Page 43 - Religion Belief
Harmonious coexistence of different faiths, communities beauty of India: PM
In a message on the 807th Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Wednesday the harmonious coexistence of different faiths and communities is the "beauty of our country". Modi's message was read out by Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi who presented a 'chadar' on behalf of the prime minister at the Ajmer Sharif Dargah. The 'chadar' was handed over to a delegation comprising heads of both 'anjumans' of the Ajmer Sharif Dargah and the Ajmer Sharif Dargah Committee in New Delhi on Saturday. Naqvi said PM Modi is working with a commitment towards national security by adopting 'zero tolerance' policy against terrorism, asserting that the country is in safe hands. Modi said in his message: "Harmonious coexistence of different religions, communities, beliefs and faith in India is the beauty of our country. Various Saints, Pir and Fakirs in our country have given message of peace, unity and harmony time to time. They have played a key role in ...
Pak continues ceasefire violations along LoC in Jammu
The Pakistan army Wednesday targeted dozens of forward posts and villages with artillery guns along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri and Poonch districts, officials said. The intense shelling and firing from across the border continued throughout the night in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district, while it started in Krishna Ghati sector of Poonch in the early hours of Wednesday, they said. Officials said the Indian Army retaliated strongly and effectively, and the exchange of heavy fire caused panic among the border residents. However, there was no report of any casualty on the Indian side, they said. Pakistan had resorted to cross-border firing at Nowshera and Sunderbani in Rajouri and Krishna Ghati in Poonch on Tuesday as well. While the cross-border skirmishes lasted for over three hours in Nowshera sector which left a soldier injured, the firing in Krishna Ghati took place from 6 pm to 8:15 pm. Firing in Sunderbani sector started at 8:30 pm Tuesday and ...
Kumbh showcased best of our culture, spirituality: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated Uttar Pradesh for the "exceptional" organising of Kumbh 2019, and said it "showcased the best of culture and spirituality".
Anti-Semitism uproar at Belgian carnival
A float featuring stereotyped Jewish figures at a carnival near Brussels has been widely criticised as anti-Semitic.
Boroma was an icon of our times: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday condoled the death of Dalit Matua community matriarch Binapani Devi, popularly known as Boroma, terming her "an icon" and a source of "strength and inspiration".
Scores of devotees visit Nepal's Pashupatinath temple on Mahashivaratri
Thousands of devotees thronged Pashupatinath temple here on Monday on the occasion of Mahashivaratri.The Indian Ambassador also visited the Pashupatinath temple to offer prayers. The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) is expecting about one million devotees to celebrate Mahashivaratri at the temple this year."We have made arrangements for about one million people belonging to Nepal and other countries, to facilitate their pray," Pradeep Dhakal, the member-secretary of PADT told ANI.Taking cognizance of the number of devotees expecting to visit the temple, thousands of security personnel are deployed in the zone. Arrangements for the installation of CCTV cameras all around the region have also initiated by the Trust.Mahashivratri is celebrated on the lunar month of Phalgun and is believed to instil faith in those who are destined to live in trouble. The Skanda Purana, another holy text of the Hindus, also mentions the significance of the event.The religious belief behind the ...
Everyone should strive to serve humanity; President
President Ram Nath Kovind Monday said each individual should strive to serve humanity as propounded by Lord Shiva that 'a worthy life is one that is lived in the service of others'. Addressing lakhs of devotees in front of the 112 foot Adiyogi at the foothills of Vellingiri, about 25 km from here on the occasion of maha Shivarathri, he said India is a land of faith and spiritualism, with many diverse festivals and celebrations, which probably no other nation has. Faith and spiritualism has also given India a certain determination and inner resolve, he said adding that Mahashivaratri is "one of the most endearing, enduring and significant festivals". Millions of devotees celebrate this festival as a day to introspect and reflect upon the values synonymous with Lord Shiva, the President said. Historically, the qualities of Lord Shiva have attracted devotees across the world, he said and recalled his visit to My Son temple complex in Vietnam, a reminder of the unique ...
Maha Shivratri celebrated with fervour in Mathura, Vrindavan
Maha Shivratri was celebrated with gaiety and fervour in the temple towns of Mathura and Vrindavan in Uttar Pradesh, with devotees taking out processions to mark the occasion on Monday. There was a huge rush of devotees at temples to offer prayers to Lord Shiva. Elaborate arrangements were made at all major shrines, including the Rangeshwar temple in Mathura and the Gopeshwar temple in Vrindaban, for security and crowd management, police said. The Shiv Barat procession started from Sri Krishna Janmasthan in Mathura and passed through the main street of the city. No untoward incident was reported, Superintendent of Police, City, Rajesh Kumar Singh, said. The procession was greeted at over half a dozen places, its organiser Kapil Sharma, who is also the secretary of the Sri Krishna Janmasthan Seva Sansthan, said. PTI CORR http://ptinews.com/images/pti.jpg We bring the World to you" Disclaimer : This e-mail message may contain proprietary, confidential or legally privileged information ..
Amarinder performs 'Kar Sewa' at Durgiana temple on Maha Shivratri
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Monday joined devotees to perform 'Kar Sewa' to clean the sacred pool of the Durgiana Temple here on Maha Shivratri. He exhorted people to celebrate the festival in the true spirit of brotherhood and religious harmony. This is the third 'Kar Sewa' (voluntary service) to clean the sarovar (sacred pool) of the temple after 1975 and 1999.The chief deity of the temple is Durga. The chief minister, while addressing devotees, announced a grant of Rs 1 crore for the temple's development and assured its management that their demand for additional land for expansion of the holy precinct would be looked into by his government. Singh said he was happy to be part of the 'Kar Sewa' and recalled that his government had waived the temple's 50 per cent share in 'Langar' in the Goods and Services Tax after the Congress came to power in Punjab. This led the Centre to follow suit, he said, hoping that the temple continues to bless people with Langar (food cooked in .
Let us create a society free from gender discrimination: PM in Gujarat
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday appealed to citizens to create a society that is devoid of gender discrimination.Addressing a gathering at the bhumi pujan of Vishv Umiya Dham here, Prime Minister Modi said, "Those who believe in Maa Umiya can never support female foeticide. I appeal to you all- let us create a society where there is no discrimination based on gender."Emphasising on how working on a small scale is not what his government does, he added, "Our work will always be at a large scale, benefitting all sections of society."The Prime Minister also stated that at the community level, it is important to emphasise on top quality education for youngsters.Sharing his views on how saints have helped in the betterment of society, he said, "No one can ever forget the role of Saints and Seers in strengthening our society. They have given us valuable teachings. They even gave us the strength to fight evil and oppression. Our Saints and Seers taught us to absorb the best of our ...
Punjab CM offers 'kar sewa' at Durgiana Temple
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh joined devotees in offering 'kar sewa' (voluntarily labour) for cleaning up of the sacred sarovar at the historic Durgiana Temple on the occasion of Maha Shivratri, here on Monday.
Devotees from Nepal, India offer prayers to Lord Shiva at Pashupatinath temple
Over one million devotees from India and Nepal on Monday thronged the Pashupatinath temple here to observe Maha Shivaratri festival at the famous 5th century temple situated on the banks of Bagmati river. This year's Mahashivaratri is considered more auspicious as it has fallen on Monday, a day dedicated specially to worship Lord Shiva. All four doors of the temple, regarded as the most sacred and oldest temple of Shiva in Nepal, remained open since 3 am. The entire temple premises was decorated with colourful lights, flags and banners. The temple authorities have allocated Rs 5.4 million budget for the Maha Shivaratri festival. The devotees observed fast before offering prayers to the Lord Shiva. Hundreds of Naga Sadhus mostly from India performed special rituals in the temple premises. In the vicinity of the temple, devotional programmes were presented and vegetarian meals were served by different charity organisations to the devotees. In view of massive number of devotees thronging
Pak allocates Rs 75 mn for construction of cremation grounds, graveyards for Hindus, Christians
The provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in northwest Pakistan has allocated Rs 75 million for the construction of five cremation grounds for the Hindu community and creation of seven graveyards for Christians. According to provincial officials, a total of Rs 24 million has been allocated for the construction of five cremation grounds and Rs 51 million has been set aside for the creation of seven Christian graveyards in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. They said the purchase of four-kanal (0.5 acre) land for cremation ground in Peshawar and two-kanal (0.25 acre) each in Hangu, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan and Nowshera districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been approved by the department concerned. The purchase of six-kanal (0.75 acre) land for Christian graveyard in Peshawar, five-kanal (0.62 acre) each in Mardan, Kohat, Swabi and Dir Lower and four-kanal each in Swat and Nowshera districts have also been approved by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. In January, the provincial government had ...
Museum on temple arts, rituals coming up in Kerala
The Kerala government is building a unique museum that throws light and promotes research on the state's temple arts and allied rituals at an ancient town in Thrissur district. The proposed repository at an estimated cost of Rs 3.69 crore will be the first of its kind in southern India and is set to come up in Kodungallur town, known primarily for its two-millennium-old shrine, said Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran. Called Sree Kurumba Bhagavathy temple, the Chera era religious complex is poised for conservation and facelift under the Muziris Heritage Project (MHP), according to the minister, who also holds the Devaswom portfolio. Steps are on to renovate the dining hall (oottupura) and the administrative wing (kacherippura) of the temple renowned for its deity of goddess Kali and spirit of the shakti cult, he said at a function convened in Kodungallur Sunday to announce the government's package on conservation. The endeavour is in continuance with the ...
Maha Shivratri: Kerala temples witness heavy rush
: Hindu shrines in Kerala, dedicated to Lord Shiva, witnessed heavy rush of devotees Monday on the occasion of Maha Shivratri. Cutting across religious and gender barriers, devotees including women, children and elderly, thronged temples since early morning to take part in special poojas and rituals to mark the auspicious annual festival. Long queues and heavy rush resulted in traffic snarls near many temples including the famed Sree Kandeswara shrine here in the morning. Elaborate arrangements were made at all major Lord Shiva shrines, including Vadakkunnathan temple in Thrissur, Maha Deva shrine in Vaikom and Ernakulam Shiva temple, to ensure smooth darshan for devotees, authorities said. Arrangements have been put in place on the banks of River Periyar in Aluva in Ernakulam for 'Balitharppanam', a ritual in which people pay obeisance to their ancestors. Performing the ritual on the midnight of Shivratri is considered auspicious by devotees. A number of 'bali taras' ...
Kedarnath to reopen on May 9
The sacred portals of the Kedarnath temple, a top Himalayan shrine in Uttarakhand, will reopen on May 9 after a gap of nearly six months, officials said on Monday.
Portals of Kedarnath to reopen on May 9
The sacred portals of the Himalayan shrine of Kedarnath will be thrown open for devotees on May 9. The gates of the famed temple dedicated to Lord Shiva will be opened at 5.35 am on May 9, Badrinath-Kedarnath Mandir Samiti official Harish Gaud said. The date and timing for the opening of the famed temple was announced at Omkareshwar temple, Ukhimath on the occasion of Maha Shivratri on Monday, he said. Omkareshwar temple of Ukhimath is where an idol of Kedarnath is worshipped during his winter sojourn. The date and time for the reopening of the temple gates were announced in the presence of the chief priest of the temple Rawal Bhimashankar Ling, local Brahmins, teerth purohits and devotees. One of the famous four Himalayan shrines of Uttarakhand, Kedarnath, located at a height of around 11,755 feet above the sea level, is closed for devotees annually during winter when it becomes snowbound.
Devotees queue outside temples to offer prayers on Maha Shivratri
Devotees across the country are celebrating Maha Shivratri today, worshipping Lord Shiva, who is also known as the 'destroyer of evil'. Long queues of devotees were seen at various temples of Lord Shiva since the break of the dawn. Devotees were seen offering bael leaves, milk and honey to 'Shivling' and chant the name of Lord Shiva.The celebrations will continue till late at night. Many devotees also hold a day-long fast.Maha Shivratri is considered auspicious for spiritual growth and is celebrated with immense fervour and a pious spirit by devotees of Lord Shiva.According to Hindu almanac, Maha Shivratri is celebrated on the 13th night and the 14th day of the Phalguna month (somewhere in February and March).The festival, also known as 'the great night of Shiva', celebrates the overcoming of darkness and ignorance. It also marks the beginning of spring.While the origin of the festival is not known, legend has it that on Maha Shivratri Lord Shiva got married to Goddess Parvati, while .
In UP, Muslims offers food, medicines to Kanwariyas
As a mark of communal unity, a group of Muslims on Sunday offered food, milk and, medicines to Kanwar Yatris in Aligarh.The camps' organiser, Amanullah Khan said, "I have been organizing this camp during Mahashivratri for the last five years to serve Kanwariyas. Bhole ji gave me this opportunity to serve and I am doing it.""Hindu brothers also keep fast during Ramzan. This is a message for everyone that we all Hindus and Muslims are one. We don't discriminate. We also celebrate Hindu festivals," he added."I am Muslim. God is one. People think there is a difference between Allah and Bhagwan. We offered them fruits. We should live peacefully in society," said a Muslim woman at the campsite.'Kanwariyas' are devotees of Lord Shiva, who undertake the Kanwar Yatra to Uttrakhand's Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch water of the holy river Ganga.Mahashivratri or 'Great Night of Lord Shiva' will be celebrated on March 4.
Controversial sheikh re-elected as Asian Olympic chief
Kuwait's Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah was re-elected president of the powerful Olympic Council of Asia on Sunday despite forgery charges that forced him to step aside from the International Olympic Committee and other duties. Sheikh Ahmad, considered a major powerbroker in world sport, won a new five-year term until 2024, the OCA said, extending a reign that started in 1991 over the body that controls the Asian Games and other regional events. "I will do all I can to continue working for this organisation," he said at the OCA general assembly in Bangkok. In November, Sheikh Ahmad stood down as an IOC member pending an ethics committee investigation after a forgery case was brought against him in Switzerland. Among his Olympic duties was leading Olympic Solidarity, which decides how broadcast revenues are distributed among national Olympic committees. He also asked not to be re-elected president of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC). "I am confident I am innocent.