Asian Lite News Archive

Category: Religion

  • Hindus to lead Muharram in Delhi’s Trilokpuri

    —

    in ,

     Over 30 Hindu volunteers are ready to set an example of communal amity in riot-hit Delhi’s Trilokpuri by leading Muharram processions Nov 4, while Delhi Police have deputed extra force to avoid any fresh violence. The Hindu volunteers will be divided among the five Muharram processions that will set out from different blocks of the…

  • Golden Temple in festive mood

    —

    in , , ,

      The holiest of Sikh shrines, Harmandir Sahib, popularly known as Golden Temple, was lighted up in festive spirit in this Sikh holy city in Punjab. Fireworks display and millions of lights around the whole complex saw thousands of devotees turning up for the occasion. The day is celebrated in the Sikh religion as ‘Bandi…

  • ? Pope Francis beatifies Paul VI

    —

    in , ,

    Pope Francis beatified Paul VI during a heavily attended Mass in St. Peter’s Square, at which he said of the pope who closed the Second Vatican Council that “he led the Church with wisdom and a vision of the future”. The pontiff said that Paul had noted that the Church, especially the Synod of Bishops…

  • Vatican approves gays & divorced

    —

    in , ,

     Participants in the Vatican synod of bishops approved  a final document that proposes acceptance of gays and compassion for divorced persons “with respect and delicacy.” Relatio Synodi, the final document approved Saturday point by point by bishops and cardinals with the right to vote, was made public at the request of Pope Francis, who also…

  • Indians ditch Chinese made god’s this Diwali

    —

    in , ,

      Attractive and pocket-friendly Made-in-China idols, which flew off the shelves during Indian religious festivals, are seeing a dip in sales this time, mainly due to local artisans giving them tough competition and appeals to shun Chinese products. According to the wholesale dealers in Delhi’s Sadar Bazar, one of the oldest shopping hubs in the…

  • All set for Amma’s birthday

    —

    in , ,

    Mata Amritanandamayi’s followers have arrived at her ashram here from all over the world to take part in her 61st birthday celebrations that begin Friday. Home Minister Rajnath Singh and other leaders will arrive Saturday to attend the two-day event ‘Amritavarsam61’ Sep 26 to 27 and greet Amma. On Sep 27, important announcements and inaugurations…

  • Obama praises ‘#notinmyname’ campaign

    —

    in , ,

      President Barack Obama today singled out and praised a group of young British Muslims who launched a powerful campaign rejecting the actions of Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Obama pointed out the #notinmyname campaign started by the ACF who have come together to take a stand…

  • Century old Durga Puja songs to be digitised

    —

    in , , ,

    By Sahana Ghosh   Breaking away from the trend of Bollywood numbers and rock hits playing during the festive season, enthusiasts here are trying to preserve age-old devotional songs reminiscent of occasions like Durga Puja by digitising century-old recordings, a process spanning next three to four months. Sharadiya songs (songs of autumn), a tradition in West…

  • Indian scientists more religious than British peers:Study

    —

    in , , ,

    Indian scientists are more religious than their British counterparts but they are more likely, than the general population, to not participate in a religious service or rituals, says a cross-national study of religion and spirituality among scientists. The surveys and in-depth interviews with scientists revealed that while 65 percent of British scientists identify as non-religious,…

  • Clashes Al Aqsa mosque

    —

    in , , ,

      Dozens of masked Palestinian protestors clashed with police Wednesday morning in the Al Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem, as the holy site was opened to Jewish visitors ahead of the Jewish New Year, the police said. Police units stormed the compound after firecrackers were thrown at police officers at the nearby Mugrabim Gate, Xinhua reported…

  • Bakrid sans Bakri appeal sparks riot

    —

    in , ,

    PETA INDIA STAFF ATTACKED OVER THE NEW CAMPAIGN A PETA India staff member sustained facial and other wounds after a riot broke out in Bhopal by a group of men upset at an appeal – in which a woman wore a burqa adorned with vegetables– for people to celebrate a cruelty-free Id-ul-Zuha, or Bakr-Eid. For the…

  • Stage set for the canonization of Fr. Joseph Vaz

    —

    in , , ,

    Goa Archbishop lauds papacy’s first stage approval of sainthood for Indian priest The Roman Catholic Church in Goa Wednesday expressed “joy” at Pope Francis’s approval of the first step towards of India’s first Catholic saint Fr. Joseph Vaz, a priest of Goan origin. In a statement issued here Archbishop of Goa and Daman Fr. Filipe…

  • World’s religious leaders speak out

    —

    in

    Religious leaders from around the world at a meeting in the Kazakh capital Astana showed unity to make themselves heard by politicians in a world torn apart by conflicts between civilsations. The leaders met to prepare for the 5th triennial Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. “It is very necessary that this Congress…

  • Nepal Indra Jatra festival

    —

    in , ,

     

  • NRIs to fund new Sikh temple

    —

    in , , ,

    Hundreds of NRIs and businessmen from across India wiill contribute a whopping Rs.600 crore to develop the birthplace of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th guru of the Sikhs, on the lines of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, ahead of the guru’s 350th birth anniversary in 2017. Officials of the Takht Harmandir Saheb said NRIs from…

  • God comes in 3D prints

    —

    in ,

     In a unique concept marrying art and science, Kolkata will, in this Puja, host a digitally sculpted goddess Durga and her family, courtesy the application of 3D printing technology on paper. As 3D printing diversifies across the world in fields of medical science, films, art, aerospace, architecture and design and even in organ regeneration, a…

  • Special Report: The plight of Bahais

    —

    in , , , , ,

    Anando Bhakto looks in to the plight of Bahais. Persecuted in Iran, Baha’is worse off in Iraq  While the rising tide of arrests of Baha’is in Iran and destruction of their cemetery in Shiraz continues to grab headlines, the community – best known in India for their magnificent lotus-shaped marble temple here that is visited…

  • Agra bans idol immersion in Yamuna

    —

    in , ,

    Agra authorities prevented devotees from immersing Ganesh idols in the polluted Yamuna river, bringing cheer to environmentalists. The Agra Municipal Corporation set up three artificial tanks, along the river, for people to immerse the idols. “For the past 10 days, the administration has been working on plans and urging people to use the ‘Visarjan kunds’ (immersion…

  • Making of Durga idols at Kumartoli

    —

    in ,

  • Holland to lead European Hindus

    —

    in , , , ,

    For the first time in the History of the umbrella for Hindus of Europe, the presidency has slipped from the hands of the British. Mr Radj Bondoe, president Emeritus of the Hindu Raad Nederlands has been voted in as President, This makes him the third president of the organisation. The first two were both British. The…

  • World’s 1st ‘Green’ temple

    —

    in , , ,

    Acharya Swamishree Maharaj presides over the opening ceremonies of Shree Swaminarayan Mandir at Kingsbury in London. The ornate £20m temple will be the world’s first ‘eco-temple’ featuring solar panels on the roof and a rainwater harvesting system. The new mandir combines traditional Indian architecture and carvings with “green” technology, and is funded entirely by the…

  • Pope concerned over Mosul crisis

    —

    in , , , ,

    Islamic State onslaught makes Christians flee Thousands of Christian families Thursday fled their homes in northern Iraq after militants of the Islamic State (IS) Sunni insurgent group seized several predominantly Christian areas in Nineveh governorate even as Pope Francis expressed concern over the situation in northern Iraq. The IS rebels took the cities of al-Hamdaniya…

  • Varanasi widows send rakhis to Modi

    —

    in , ,

    Mohit Dubey reports on the plight of widows of Varanasi The widows of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh will send 1,000 hand-made, colourful rakhis and sweets to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who made his debut into the Lok Sabha from this holy city, an NGO said. Hundreds of old widows who are spending the twilight years…

  • PICS: NAG PANCHAMI

    —

    in , ,

    The Hindu festival Naga Panchami is celebrated by Hindu devotees during the monsoon season and sees prayers and tributes to snakes

  • INTERVIEW: Akal Takht chief Gurbachan Singh

    —

    in , , , ,

    Parminder Singh Bariana and Jaideep Sarin talk to Jathedar (chief) of the Akal Takht Gurbachan Singh. He is asking leaders to solve issue outside the courts Amid the controversy over the creation of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (HSGPC) and the stand-off between Sikh leaders in Punjab and those in Haryana, the Jathedar (chief)…

  • India celebrates Eid-ul-Fitr

    —

    in , ,

      Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated in the national capital Tuesday as Muslims marked the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday greeted the nation on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.“Greetings on Eid-ul-Fitr. May this auspicious day strengthen the bond of peace, unity and brotherhood across our nation,” he said in a tweet.Eid-ul-Fitr…

  • PICS: EID PREPARATIONS – WORLD

    —

    in , , , ,

  • IFTAR…..PARTY TIME FOR POLITICIANS

    —

    in , , ,

    Iftar is a pious moment in which Muslims break their fast. Indian politicians make it a mockery by donning Islamic caps and sharing foods. Iftar has become a tool to show their Islam Link and win votes. It is party time for politicians in India. What a shame!

  • EID Recipe: Mumzy Stranger

    —

    in , , , , ,

    Mumzy Stranger shares his kitchen experiences with Asian Lite   What type of food do you like to cook? I love cooking anything with chicken, lamb, fish you name it. I also like to experiment with what I cook too. So I’ll try out new ingredients in a typical dish like lamb korma. I’ll maybe…

  • EID RECIPE – Lubna Rafiq

    —

    in , , , , ,

    Britain’s most sought after make up artist Lubna Rafiq shares her passion for cooking with Asian Lite What type of food do you like to cook? Healthy, fruity and non-greasy foods. I love cooking grilled fish; fruit chat and yoghurt based side dishes. What do you enjoy about cooking? I enjoy the satisfaction that my…

  • PICS: Ramadan across the world

    —

    in , , , ,

  • Mosque Offers One Million Iftars

    —

    in , , , , , ,

    The Shaikh Zayed Grand Mosque Centre in Abu Dhabi has hosted around 515,000 people who are fasting in the first half of the Holy Month of Ramadan, WAM reported. The mosque is providing Iftar meals in tents located in the grounds of the mosque, including 350,000 through the “Guests for Iftar” project which is held…

  • Amarnath Yatra resumes

    —

    in , ,

    The Amarnath Yatra resumed at 10 a.m. Saturday from both Baltal and Pahalgam routes after its temporary suspension, an official said. A senior police official said in Srinagar Saturday: “After its temporary suspension yesterday (Friday), the Amarnath Yatra was today resumed from both Baltal and Pahalgam routes.” The Yatra was halted Friday following clashes in Baltal…

  • Synod backs women bishops

    —

    in , ,

    The Church of England has voted to allow women to become bishops for first time in its history.  Its ruling General Synod gave approval to legislation introducing the change by the required two-thirds majority. A previous vote in 2012 was backed by the Houses of Bishops and Clergy but blocked by traditionalist lay members, BBC reported.…

  • PICS: Ramadan across the world

    —

    in , ,

    Muslims across the world observing day to dusk fasting in the holy month of Ramadan. Asian Lite presents a selection of pictures from the Ramadan

  • Vatican welcomes Morari Bapu

    —

    in , , , , ,

    Cardinal Tauran speaks at Morari Bapu’s Ram Katha in Rome The Vatican’s head of Interreligious dialogue paid tribute to renowned Hindu spiritual leader Morari Bapu at an event in Rome. Cardinal Tauran, the President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, attended a Hindu recital that is running for 9 days in the heart of Rome. Addressing the…

  • Neasden temple hosts ‘Global peace meet’

    —

    in , , , ,

    BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London hosts a three-day international academic conference on the theme of ‘Realising Global Peace: The Role and Impact of Hindu Teachings.’ The conference at the Neasden temple was aimed to elucidate the role of peace within Hinduism and how Hindu teachings can positively contribute to not just academic scholarship but to humanity at…

  • GALLERY- Ahlan Ramdan

    —

    in , , , , ,

  • SPECIAL REPORT: Ramadan in India

    —

    in , , ,

    Mohammed Shafeeq from Hyderabad says Ramadan is a a month of fasting, feasting and shopping by India’s Muslims  India’s 140 million Muslims, who constitute the world’s third-largest Muslim population, observe Ramadan with devotion and fervour. The holy month Ramadan, which began in India Monday, is a month of fasting, compassion and charity as Muslims try to move…

  • Bapu meets Pope’s envoys

    —

    in , , , ,

    Morari Bapu was warmly welcomed by Cardinal Tauran at the PCID headquarters in the Vatican. Following the meeting with other senior priests and scholars at the PCID, Bapu was invited to visit the renowned St Peter’s Basilica, the largest church in the world. Following the start of Morari Bapu’s historic Ram Katha in Rome, Bapu…

  • Puri’s Ratha Yatra begins

    —

    in ,

    About half a million devotees converged here as the annual Ratha Yatra festival of Lord Jagannath began Sunday. Priests performed the “Mangala Aarti” at 8.20 a.m. after a three-hour delay, temple official Laxmidhar Pujapanda said. The ceremonial procession of the deities known as “Pahandi” – carrying the deities on chariots out of the temple –…

  • Cameron greets Muslims

    —

    in , , , ,

    Despite his busy schedule, British Prime Minister David Cameron find out time to greet Muslims all over the world to greet during Ramadan. “Muslims are our biggest donors – they give more to charity than any other faith group,” said Cameron. The full text message – “I want to send my very best wishes to…

  • Amarnath Yatra begins

    —

    in

     The annual Amarnath Yatra started Saturday as nearly 7,300 pilgrims left the north Kashmir Baltal base camp for the holy cave. Also, the second batch of pilgrims left winter capital Jammu for the Kashmir Valley. “The second batch of 742 yatris left Jammu in a convoy of 34 vehicles this morning for the Valley,” an…

  • When Heaven Came to Earth

    —

    in , ,

    Prof Nawal Prinja, Religious Education Spokesman, World Council of Hindus VHP- UK, shares the experience of his relatives’ recent visit to India and taking a holy dip in the Ganges     My relatives recently visited India and they were fortunate to offer their worship to Divine by taking a dip in the river Ganga…

  • Plight of a holy river

    —

    in , ,

    Brij Khandelwal visits Mathura/Vrindavan/Agra to file a report on the holy river Yamuna. He says in Krishna’s land, ‘holy’ Yamuna is a sickly drain. Every day, thousands of devout Vaishnavs from all over the world return disappointed and frustrated from the ghats in Braj mandal, the land of Sri Krishna-Radha, when they see the miserable…

  • Varanasi ghats to get new life

    —

    in , ,

    The newly installed Modi-government has sanctioned Tourism Ministry INR 18 crores for development of the ghats at Varanasi, and the construction of jetties along the Ganga river. While Modi has assigned the task of cleaning the Ganga river to Uma Bharti,  Minister of Water Resources, River Development, it is tourism minister Shripad Yesso Naik’s job…

  • Bohra Event in Mumbai

    —

    in , ,

    Syedna Mufaddal Saifuddin conducts the 76th Annual Examination of the Aljamea-tus-Saifiyah – 200 year-old educational institute of the Dawoodi Bohra community at Saifee Masjid in Mumbai

  • Guru Amar Das Jayanthi

    —

    in , , , ,

     Children participate in a religious procession organised on the birth anniversary of Guru Amar Das  in Amritsar

  • Islamic centre raps Boko Haram

    —

    in

    The India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC) Thursday “strongly condemned the terror activities” of Nigerian Islamist militant group Boko Haram which has been holding more than 200 schoolgirls hostage for over a month. In a statement released here, Sirajuddin Qureshi, president of IICC, said that no Islamic tenet approves the abduction of innocent girl students to…