Source: Los Angeles Times

On August 24, 2002 the Los Angeles Times reported that "a Hare Krishna society has won permission to begin clearing a 23-acre parcel for construction of an elaborate temple and cultural center in northern Escondido [California]... Construction plans call for a 32,000-square-foot cultural center and a 7,200-square-foot dormitory for monks and four single-family homes. Two Hindu -style temples are proposed."

Source: India Abroad

On August 23, 2002 India Abroad reported that "Guru Purnima, when students pay obeisance to their teachers, was celebrated by the Bochasanwasi Shree Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha at its temples across the United States and elsewhere."

Source: India Abroad

On August 23, 2002 India Abroad reported that "Hindus of South Asian origin are an increasing presence in American society, now numbering approximately 1,800,000. Hindu communities have settled in most parts of the United States. To maintain religious traditions and celebrate their cultural heritage, they have dedicated some 450 temples in the United States over the past 30 years, with many becoming centers of pilgrimage."

Source: The New York Times

On August 21, 2002 The New York Times reported that Hindu religious leader Swami Satchidananda died on Monday in Madras in South India. He was 87...    He lived in Yogaville, Va., a community he founded, and was in India attending a peace conference... He established ashrams, or places of worship, and yoga training across the United States, including his Light of Truth Universal Shrine (Lotus) on 750 acres on the James River in Virginia."

Source: Hindu Press International

On August 19, 2002, Hindu Press International reported that Swami Satchidananda, "one of the world's most beloved spiritual masters, passed away... From the beginning of his spiritual service, Swami Satchidananda was a leader in the interfaith movement... For more than forty years, he sponsored interfaith worship services and conferences... [He] was the founder and spiritual guide for the worldwide Integral Yoga Institutes... He established Satchidananda Ashram-Yogaville near Charlottesville, Virginia. The community is...

Source: Newsday

On August 18, 2002 Newsday reported on "the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan... The holiday commemorates the enduring relationship between brother and sister, and the sister's gift of the rakhi [a wristband] is her way of honoring her brother's role as her lifelong protector... [The brother], in turn, presents his sister with a gift of jewelry, or clothing, to honor her."

Source: The Boston Globe

On August 17, 2002 The Boston Globe reported that "Harvard University this week named the first Islamicist - and the first layman - to head its venerable divinity school... A professor of Middle Eastern studies and religion history, William A. Graham is a recognized authority on the Koran and early Islamic literature. He has also studied Hindu and Buddhist texts. He speaks Arabic, French, and German fluently and reads Greek, Latin, Dutch, Italian, Turkish, Persian, Sanskrit, and Pali, a Buddhist scriptural language."

Source: The Columbus Dispatch

On August 16, 2002 The Columbus Dispatch reported that "for millennia, religions have addressed workplace ethics and business conduct. In recent months, however, such issues have been given heightened attention because of corporate scandals, widespread layoffs and the vast influence of corporations... Lama Kathy Wesley of the Karma Thegsum Choling Buddhist Meditation Center on the West Side, said people in her temple often come to her with questions about work relationships and duties. They sometimes express anxiety about...

Source: New York Daily News

On August 14, 2002 the New York Daily News reported on a new basketball league experiment in Midwood, New York. The area has "long an enclave of Orthodox and conservative Jewish families - and, more recently, thousands of Pakistani Muslims and Indian Hindus... As waves of hatred and terror continue to flare in the Middle East, they are an experiment in peace." The league is a joint effort of the Council of Pakistan Organization and local Police. "'If they play together, they live together, spend hours together, the hatred may...

Source: India Abroad

On August 9, 2002 India Abroad featured an article on a new book by Mahalingum Kolapen documenting Hindu temples across the United States. The book, co-published by the Hindu University of America and the Hindu Temple Council of North America, "contains 320 full color pages of photographs and line drawings of 28 temples in the U.S. and two in Canada, and includes not only temples from the Hindu tradition, but also representative samples of Jain, Sikh and Buddhist temples.... 'In publishing this book, we are celebrating the need for...

Source: India Abroad

On August 9, 2002, India Abroad featured an article on the expansion plans for the Hindu University of America in Florida. The current President, Bhudev Sharma, says the university will be "' a broad-based, broad-minded university, which would be open not only to Hindus but to anybody who wants to come and learn true Indian studies'... Sharma said the need was primarily seen among Hindus living in the United States and desirous of a scholarly exposure to their culture and faith." The university plans to offer academic graduate programs...

Source: The Times of India

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow.asp?artid=18486173

On August 8, 2002, The Times of India reported in their West edition that U.S. "Congressman Gary Ackerman has joined the campaign for the issuance of a US postage stamp to commemorate Diwali... 'For Hindus, the holiday of Diwali is comparable in magnitude to Christmas for Christians,' Ackerman said in a letter to Dr. Virginia Noelke, chairperson of the US Citizens...

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/metro/0802/06arabic.html

On August 6, 2002 The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that "in the post-Sept. 11 world... the demand is high for experts in Middle Eastern studies, religion and languages. Schools that had seen limited student interest in basic religion, philosophy and history courses are finding their classes overbooked since the Sept. 11 attacks and escalating...

Source: The Atlanta Journal and Constitution

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ajc/news/0802/04teranniversary.html

On August 4, 2002 The Atlanta Journal and Constitution reported that "the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on America will be commemorated with tolling bells, common prayers and moments of silence... Sept. 11 is expected to be a time for public grieving and spiritual connection... Muslim...

Source: The Dallas Morning News

On August 3, 2002 The Dallas Morning News reported that Muslims suing McDonald's for their use of non-halal beef flavoring on their french fries opted out of the settlement negotiated by other angry groups including Hindus. "About 2,000 Muslims let the court know they would opt out of the settlement... Formal meetings between the two sides" will continue.