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Indian Maoists kill Hindus over Christian conversions
BHUBANESWAR, India (Reuters) - Suspected Maoists killed a senior Hindu leader and four others in a remote eastern Indian village, an attack that police said may be linked to a controversy over religious conversions in the area.
Armed men raided a Hindu school in Orissa's rural Kandhamal district on Saturday and killed five people, including an octogenarian leader linked to India's main opposition Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The remote, forested region is a hotbed of religious tensions between hardline Hindus who accuse Christian priests of bribing poor tribespeople and low-caste Hindus to change their faith.
Christian groups say lower-caste Hindus who convert do so willingly to escape the highly stratified and oppressive Hindu caste system.
Tensions came to a head on Christmas Eve last year when fights broke out in which one person was killed and churches and temples were damaged.
The region is a stronghold of Maoist rebels and police say they have evidence to link the guerrillas to Saturday's attack. BHUBANESWAR, India (Reuters) - Suspected Maoists killed a senior Hindu leader and four others in a remote eastern Indian village, an a... more -
Muslim Morocco using Music as a bridge between world faiths?
As Saudi Arabia held its first ever conference on interfaith dialogue Morocco is hosting its 14th festival of World Sacred Music.
The president of the festival, Mohamed Kabbaj, said:
"Religion is too important to leave to clerics alone"
There was even a Christians & Muslims performing together which was shown on France24 on its 'Culture' Magazine.
Other performers from across the globe include a Christian singing in Syriac related to Aramaic the language of Jesus (pbuh) & Indian Madhup Mudgal who will sing in Hindustani (classical Indian) even using Hindu scriptures like the Vedas. A Greek Othordox choir & other Muslim sufi perfomers also performed.
The city of Fez has been the spiritual & cultural capital of Morocco & has ties with Europe such as Andulusia, (modern day Spain) as it use to be part of the Islamic Empire where Muslims, Christians & Jews use to live & coexist peacefully. As Saudi Arabia held its first ever conference on interfaith dialogue Morocco is hosting its 14th festival of World Sacred Music. ... more -
Hindus upset over Hollywood film
Hindus in the US have started a protest against a Hollywood comedy, saying the film will hurt the religious sentiments of millions of Hindus worldwide.
More than 5,000 people have signed an online petition protesting against the film Love Guru, starring actor Mike Myers and due to be released on Friday.
Some Hindu groups are considering a boycott of Paramount Pictures which produced the film.
Paramount says the film does not make reference to any particular religion.
The company says Love Guru portrays a purely fictional faith.
In the film, Myers plays the main character, Guru Pitka - who is raised by gurus in an ashram in India and then moves to the US to seek fame as a self-help coach resolving the marital problems of a Canadian hockey player.
The film includes a character played by the British Iranian comedian Omid Djalili called Guru Satchabigknoba and a hockey player called Coach Cherkov.
'Mythical creation'
The argument that it's slapstick and farce rather than real religion doesn't wash with Hindu activists in the US.
The premature outcry against the movie is itself religious propaganda
Spiritual teacher Deepak Chopra
They say that in the West so little is known about Hinduism that even a parody like Love Guru could be misinterpreted by teenagers and give them a skewed view of the religion.
"They should draw a line when it comes to people's faith," says Bhavna Shinde of the Sanatan Society in the US.
She is upset that the main character wears sacred Hindu saffron robes and carries holy prayer beads.
Mike Myers himself has described the religion he lampoons as a "mythical creation - it's like the Force in Star Wars".
And Paramount Pictures have quoted the spiritual teacher Deepak Chopra rebutting criticism of the film based on only the two-and-a-half-minute trailer.
"The premature outcry against the movie is itself religious propaganda," said Mr Chopra.
'Hindu concepts'
But Bhavna Shinde is not convinced - indeed she says it's ironic the film company quotes a man who doesn't even consider himself to be a Hindu.
"We all know when you show a person with a sari and a mark on their forehead that will be associated with Hinduism."
She argues that terms used in the film like "guru", "karma" and "ashram" are "signature Hindu concepts" clearly pointing to Hinduism.
"Which other religion are they talking about?" she asks.
So far it's only the trailer that's caused concern - two Hindu groups in the US have complained that they were promised an early screening before the film is released but were never shown it.
In the UK, Paramount Pictures says it will arrange a pre-screening for Hindus before the film opens in August.
Hindu activists in the US have appealed to the rating body to change the classification for the film - which warns some material may be inappropriate for children under 13 years of age - to make it impossible for anyone under 17 to see it.
They've also written protest letters to the Indian Film Censor Board.
They say they would have been happy with some kind of disclaimer at the start of the film explaining that it is not a proper representation of Hinduism but complain their views were not listened to. Hindus in the US have started a protest against a Hollywood comedy, saying the film will hurt the religious sentiments of millions of ... more -
Jaipur blasts bring the best out of people of all faiths
While the blasts intentions were to destroy the communal harmony, the opposite has happened, it has bought out the best of people from all the faiths Hindu's, Muslim's etc
Dera Sacha's sevadars have donated blood.
The Nirankaris of Jaipur have joined relief work in a big way. They have opened a 24-hour langar (kitchen) and have donated 150 units of blood.
The blast also prompted a group of Muslim youths who call themselves Pathan Chowk Vikas Samiti into action. Shahid Khan, an advocate and the group's leader, says that the decision to help the blast victims was carried out with rapidfire immediacy. "We not only helped lift the dead but also carried the injured to the hospital. Thirty of our members have donated blood," he says. While the blasts intentions were to destroy the communal harmony, the opposite has happened, it has bought out the best of people from... more -
Muslims protest against Jaipur blasts.
New Delhi , May 15 (ANI): Muslims led by one of the prominent leaders of the BJP Shahnawaz Hussain protested against Jaipur bomb blasts and called for strict measures to deal with terrorism in New Delhi today.
Shahnawaz Hussain said the community will fight against terrorism by all means.
“The Muslim community in India has taken a pledge to come together and fight against terrorism. As a minority community we appeal to the central government to take some strict action on this issue,” said Hussain.
The blasts killed both Muslims and Hindus, other quite recent terrorist attacks included a Mosque (Mecca Masjid) and Hindu Temples, it is thought they were done to spread hatred between the two communities. The attacks have been condemned by Indian Muslim organisations aswell as UAE and the Afghan president. New Delhi , May 15 (ANI): Muslims led by one of the prominent leaders of the BJP Shahnawaz Hussain protested against Jaipur bomb blast... more -
Hindus and Muslims rush to help Jaipur blast victims
When Indian television news broadcasts appealed for blood donors on Wednesday, a day after the blasts, Yaseef Khan rushed to help.
"How can I sit at home when people are crying for blood?" Khan said.
He was one among many Hindus and Muslims joining to give blood. Both Muslims like Khan & Hindus united on Wednesday to help victims of the bomb blasts, offering the use of their mobile phones, distributing food & fruit juices as relatives swarmed hospitals of Jaipur from the early hours of the morning along with distributing free medicine to those who cant afford it (through voluntary organisations).
"We managed to save at least 150 lives last night because of help from these unknown people," Rakesh Sharma, an orthopaedic surgeon said.
The bombs are thought to be done with the intent to cause hatred between the two faiths followers. "Bombs cannot divide the Hindus and Muslims, it never succeeded and people should know that it is not going to work," Sohail Illyas, a Muslim man.
Hindu's and Muslims were killed in the attacks, which the PM of India & Muslim organisations have condemned. These attacks violated the Quranic principle of the sanctity of life. When Indian television news broadcasts appealed for blood donors on Wednesday, a day after the blasts, Yaseef Khan rushed to help. ... more -
Indian Muslim organizations condemn Jaipur blasts, demand impartial enquiry
Muslim organisations across India have condemned the horrific terrorist attacks.
Markazi Jamiat Ahl-e-Hadees Hind has called the Jaipur bombings inhuman, barbarous and condemnable.
Maulana Asghar Ali Imam Mehdi Salfi secretary of the organisation in a statement said people behind attacks want to sabotage communal harmony in the country, and demanded the government to conduct a impartial enquiry into the attacks, and bring the culprits to book and urged people to maintain peace. He also expressed his sympathy with the relatives of the victims.
Other Muslim organisations which condemned the blasts include; The Aligarh Alumni Association of Metropolitan Washington (AAA), Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK), Jamaat-e-Islami Hind (JIH). Terrorism violates the Quran as terrorism does not value sanctity of life. Muslim organisations across India have condemned the horrific terrorist attacks. ... more -
Jaipur: A harmonious city
With the terrorist attacks putting Jaipur in the spotlight how is the city normally?
Muslims and Hindus live peacefully side by side according to NDTV news. Peace groups have been formed to keep the peace consisting of both Hindu's and Muslims. The community liaison group has 150 members.
''Mine is the only Hindu house in this lane but I feel no threat or fear,'' said Mohan Prasad Ranavat, community liaison group member (CLG).
However The terrorist attack in Jaipur has scared many people especially women.
''The population of Ramganj is four and a lakh people... But you've seen how everyone works together like brothers,'' said Hukum Chand, convenor.
''Our blood is the same and no one can divide us. We are taking on the terrorists and their terror,'' said another local. With the terrorist attacks putting Jaipur in the spotlight how is the city normally? ... more -
Ganges Cleansing
Nearly half a million Hindus braved near-freezing temperatures to wash away their sins in the icy waters of the Ganges River in northern India on the first day of a six-week festival. As many as 70 million people from India and abroad are expected at the Ardh Kumbh Mela Festival - one of the largest gatherings on Earth. Crowds gather at the confluence of the Ganges, the Yamuna and a mythical third river in Allahabad city for the auspicious bath on the first day of the 42-day event. Nearly half a million Hindus braved near-freezing temperatures to wash away their sins in the icy waters of the Ganges River in northe... more
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