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Japanese woman performs Hindu ancestral worship rites in Gaya

September 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Gaya (Bihar), Sep 11(ANI): Tomoko Lee, a Japanese national, offered ‘Pinda Daan’, a Hindu ancestral worship rite in Gaya on Friday.

Lee said that it was dedicated to her grand parents.

“Yes, ‘Pinda Daan’ I have done for my grandfather and grandmother. Grandmother died about two years ago and grandfather died about a half year ago,” Lee said.

Ashok Pandey supervised the rituals. He said Lee may have been impressed by the way Hindus remember their ancestors and resolved to follow suit.

“She developed the urge for performing ‘Pinda Daan’ for her grandparents after seeing the faith of others,” said Pandey.

‘Pinda Daan’ is an annual ritual performed for ancestors.

Lee, a Buddhist, is a research scholar of Indian culture at the University of Tokyo. (ANI)

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Tendong Lho Rum Faat festival celebrated by Lepchas of Sikkim

September 10, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Gangtok (Sikkim), Sep 9(ANI): Hundreds of people came together in Gangtok recently to celebrate Tendong Lho Rum Faat, which is a festival of the indigenous tribe of Sikkim “The Lepchas”.

During the festival, Lepchas offer prayers and worship Mount Tendong; the Kanchenjunga mountain range, that they believe saved them from destruction by floods.

“This festival is more than worshipping the mountain. It shows a strong connection and affinities of Lepchas with Nature. This is not something recent. They have been carrying on this, the worshipping of Nature since time immemorial,” said Sheba Sasm, a local.

To mark the day, quiz, debate and flute competitions were also organised.

Norzang Lepcha, the organiser, said that through the festivals they want to educate youngsters about to try and respect nature as well as to save it.

“Through these festivals and seminars what we are trying to inject in the minds of young generations is to save the nature and to plant more trees, so that the temperature can be maintained. We can come to the natural level of temperature,” Lepcha said.

The festival falls on the 3rd lunar month each year. By Tashi Pradhan(ANI)

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Fascist rocker whips up racist football fans in Croatia

September 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, Sep.8 (ANI): Croatian football chiefs are using a sick fascist hatemonger to whip up a vile racist frenzy among fans ahead of the national team’s match against England at the Wembley stadium on Wednesday.

A Sun investigation today reveals the Croatian FA is behind a cynical campaign encouraging thugs – who will be at Wembley for tomorrow’s match against England – to worship the right-wing nut spreading hatred and Sieg Heil chants on the terraces.

Shocking songs by fascist rocker Marko Perkovic that glorify genocide and Hitler’s death camps are played at Croatia’s home matches. nd his sick slogans are chanted by thousands of fans.

Croatian fans love Perkovic, nicknamed Thompson after the machinegun he used in the Balkans war.

They are notorious for wearing the uniform of the Nazis’ puppet Ustashe regime that ran Croatia during World War II.

The songs are blasted out to crank up intimidation levels inside Zagreb’s Maksimir Stadium. It instantly provokes a fascist fervour as fans – who once formed a human swastika on the terraces – launch into the Sieg Heil salutes popular at Thompson’s concerts. (ANI)

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Pak Govt asked to review blasphemy law

September 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Sep. 2 (ANI): The Pakistan Government has been asked by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights to re-examine the blasphemy law so that incidents like Gojra’s anti-Christian riot can be prevented.

Human Rights Ministry Secretary Farid Khan told Committee chairman PML-Q member Riaz Fatiyana that the Gojra incident reflected “a complete failure of our system.”

The Daily Times quoted Punjab Human Rights Minister Kamran Michael as saying that the government should review the blasphemy law.

He said the law should also be used against those who levelled baseless allegations against others.

PML-N leader Javed Hashmi seconded Michael’s views, and said he regretted that people were languishing in jails for the last eight to ten years under the blasphemy law.

Fatiyana said the killings were a failure on the part of administration and intelligence agencies. He urged the government to take measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

He added that the committee will meet Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, and request him to fix a time period for trial of people arrested under blasphemy law.

Pakistan’s blasphemy law forbids-damaging a place of worship or a sacred object, outraging religious feelings, defiling the Quran and defaming Prophet Mohammed.

The Criminal Code provides penalties for blasphemy up to death and a fine.

Critics have pointed out that the blasphemy law is being used to victimise minorities. (ANI)

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Elephants worship Lord Ganesha in Mudumalai

August 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Mudumalai (Tamil Nadu), Aug.24 (ANI): A group of elephants on Monday worshipped Lord Ganesha at a temple in Mudumalai on the occasion of the ongoing 10-day Ganesha festival.

The unique annual ceremony is being conducted by elephants in Mudumalai Tiger sanctuary for last 25 years.

On this special day, more than 22 camp elephants are brought to the tribal Ganesha temple in a lively musical procession. The elephants are all decked up and adorned with particular ornaments.

Once the elephants reach the temple only two elephants enter the temple premises and perform the puja. They kneel down and worship lord Ganesha, followed by other elephants.

Special food is also served to all the elephants on this day.

According to a forest officer, the ceremony is performed only in Mudumalai sanctuary.

“Worship of Lord Ganesha by elephants at Mudumalai is one of the oldest. This ceremony is only performed here and nowhere else in India, as it is one of the oldest sanctuaries for elephants,” said Halan, Range Officer, Mudumalai Tiger Sanctuary.

Hundreds of tourists from different parts of the country and abroad visit the place to witness unique elephant Puja (ceremony) dedicated to lord Ganesha.

“We just came here yesterday. My sister, brother-in law, my mom ..my whole family is here and it is Vinayak Chaturthi (Hindu festival)…first thing we saw here was beautiful herd of elephants with very nice tusks. We are having great time. It is wonderful for us,” said Sandeep, a tourist. By Jehova G(ANI)

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Ganesha Chaturthi festival charms devotees across the country

August 25, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Bhubaneshwar/ Bangalore, Aug.23 (ANI): On the occasion of Ganesha Chaturthi (birthday), many devotees in different parts of the country like to pay their special obeisance to Lord Ganesha in distinct ways.

In Bhubaneshwar, an artist has sculpted Lord Ganesha idols from soap for the 10-day annual Ganesha Chaturthi which commenced on Sunday (Aug.23).

Rao sculpted different kinds of idols of Lord Ganesha to exhibit them during the festival. Till date, he has sculpted 36 idols with soap.

“Ganesh festival has arrived and so I am sculpting different models of Lord Ganesha from different soaps. During Ganesha festival people including kids will come to watch these idols. I will teach the art free of cost to kids who are interested to learn,” said L. Eshwara Rao, an artisan.

In Bangalore, a man is running a museum where he has exhibited a wide variety of Ganesha idols for people.

S.Tyagarajan is a collector of Ganesha idols and has put on display 2,000 different idols of the deity in his museum.

He started collecting Ganesha idols after the death of his wife who was a devotee of Lord Ganesha.

Tyagarajan procured some of the idols from his friends living overseas. He says that people feel rejuvenated after visiting the museum.

“I see in everybody’s face who come to see my museum happiness. And they say that there is some sort of positive energy and positive aura when they come inside the museum. And some of them say that here they get a sort of feeling that they felt when they meditated when they come in museum,” said S.Tyagarajan, owner of a museum of Lord Ganesha.

Ganesha Chaturthi is one of the most important festivals of Hindus in India.

On the concluding day of the festival, the idols are carried in grand processions and immersed in rivers or seas.

Lord Ganesha, is one of the most revered Gods of Hindus, and is worshipped at the beginning of every auspicious occasion.

Ganesha, as the God of knowledge is described as “Vinayaka”and as remover of obstacles he is called “Vighanharta”. He is worshipped at the beginning of every auspicious occasion for blessings of luck and success.

The son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha has an elephantine countenance with a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being.

He is revered as the Lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles besides being worshipped as the God of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth.

Legend has it once Goddess Parvati, while bathing, created a boy out of the dirt of her body and assigned him the task of guarding the entrance to her bathroom. When Lord Shiva, her husband returned, he was surprised to find a stranger denying him access, and struck off the boy’s head in rage.

Parvati broke down in utter grief and to soothe her, Shiva sent out his squad (gana) to fetch the head of any sleeping being who was facing the north. The company found a sleeping elephant and brought back its severed head, which was then attached to the body of the boy. Shiva restored its life and made him the leader (pati) of his troops.

Hence, his name ‘Ganapati’. Shiva also bestowed a boon that people would worship him and invoke his name before undertaking any venture. By Sarda Lahangir / Jaipal Sharma (ANI)

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Tirupati priest arrested for mortgaging jewellery

August 22, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Tirupati, Aug 22 (ANI): The Andhra Police has detained a priest of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthaanam (TTD) Board here on Saturday after he allegedly mortgaged temple jewellery of worth Rs nine lakh.

The TTD officials as well as the police have questioned the priest. According to sources no case has been registered so far against him.

B.V. Ramana Deekshitulu, who is the chief priest at Kodanda Rama Temple of Tirupati, revealed that he pledged a 530-gram diamond necklace from the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

Speaking to newsmen, Deekshitulu claimed that he pledged the diamond necklace as he was in deep financial crisis and had three daughters to take care off.

“My financial conditions were not good. That is why I had to do this. Nobody is responsible for this. I had only mortgaged this jewellery,” Deekhitalu said.

The Lord Venkateswara Temple at Tirupati is one of the richest and most visited places of worship in the world. (ANI)

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India’s Parsis celebrate ‘Navroz’

August 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Aug 19 (ANI): India’s Zoroastrian Parsi community celebrated the New Year day, ‘Navroz’, with usual fervour here on Wednesday.

Members of the miniscule Parsi community flocked at the Fire Temple to pay respects to their prophet Zarathushtra.

The Parsi New Year is marked by joyous fervour and gaiety.

On this day, Parsis decorate their homes with “torans” or floral garlands and chalk designs. An important part of the celebrations is also the get-togethers with friends and family.

Ten days prior to their New Year, the Parsis have prayers for the dead as they believe the spirits of the dead are present at this time and if remembered, shower their blessings. These prayers are conducted at all fire temples in the city.

“On those ten days, we generally have prayers in our fire temple, which we normally attend. We offer them flowers. We, Parsi, believe in those days, the departed souls come down. We want their blessings at that time. So, we have our prayers and all that,” said Shenaz, a Parsi woman.

The day before ‘Navroz’ is ‘Pateti’ when Parsis dwell on the wrongs or the sins committed by them the previous year. Navroz is also the first day of the first month of the Zoroastrian year.

“It’s the same belief to have when you go and pray in a church. It’s basically you go to pray our prophet, to god to ask him to protect you, protect your family and everything runs smoothly for the year ahead,” said Jahadastoor, a Parsi youth.

Zoroastrianism, the religion of the Parsi community, is one of the oldest revealed religions in the world and the basic tenet is the law of purity and righteousness.

Zoroastrians worship all the natural elements but the most important is fire.

It is estimated that there are 150,000 Parsis in the world, and about 50,000 of them are settled in Mumbai.

According to legend 3000 years ago, Shah Jamshed of the Peshadian dynasty ascended the throne on “Navroz’- ‘nav’ meaning new and ‘roz’ meaning day.

This particular day also came to be known as Jamshed Navroz and is celebrated even in modern times with lot of feasting. (ANI)

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Manipuri traditional dance form Goura Leela staged in Imphal

July 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Imphal, July 12 (ANI): Goura Leela, a traditional performing art form was recently staged in Imphal.

The objective of this gala show, performed over four days, was to promote and conserve the unique dance from going into the oblivion.

Goura Leela, a traditional performing art of Manipur is based on the events that took place in the life of Gauranga Mahaprabhu, an ardent devotee of Lord Krishna and who lived in Nadia region of West Bengal, singing the praises of God and propagating Bhakti Yoga (devotion based worship).

Today, many Hindus in Bengal and Manipur revere him as a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu.

And the entire Goura Leela is based on the life and works of Gaurnaga Mahaprabhu.

Organised under the aegis of International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Manipur chapter, the programme also aimed at infusing the ethos cultural understanding and love among the present day youth.

Many enthusiastic audiences from far-flung places came to witness the performance, which in the recent past had lost popular patronage.

“Children of our society nowadays, the freedom and happiness was taken away by the present atmosphere. So I feel in my mind immediately that … now is the right time to promote this Goura Leela, Sankirtan culture,” said Ajit Das, President, International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Manipur chapter, Imphal.

One of traditional performing arts of Manipur, Goura Leela is believed to have originated during the reign of King Churachand during the 18th century.

The play can be categorised as an opera and is much influenced by Natya Sankritan (devotion through dance and singing hymns). (ANI)

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‘Guru Purnima’ celebrated all over India

July 8, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Allahabad/Shirdi/ Chandigarh, July 7 (ANI): Hundreds of devotees converged on the banks of River Ganges in Allahabad to take a dip at Sangam and offer prayers on the occasion of ‘Guru Purnima’.

“After bathing in the river, we will offer prayers to our guru. Taking a dip at Sangam on this day holds great significance,” said Jagannath Singh, a devotee.

The day of full moon, Purnima, in the month of Ashadh of the Hindu calendar is traditionally celebrated as Guru Purnima. On this day, devotees offer worship to their guru.

While the entire country celebrates Guru Purnima on the full moon day, the festivities related to this occasion commenced earlier at Shirdi in Maharashtra.evotees from across the country and even abroad thronged the shrine of Sai Baba, the revered saint and sought his blessings on the auspicious occasion.

“Many Sai Baba devotees come to Shirdi to observe Guru Purnima,” said Balkrishna Joshi, a temple priest.

According to a legend, Sai Baba was a nameless pauper who took shelter in a mosque in Shirdi but never asked for food or water or sought alms. He rarely spoke.

Curious villagers took pity on this feeble and sparsely clothed man and donated fruits and clothing. And it is said that to their surprise the Fakir (mendicant) shared whatever he got with the destitute and even animals.

Soon the ascetic was named Sai Baba by his admirers. The poor, needy and the destitute from far off began pouring in to seek and share his divine wisdom.

It is also said that during his last days, Sai Baba gave nine coins as blessings, to one of his ardent devotees named Lakshmi Bai, who had served him unfailingly for 45 years.

Lakshmi Bai used to cook meals for Sai Baba and feed him with her hands and the ritual continued till he departed from this world.

The coins are still preserved with reverence by the descendants of Lakshmi Bai. Indeed, these coins are protected with utmost care by the members of the family. (ANI)

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Illegal Indian, Chinese temples to be demolished in Kedah: DAP chief

July 6, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Ipoh (Malaysia), July 6 (ANI): The Democratic Action Party chief of Malaysia’s Kedah state, Thomas Su, has claimed that illegal Hindu and Chinese temples are about to be demolished in the state, and he has evidence to back his claim.

His revelation is set to widen his rift with Kedah Mentri Besar (Chief Minister) Azizan Abdul Razak, who had accused him of stirring up racial issues.

“If the Mentri Besar wants to know, he just needs to call the Alor Setar Datuk Bandar or the exco member in charge,” The Star Online quoted Su, as saying.

Showing a letter, purportedly from the Alor Setar Municipal Council (MBAS), ordering a Hindu temple to move, Su said Azizan should give his undertaking that the temple would not be demolished.

“The DAP never plays race politics. We defend issues of people’s interest regardless of race,” he said

On Saturday, Azizan had claimed that neither the state government nor the MBAS had discussed this a demolition plan.

Su also said issues affecting illegal places of worship should be handled sensitively.

“They are not illegal by choice. The authorities have refused to legalise them,” he said.

He also pointed out that the illegal pig slaughterhouse that was demolished recently was built in the 1970s.

Su also claimed that the party had the support of the people in Alor Setar.

When asked if the Kedah DAP would reconsider its decision to pull out from the Kedah Pakatan Rakyat government, Su said: “There is no turning back.” (ANI)

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Maldives’ islander discovers pre-Islamic Buddhist relic

May 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Male (Maldives), May 29 (ANI): An Islander has discovered a pre-Islamic stupa, a Buddhist relic, beneath his house in Raa atoll Agolhitheemu in Maldives, while digging to build a well.

According to a report in Minivan News, Yoosuf Adam, from Gulhaam House, found the coral stupa divided into three parts.

“It looks like a pawn on a chess board,” said the Island Chief Mohamed Yoosuf. “The Indian teachers here believe parts were destroyed when Islam came to the Maldives,” he added.

A stupa is a mound-like structure containing supposed relics of Buddha, once thought to be places of Buddhist worship.

Yoosuf said the stupa had been slightly damaged by the digging, as the islanders did not know that it was beneath the ground.

He added that other ancient relics had been found on the island since 1999.

In 2003, large intricately-carved coral bricks were discovered when building the school and in 2006, a small statue of a Buddha was found.

But, according to Yoosuf, the statue was stolen after being taken to the school for observation and the other relics have been destroyed as islanders were unaware of their historical significance.

It was only in 2002, he said, when incumbent President Mohamed Nasheed was banished to the island that residents learned of the importance of the artefacts.

“Since then they started exploring and at that time, the president said there were seven graveyards beneath the island, which he read about in a book in a foreign library,” he said.

According to Ahmed Tholal, assistant director of the centre for linguistic and historical research, officials from the centre planned a visit to the island next week to verify the find.

While he warned it was too early to be optimistic, he said it appeared to be part of a Buddhist monastery.

“Based on what we see in the photos it looks like a pre-Islamic site but we can only confirm once we have seen it,” said Tholal.

“It’s very well-preserved, maybe one of the best preserved sites that we have and that will help us open up to cultural tourism,” he added.

“I think these artefacts give us a glimpse of the old heritage we have and the history of us Maldivians as an ancient civilization,” said Tourism Minister Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad. “We want to share this little known era of our history with the wider world,” he added. (ANI)

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A Gorakhpur boy plays a dutiful son to his blind mother

May 27, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Gorakhpur, May 27 (ANI): In a unique case of son’s dedication towards his mother, Kailesh Giri Brahamchari, has been carrying his mother on his shoulders and taking her all over the country to visit places of Hindu worship.

He left his house at a young age of 23 years. He has been traveling continuously for over 13 years to accomplish his mother’s desire of undertaking a pilgrimage to the four most prominent abodes of Hindu Gods, spreading across length and breadth of India.
he four abodes are the Badrinath Temple located in Badrinath in Uttarkhand, the Dwarakadheesh Temple in Dwarka, located in Gujarat, the Jagannath Temple in Puri, located in Orissa and Ramanathaswamy Temple in Rameswaram, located in Tamil Nadu.

In the past 13 years, he has nearly covered the lengths and breadth of entire India traveling from one holy place to the other carrying his blind mother on his shoulders.

Kailesh says that every one should respect their parents and have a loving attitude towards them instead of ill-treating.

He says that it’s his duty to fulfill his mother’s desire of visiting the four abodes in India as his mother undertook the pledge after he had fallen off a tree.

“I am doing this because I had fallen down from the tree. So my mother had taken a pledge to go on a pilgrimage to all the four abodes of Hindu god. So I am helping her fulfill her pledge. Its been 13 years five months and 21 days since I have been traveling. I would be going to Badrinarayan, Dwarka and then to Ujjain from here and would be visiting all the holy places that I will cross on the way,” he said.

Kailesh has been getting a lot of praise from people who have seen him take his mother around. People are happy that even in modern times there exists a son who has devoted his life to his mother.

People do admit candidly that the son’s gesture is indeed rare. He is also being referred to as the modern day ‘Shravan Kumar’.

“We had read in the books about Shravan Kumar, but today I have seen him. We should take inspiration from the way he has been roaming around for the past 13 years carrying his mother on his shoulders. Nowadays, people hit their parents at home. By seeing this, we should get inspired to take care of our father and mother,” said Namrata Singh, a resident.

Shravan Kumar is a character in the great Hindu epic Ramayana who took his disabled parents on his shoulders for a pilgrimage.

The mother-son duo are being sought after everywhere, the people seek the blessings of the mother and give her offerings as well. By Pawan Shah (ANI)

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Archaeologists discover largest mud-brick temple yet found in northeastern Egypt

May 5, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Washington, May 5 (ANI): Archaeologists have found a 3,000-year-old carving in the largest mud-brick temple yet found on northeastern Egypt’s northern Sinai Peninsula.

According to a report in National Geographic News, the carving shows ancient Egyptian pharaoh Ramses II offering gifts to Geb, God of earth.

The temple is among four ancient places of worship discovered at a site near the Egyptian border near the Suez Canal, the country’s archaeology agency announced on April 21.

Found among the ruins of a fortified city, the temples would likely have been the first stop in Egypt for travelers from ancient Palestine and other points east.

Designed to impress on visitors Egypt’s grandeur and might, the city appears to have been the Egyptian military’s headquarters during the New Kingdom (1539-1075 B.C.), a time of war and conquest (ancient Egypt time line).

“This temple was very, very beautiful. Visitors would understand this temple is a good example of Egyptian culture,” said Mohamed Abdel-Maqsoud, who made the discovery for Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities.(ANI)

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Atheists turn to UK schools to challenge Christianity

April 26, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, April 26 (ANI): Atheists have turned to British schools to attack Christian societies, collective worship and religious education.

The National Federation of Atheist, Humanist and Secular Student Societies (AHS) is planning to launch recruitment drive this summer.

The campaign, supported by professors Richard Dawkins and AC Grayling, aims to establish a network of atheist societies in schools to counter the role of Christianity.

The objective of the federation is to urge students to lobby their schools and local authorities over what is taught in RE lessons and to call for daily acts of collective worship to be scrapped.

It wants the societies to hold talks and educational events to persuade students not to believe in God.

In a further development to strengthen the role of atheism among the younger generation, the first summer camp for kids that will teach that religious belief and doctrines can prevent ethical and moral behaviour is being held.

Chloe Clifford-Frith, AHS co-founder, said that the societies would act as a direct challenge to the Christian message being taught in schools.

She expressed concern that Christian Unions could influence vulnerable teenagers looking for a club to belong to with fundamentalist doctrine.

In particular, she claimed that some students were being told that homosexuality is a sin and to believe the Biblical account of creation.

“We want to point out how silly some of these beliefs are and hope that these groups will help to do that,” the Telegraph quoted her as saying.

However, Simon Calvert of the Christian Institute said: “Atheists are becoming increasingly militant in their desperate attempts to stamp out faith. It is deeply worrying that they now want to use children to attack the Christian ethos of their schools.

“Many parents will also be anxious at the thought of militant atheists targeting their children,” he added. (ANI)

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Attackers are Pakistani nationals, says Rehman Malik

April 6, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, Apr 6 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister’s Interior Affairs Adviser Rehman Malik has said the attackers are Pakistani nationals and that they have not come from outside.

He said a suicide bomber is not under any compulsion to carry out attacks. “They are sold for money,” he added.

Rehman Malik said the family of a suicide bomber gets Rs500, 000 for blowing himself up. He hoped to flush out the terrorists out of the country.

Malik also said that a high level meeting would be held to review security situation in the country. eanwhile, Interior Ministry, following the suicide attack on Chakwal Imambargah, has issued orders to security forces in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to be high alert for 24 hours till further orders and to provide additional security for mosques, imambargahs, worship places and religious congregations.

Directives have been given to police and law-enforcing agencies in a circular, received by Rawalpindi regional police officer and Islamabad police.

They have been asked to ensure checking of vehicles and suspect persons on the interior and exterior routes and monitor through security cameras at important places, buildings, roundabouts, bus stands, airports, railway stations while give additional security during the hours of worship in mosques, imambargahs and other worship places. (ANI)

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It’s not uncommon, but under-reported

April 5, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

CHENNAI: Friday’s brutal murder of his wife by Subhash, a 30-year-old man, who later had sex with the body sent shock waves among the police and
the public but psychiatrists say necrophilia sexual attraction to a corpse is not uncommon.

“It’s a mental illness rather under-diagnosed and under-reported,” says Dr S Nambi, senior psychiatrist, Institute of Mental Health. “There are times when a suspect is caught for a brutal murder. During interrogation we find it’s due to sexual attraction towards the corpse. In some cases they even eat the genitals, a form called necrolagnia. Remember the Raman Raghav case in Mumbai in the 60s?” he says.

No such cases have been seen at the IMH in the last 20 years, he says. “Not because it did not exist. But because, unlike this case, it is not recognised,” he said.

Doctors say necrophilia, or thanatophilia, comes from the ancient Greek word nekros meaning corpse and philia meaning friendship.

“This kind of horror fascination hardly even comes to the notice of the psychiatrist. It is a deviant abnormal behaviour but it is under-reported,” says Dr Thara Srinivasan of SCARF.

Unfortunately, most doctors think Subash’s act is not the first sign of his disease. “When people live in poverty their survival is at stake. A deviation in normal behaviour during his day-to-day life gets unnoticed,” says psychiatrist Dr Vijay Nagaswami.

Social scientists say it is probably under-reported also because it’s not explicitly stated in the Indian Penal Code. The provision available is Section 297, trespassing on burial places, etc. It states that whosoever with the intention of wounding the feelings of any person, or of insulting religion of any person, or with the knowledge that the feelings of any person are likely to be wounded, or that the religion of any person is likely to be insulted thereby, commits any trespass in any place of worship or on any place of sculpture, or any place set apart for the performance of funeral rites or as a depository for the remains of the dead, or offers any indignity to any human corpse, or causes disturbance to any persons assembled for the performance of funeral ceremonies, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.

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Recovered Ganesha statue from 12th century one of its kind in Indonesia

April 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Jakarta, April 2 (ANI): Archaeologists, in Indonesia, have recovered a rare 12th-century stone statue of Lord Ganesha, which is the only one in the country in which the elephant-headed deity is depicted as riding atop a mouse.

According to a report in the Jakarta Post, a research team from the Mpu Purwa Historical Object Preservation Center in Malang, East Java, recovered the statue.

“The mouse is apparently included as an animal used by Ganesha as a vehicle, but this type of statue has never been found in Indonesia before. Ganesha is usually seen riding the Lembu Nandhini cow, the Jatayu bird, or the Padmasana lotus,” said Malang archeologist Suwardono.

Other singularities of this statue, recently handed over by a private collector, include Ganesha’s stiff facial expression and a badhong carving on the shoulders.

The decorations worn by the god, also called samboghakaya, are also more lavish.

“The badhong strand is part of the special trait of statues inherited from the Kediri empire, from the Raja Baneswara to Kertajaya kingdoms. The most special trait is the mouse as a vehicle on the pedestal of the statue,” Suwardono said.

Suwardono said he had cross-checked the statue with the National Archeology Research and Development Center in Jakarta, the Trowulan Center for Archeological Conservation and Heritage in Mojokerto, and the Archeological Center in Yogyakarta, the results of which confirmed the statue was a one-of-a-kind that had never been seen before.

The epigraphist and iconographer explained that the 40- by 22- by 22-centimeter statue, intended to be placed in temples, originated in northern India and gradually spread further southward.

The statue is usually placed at the back of a temple for worship.

It functions as a balance and a guardian for unsafe areas and is related to worship to ward off disaster.

The statue was obtained from a collector named Jayusman, a resident of Jl. Sambas in Malang. Jayusman said he had obtained the statue from a Chinese-Indonesian collector a long time ago.

Suwardono found the special traits after analyzing the statue for the past two weeks.

“These artifacts are priceless and sought after by collectors,” Suwardono said. (ANI)

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President, Vice President, PM greets the nation on Navratra

March 28, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, Mar 27 (ANI): The nation is celebrating Ugadi, Chaitra and Navratra, the official beginning of summer according to the Hindu calendar on Friday.

President Pratibha Devisingh Patil has sent her best wishes to the people on the occasion.

In her message, she said that these festivals celebrated in a wide variety of ways in different parts of the country, reflect our diversity and yet underline the unity of the nation.

She further said that such festivals reinforce the common bond of togetherness of our people and ensure progress, prosperity and peace.

Vice President Hamid Ansari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh have also greeted the people on the occasion.

The nine-day festival is celebrated twice a year before the start of summer (Chaitra Navratra) and at the beginning of winter (Shardiya Navratra).

Devotees across the country worship Hindu goddesses and hold fasts.

There is a popular belief that the fasting during Chaitra Navrati is to prepare the body for the ensuing summer season.

Jammu and Kashmir witnesses a huge rush of devotees during Navratras as many people visit the holy shrine of Goddess Vaishnodevi.

Chaitra Navratri is most famous in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and in other parts of North India.

Temporary stalls are set up by the road side or near the temples selling traditional goods for the festival such as diyas of all sizes, coconuts, clay pottery (matkas), dupattas for women, wrist-bands, special garlands made of marigold and other flowers, beads, and agarbatti sticks.

Chaitra Navratra is known by different names like Ram Navratri, Vasant Navratri, Basant Navrathri and some people also refer it as Spring Navaratras. (ANI)

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Jaipur gears up for Gangaur festival

March 24, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Jaipur, Mar 24 (ANI): In anticipation of the much awaited annual Gangaur festival, shops in Jaipur have starting stocking the idols of Hindu God Shiva and her consort Gauri.

Gangaur festival is one of the most important festivals in Rajasthan and is observed throughout the state with great fervour and devotion by womenfolk who worship the idols of Gauri for the welfare of their life partners.

Describing the significance of the festival, Shalu, a local said, “Idol of Isar ji represents Hindu god Shiva while that of Gangaur ji represents goddess Parvati. We offer prayers to these idols on this day. Unmarried girls pray for getting a good groom while the married ladies pray for the long life of their husbands.”

The ladies decorate their hands and feet by drawing designs with ‘mehandi’.

Due to the increasing demands of the devotees, more than fifty varieties of Isar- Gangaur idols made out of clay, wood and other materials are available in the market.

Naveen Jain, a local shopkeeper said there is a lot of demand for these idols.

“There is a lot of demand for the idols of Isar and Gangaur ahead of this festival. There are a lot of varieties of these idols available in the market today. When a procession is taken out, one can see the idols of Isar and Gangaur as tall as six feet,” said Jain.

The prices of these idols range between Rs. 50 to Rs 14,800.

Ladies set up the idol of Isar-Gangaur in their homes sixteen days before the Gangaur festival, which falls in March, the first month in the traditional Hindu calendar, and worship them continuously for sixteen days. By Lokendra Singh (ANI)

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