Author: Annie Barnard

Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/04/nyregion/04cremate.html?em

Friends and family remember Shafayet Reja as an affectionate young man who stayed up late to write poetry, danced exuberantly at weddings and explored the faiths of his father and mother with an openheartedness that led him to declare on his Facebook page, “I never get tired of learning the new things that life has to offer....

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Associated Press

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/02/AR2008100203298_pf.html

A group of parents and religious leaders in upstate New York want yoga classes out of public schools, saying the instruction violates boundaries between church and state.

Two high school teachers began using yoga last year to help students relieve stress before exams....

Author: Staff Writer

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7641247.stm

Anti-Christian riots have rocked several parts of India over the past month. The BBC's Soutik Biswas travels to a remote region in the eastern Orissa state, where it all began, to explore the touchy issue of religious conversions.

Sixty-year-old Indian farmer Kanduri Digal says he converted to Christianity a decade ago because he found "it a very useful...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7642798.stm

Nepal's new Maoist-led government has authorised the appointment of a six-year-old girl to be a "living goddess" in the temple town of Bhaktapur.

For centuries "Kumaris" in several towns in the Kathmandu valley were appointed by the head priest of the monarchy.

This is the first time the appointment has been carried out by anyone else.
...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: DFW India Cultural Society

http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/10/hindu-festival-of-lights-to-be.html

DFW Indian Cultural Society(DFWICS) is organizing the third Diwali Mela on Saturday, October 18, 2008 from 4-11pm at the Texas Stadium in Irving, TX. The hugely popular event is expected to attract more than 50,000 people from not just DFW but other neighboring cities in...

Author: Soutik Biswas

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7637087.stm

Anti-Christian riots have rocked several parts of India over the past month. The BBC's Soutik Biswas travelled to a remote region in the eastern state of Orissa, where the recent violence broke out, to investigate the complex roots of the conflict.

A narrow ribbon of fraying tar snakes up from the plains of Orissa to the hills of Kandhamal, an unlikely...

Author: Julia Duin

Source: The Washington Times

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/26/attacks-by-hindus-focus-of-protest/

About 100 people, holding signs protesting Hindu-on-Christian violence in the Indian state of Orissa, demonstrated in front of the White House on Thursday to get the attention of visiting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Although there was no sign that anyone in Mr. Singh's...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: India Journal

http://www.indiajournal.com/pages/event.php?id=4639

Taking note of the recent violence against the Christian community in India, the U.S. has asked the Indian government to protect the religious freedom throughout the country.

“We urge all parties to refrain from violence and urge government officials to protect religious freedom throughout India and thus preserve India’s longstanding...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Hindu American Foundation

http://www.hinduamericanfoundation.org/media_press_release_5thDCDAY.htm

Hindu American Foundation (HAF) leaders and dozens of supporters descended on Capitol Hill during the Foundation's fifth annual Government Outreach and Leadership Conference garnering support for their agenda of human rights and religious liberty issues. A dinner reception held within the U.S. Capitol's...

Author: Steve O'Brien

Source: 13 Wham News

http://www.13wham.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=07f759ef-15a6-4699-bffe-23672d4957b7

The Hindu temple of Rochester took more than 20 years to complete, has become a major achievement for the city.

Twenty years ago, Dhananjaya Shetty would never have thought the temple was possible. Over a million dollars later, the Hindu temple of Rochester makes it...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: The Daily Etalaat Kashmir

http://etalaat.com/english/News/news-scan/2852.html

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent, bipartisan federal agency advising the Administration and Congress, sent a letter last Friday to President Bush, urging him to raise pressing concerns about religious freedom in India during his anticipated September 25 meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: BBC News

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/7629100.stm

Moves are under way to set up Aberdeen's first Hindu temple, BBC Scotland has learned.

The Indian Association of North East Scotland is looking for premises, as the closest place for Hindu worship is in Dundee.

Author: Steve Schmadeke

Source: The Chicago Tribune

...

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Don Bosco India

Author: Staff Writer

Source: Thaindian News/ANI

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/hindu-temple-in-midst-of-parking-row-in-us_10097741.html

The Rajdhani Mandir (temple) in Virginias suburban Fairfax County, is in the eye of the storm, not because of religion, race or immigration, but parking.

The temple has attracted the negative attention of county zoning officials following...