to have done similar art work in the Taj Mahal, Art of Living (AOL) officials said. The mosque is third largest in the world after the ones in Mecca and Madina in Saudi Arabia. It is named after the founder and first President of the UAE, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The mosque can ...
Russian Energy Minister Novak says plans to sign OPEC partnership deal
MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak said on Monday that the country was planning to sign a partnership agreement with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and that it would be discussed at OPEC's Dec. 6 meeting.
Situation at Sabarimala worse than emergency: KJ Alphons
Minister of State (MoS) for Tourism, KJ Alphons, who is currently on his way to the Sabarimala Temple, on Monday, said that the situation at the hill-top shrine of Lord Ayyappa is worse than an emergency situation."A situation worse than emergency is happening here, the devotees are not allowed to go up. Section 144 is imposed for no reason," Alphons told ANI."Devotees are not terrorists, why do they need 15000 policemen here?," he added.The Sabarimala Temple reopened on Friday for a 62-day long Mandala Pooja-Magaravilaku annual pilgrimage season.A string of protests was witnessed in Kerala in October when the temple opened for the first time after the Supreme Court passed the order, allowing females of all age group to enter into the shrine. Earlier, the entry of female aged between 10 and 50 years was prohibited into the shrine.This is the third time that the temple has opened after the Apex Court lifted restrictions on women entry. So far 3,505 protestors have been arrested and ...
Chennithala hits out at Ker CM over Sabarimala issue
Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala Monday attacked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the police action against Lord Ayyappa devotees at Sabarimala Sannidhanam and asked if Kerala was under the rule of Hitler. The senior Congress leader alleged the government was trying to "brand" Ayyappa devotees as Sangh Parivar activists and thus helping RSS recruit people to its fold. "It is police high-handedness. Innocent devotees who sought shelter at Valiya Nadappandhal (covered pathway) were also arrested. They all are not Sangh Parivar activists who reached there to create trouble. Is Kerala under the rule of Hitler (Nazi ruler Adolf Hitler)," Chennithala told reporters here. He urged the government to take action only against protesters who reach the hill shrine for disrupting peace there. Arresting real devotees, who climb the hills to offer prayers, could not be accepted, Chennithala said. The temple had opened Friday evening for the 64-day annual pilgrimage .
Kerala protests as 68 Sabarimala pilgrims arrested
Over 60 pilgrims have been arrested from Sabarimala after they failed to comply to prohibitory orders in place at the temple leading to protests here and across Kerala, police said on Monday.