Page 91 - Religion Belief
Singer TM Krishna's concert postponed
According to sources, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia contacted Krishnan in this regard and the singer has also accepted the invitation
'Italian agents' facilitated religious conversions: Adityanath
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Thursday stoked a controversy by making a veiled attack against former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, saying "agents from Italy" facilitated religious conversions of local tribal people when the party was in power in the state. Addressing a campaign rally here for the second phase of Assembly polls in Chhattisgarh, Adityanath said, "Italy se ayatit saudagar" (agents imported from Italy) undertook "anti-national" activities like conversion of tribals in the state. His "Italy se ayatit saudagar" remark was a veiled reference to Gandhi's origins. Attacking the Congress over alleged minority appeasement, Adityanath said the "anti-national activity of religious conversion" reached its peak when the party ruled the state. "Anti-national activities were at its peak. Dilip Singh Judeo (late BJP MP) took this menace head on and stopped Jashpur from becoming another Bastar," he said, "The Hindu society offers milk even to snakes despite knowing ..
Hindutva can not be blamed on Hinduism: N Ram
Hindutva is a "political project" and its rise can not be blamed on Hinduism, senior journalist N Ram said here Thursday. Ram was speaking at a panel discussion on 'Hindu Hinduism Hindutva' at Tata Literature Live festival. "Hindutva is a political project and its founders made it clear. But don't confuse Hindutva with Hinduism," he said. "Hindutva can not be blamed on Hinduism. Hindutva is a political project and cynically used," Ram added. Former Rajya Sabha member and national spokesperson of Janata Dal (United) Pavan Verma, who was also part of the panel, said "a handful of people" have appropriated the right to speak for all Hindus. "There are many shades and aspects of Hinduism which can be used to counter Hindutva," Verma said. "There are handful of people who say to other Hindus that if you don't behave in a certain manner, you are not a Hindu in our definition," he said. The prime concern of most Hindus is their economic well-being, he said. Writer and founder and
Baijal offers chaadar at Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaaki
Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal offered floral chaadar at Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki shrine in Mehrauli as part of celebrations of "Phool Waalon Ki Sair" festival. The week-long festival, celebrated as a symbol of composite culture, is attended by Hindus and Muslims together. "The Lt Governor of Delhi, Anil Baijal, offered floral chaadar at dargah of Khwaja Bakhtiar "Kaaki" in Mehrauli," the LG office said in a statement. It stated that the festival is known for communal harmony. Earlier this week, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said that Phool Waalon Ki Sair plays a very important role in bringing people closer to each other and promoting peace and love in the society.
Ukrainian church attacked with Molotov cocktails after split
A landmark Kiev church was attacked on Thursday with Molotov cocktails, an official said, as tensions flare over a split between the Ukrainian and Russian Orthodox Churches. Last month, Kiev voted to hand over Saint Andrew's Church to the Istanbul-based Ecumenical Patriarchate, which earlier agreed to recognise the independence of the Ukrainian Church from Moscow. "Molotov cocktails were thrown at the doors" of the church, Kiev-loyal Archbishop Eustratius wrote on Facebook. The unknown assailants did not cause any serious damage to the building but they had used "force and gas spray" against a security guard, he added. Eustratius accused Moscow of being behind the violence. Kiev police said they were investigating the case. Built in the 18th century on a picturesque hill in the centre of the capital, Saint Andrew's is now a museum and has not been used for services since 2015. The Orthodox church in Ukraine is divided between a branch whose clerics pledge loyalty to Moscow and one ...
Chinese bishop 'missing' despite Vatican deal
A bishop in eastern China belonging to the Vatican-aligned unofficial church has gone missing, sources told AFP on Thursday, despite a historic accord reached between Beijing and the Holy See barely two months ago. The September deal paved the way for a rapprochement between the Vatican and the Communist country. The pair broke off diplomatic ties in 1951. There are an estimated 10 million Catholics in China, divided between a government-run association whose clergy are chosen by the Communist Party and the unofficial church which swears allegiance to the Vatican. But regardless of the warming ties, those who work closely with the unofficial church say a clampdown by local authorities is ongoing. They fear the repeated disappearance of Bishop Shao Zhumin of Wenzhou diocese in Zhejiang province is one sign of increasing governmental control on religious worship. Shao has not been reachable for at least a week, said a Chinese priest who previously worked in an underground church in ...
Tradition, devotees' sentiments should be respected in Sabarimala: Sri Sri
Spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on Thursday said tradition and sentiments of the devotees should be respected on the issue of entry of women of all age groups in Sabarimala and gender equality need not be applied on matters relating to the Lord Ayyappa temple. Kerala has witnessed widespread protests by Ayyappa devotees after the state government said it was bound to implement the Supreme Court's verdict that lifted the centuries-old ban on the entry of women in the 10-50 age group to the temple, whose deity Lord Ayyappa is considered to be celibate. Any change on matters relating to religion and faith should be done after consultations with spiritual leaders, Sri Sri said. There are several temples dedicated to Lord Ayyappa in the country and women are not barred anywhere else except in the hill shrine in Kerala. "Then, it is a tradition...and people's sentiments are also there...we have to respect it..." Sri Sri Ravi Shankar told PTI in an interview here. "It is not a matter ..
West Bengal govt respects all religions: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said her government respects all religions and schools of thought. The CM, on the occasion of World Philosophy Day, wrote in a Twitter post that tolerance is instrumental in the progress of civilisation. "Today is World Philosophy Day. We respect all schools of thought. We respect all religions. Tolerance is the key to the progress of civilisation. My best wishes to all," Banerjee wrote on her Twitter handle. In order to renew the national, subregional, regional and international commitment to philosophy, the UNESCO introduced the World Philosophy Day in 2002.
Catholic bishops' meeting nears end, no vote on abuse plan
US Catholic bishops made clear their frustrations Wednesday as a national assembly focused on clergy sex-abuse neared its conclusion without strong new steps to combat the multifaceted crisis. Avoiding any direct confrontation with the Vatican, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops ended the public sessions of its three-day meeting without any vote on two major anti-abuse proposals that had been drafted weeks ago. On the eve of this week's meeting, the Vatican issued a surprise order for such action to be delayed until after a global meeting on sex abuse scheduled for February. "The decision of the Holy See to constrain us did allow a limited response," Bishop Christopher Coyne of Burlington, Vermont said. "All of us are disappointed that we weren't able to do as much as we wanted." The US Catholic church has been grappling with sex-abuse scandals for many years, but events this year have taken a heavy toll on the leadership's credibility. In August, a grand jury report in ...
Agarwal named new Ghaziabad police chief
In a late night reshuffle on Wednesday, the Uttar Pradesh government transferred Ghaziabad district police chief Vaibhav Krishna, a home department spokesman said.
Indian-origin MP in UK calls for decisive action against temple burglaries in London
A veteran Indian-origin MP in the UK has urged the British government to take a decisive action against the recent burglaries at two temples in London and treat them as a hate crime. Virendra Sharma, a Labour Party MP who represents the suburb of Ealing Southall which has a sizeable population of the Indian-origin people, raised the issue during Justice Questions in the House of Commons on Tuesday following break-ins at two Swaminarayan temples in north London. "Within the last week, two separate Hindu Temples, Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Willesden and Shree Kutch Satsang Swaminarayan Temple in Kenton, have been broken into and religious icons have been stolen," Sharma said during questions addressed to UK Secretary of State for Justice David Gauke. "Can the minister confirm that this will be treated as a hate crime, and not just ignored by the police, since it targeted people of one faith," he asked. The minister condemned the robberies and said that the specific incidents were a ...
When city airport shut operations for Gods
: A few flights were rescheduled, some cancelled as the international airport here halted its operations for five hours Wednesday night to enable the bi-annual centuries-old ceremonial procession of the famous Padmanabha Swamy temple to pass through the runway. At least four flights were rescheduled, two cancelled as the take-off and landing operations came to a halt at the airport here between 4 p.m and 9 p.m to allow the traditional "Aaratu" procession of the temple, airport sources said. The processional idols of the temple deities are carried to the sea behind the airport for a holy dip twice a year in a ceremonial march, which has been taking this route even before the airport was established in 1932. The airport issues a NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) twice every year before the runway is closed during the bi-annual Alpashy festival which falls in October-November and the Panguni festival in March-April. The present head of the royal family of erstwhile Travancore, Sree .
Catholic Bishops' Conference working on action plan to foster church unity
The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) will undertake various activities to foster unity and seek support of the laity in the light of various challenges faced by the church. The CBCI Council for Laity said an action plan is being formulated for the purpose of unity in church and to foster support and protection of the faithful. "This is needed in the light of the various challenges faced by the church in India, to exercise and propagate her freedom as enshrined in the Constitution," said a statement from Shaiju Chacko, office secretary of the Council for Laity. The council has also called upon the faithful and churches to stand unified to face the "challenges against" their faith and morals. It also plans to form a 'National Laity Team' with representations from the 174 Catholic Dioceses to serve as the "Laity face of the Church" in India, it said.
Trupti Desai says will visit Sabarimala temple on Nov 17
Social activist Trupti Desai said Wednesday she would visit the Sabarimala temple, which saw frenzied protests from devotees against the Supreme Court's decision to allow women of all ages to offer prayers, with six other women in the 10-50 age group on Saturday. The Lord Ayyappa shrine will re-open for the two-month-long Madala-Makkarvilakku puja on Saturday. Desai, who spearheaded the campaign for women to be allowed into various religious places, including Shani Shingnapur temple, the Haji Ali Dargah, the Mahalakshmi Temple and the Trimbakeshwar Shiva Temple, in an email to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan sought security as she fears an attack on her life during her visit to the hill shrine. "We will not return to Maharashtra without darshan at the Sabarimala temple," she said, adding, "We have faith in the government that it will provide security for us." It is the responsibility of the state government and the police to provide protection and take us to the temple as the ..
Hindus believe SC decision will be in Ram temple favour: VHP
Hindus have faith that the Supreme Court will rule in favour of construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) international vice president Champat Rai said Wednesday. He told reporters here that the people of the country should understand the sentiments of the Hindus. "The struggle for the construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya has been going on for 500 years and now the wait is unbearable," Rai said. "Hindus have faith that the Supreme Court will rule in favour of construction of the Ram temple in Ayodhya," he said. He said on November 25, the VHP would organise a Dharm Sabha in Ayodhya and one lakh people would participate in it. In similar event later in New Delhi, over 5 lakh people were expected, he claimed, adding it was being organised to apprise about the sentiments of the Hindus to the government and the court. Replying to a question, he said the work to carve stones for the Ram temple had been completed.
Sabarimala Case: SC refuses urgent hearing, fixes matter for Jan 22
The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to give an urgent hearing to a petition seeking a stay on the top court's order allowing women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala Temple in Kerala.Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi refused to take up the plea on an urgent basis and stated that the matter would be heard on January 22. "We'll hear the matter only on Jan 22," he said.The top court on Tuesday had agreed to hear review petitions against its September 28 verdict that lifted the age-old ban on entry of women in menstruating ages into the holy shrine of Lord Ayappa.The bench comprising CJI Ranjan Gogoi, Justice RF Nariman, Justice AM Khanwilkar, Justice DY Chandrachud, and Justice Indu Malhotra is scheduled to hear 49 petitions on January 22.On the other hand, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has stated that the State Government will take legal opinion before proceeding in the matter."The Supreme Court has clearly said that its verdict allowing entry of women between age .
Trump draws flak for leaving out Hindus in Diwali tweets
United States President Donald Trump on Tuesday made a resounding error while tweeting about the Diwali celebrations at the White House.In a glaring error, President Trump completely missed out mentioning the main and largest religious group which celebrates Diwali, that is, Hindus, while giving out his Diwali greetings.Taking to micro-blogging site Twitter, Trump wrote, "Today, we gathered for Diwali, a holiday observed by Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains throughout the United States and around the world. Hundreds of millions of people have gathered with family and friends to light the Diya and to mark the beginning of a New Year."Along with the tweet, President Trump also shared pictures of him participating in the Diwali ceremonial lighting of the Diya and a YouTube link of the celebrations.The mistake of missing Hindu religious group was immediately pointed out to the US President by Twitteratis. A large number of Twitter users criticised Trump by commenting upon his tweet or quoting ..
Kerala CM calls for all-party meet on Sabarimala
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has called for an all-party meeting to discuss the issues related to Sabarimala Temple ahead of pilgrim season.The all-party meet will be organised on November 15.Interestingly, the call for the meeting by the Kerala Chief Minister comes days after he had accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders from the state of conniving to create trouble in Sabarimala.On November 9, Vijayan asserted that evidence has surfaced pointing that the BJP leaders in the state connived to create trouble in Sabarimala. "The odious politics and perfidious ways of BJP stand exposed. Evidence has surfaced that BJP leaders in the state connived to create trouble in Sabarimala," he had said.Last Monday, the Kerala government had also submitted an affidavit in the High Court on Sabarimala Temple issue stating that it never interfered in religious matters and rituals in connection with the same.The state government had also stated that some political parties with their
Twitter storm rages over Trump's Diwali tweet
US President Donald Trump's tweet calling Diwali a "holiday observed by Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains" have started a raging twitter storm over his apparent omission of Hindus, the members of the first and largest religion to observe it.
4-day-long Chhath Puja concludes with oblation to rising sun
The four-day long Chhath Puja celebrations concluded on Monday after lakhs of people across India and the world paid oblation to the rising sun.The festival, which is celebrated across various states-primarily in Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh, began on Sunday and concluded today after devotees offered 'arhgya' to the rising Sun and ended their 36-hour long fast.The Chhath Puja is celebrated on the sixth day of the Kartik month of the Hindu calendar which also happens to be the fourth day after Diwali.As per the Hindu tradition, devotees worship the Sun God and his wife Usha to express gratitude and seek their blessings.According to Hindu mythology, Draupadi, the common wife of the Pandavas, was unhappy and troubled. In order to get rid of suffering, she was advised to pray Sun God and observe Chhath Puja. She observed the fast and got rid of her sufferings.Another story about the festival revolves around Lord Ram and Goddess Sita. It is believed that the Goddess observed this ...