Kerala: Govt's Plans to Live-Stream Temple Rituals Opposed

Hindu religious leaders and Tantric scholars have condemned the statement of Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran that the government will explore the possibility of live streaming of various temple rituals, including those at Guruvayur Sree Krishna Temple and Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple.

Mr. Surendran said temple rituals, especially during festive occasions, could be live streamed as in the case of Easter services held in churches. The matter would be discussed with all Devaswom boards, he said.

Sabarimala Ayyappa Seva Samajom president Akkeeramon Kalidasan Bahattathiripad said the Minister might have made such a statement out of ignorance on the unique tantric and ritualistic traditions and custom at various temples.

Mr. Bhattathirippad said the government should not venture into such misadventures. He said the government should stay away from matters relating to religious faith, ritualistic custom and tradition attached to various places of worship. The Minister should keep in mind that not even electricity was permitted inside the sanctum sanctorum, he said.

Source: TH

Tamil Nadu: State Govt Orders Hindu Temples to Transfer Rs 10 Crores to Govt Fund; Withdraws the Order After High Court Hearing

The Tamil Nadu state government asked 47 temples to donate total of rupees 10 crores to the CM Relief Fund to fight Chinese coronavirus. But on the other hand, no such circular was made to other religions and in fact recently the state government had ordered the distribution of 5,450 tonnes of free rice to 2,985 mosques of the state ocosting about Rs 11 crore. News source: OpIndia,

It should be noted that most big Hindu temples are already under state governments control through temple trusts and govt collects huge revenue from the donations made at the temple. The donation money could be used for propagation of Hindus' Sanatan dharma. And it is not so for other religions. 

The matter was taken the court and the Madras High Court found it "not legally tenable". After that, the Department’s issued a fresh circular immediately withdrawing its 22 April order. 

News Source: Swarajya

Tirupati: 1,300 workers jobless amid coronavirus outbreak

Well known to be one of India's richest Hindu shrine, Tirupati Balaji temple in Andhra Pradesh ends contract with 1,300 workers amid the coronavirus outbreak. It is reportedly said that the staffers were taking care of the temple's sanitation and were told not to report for work from May 1.

It is reportedly said the firm, that supplied the workers was intimated that the contract, which allegedly expired on April 30, would not be renewed. Y V Subba Reddy, the chairman of the temple's trust told a media organisation that their services were discontinued.

Since the temple trust is managed indirectly by the state government, we request state government not to make these people jobless. Tirupati temple trust has no lack of funds and Crores of donation is given to it by Hindus from all over the country. Let us not make a bad example by firing poor workers during this crisis situation. 

Source: Yahoo

Bengaluru: Woman who converted to Hinduism and married a Hindu man, dies along with husband

The bodies of a Bihar couple, who allegedly committed suicide on Friday, were cremated in the presence of just two family members on Saturday. 

On Friday night, Rahul, 30 and his wife Rani, 30, residents of Dayananda Road, were found dead in their house. While Rani was found hanging, Rahul had allegedly consumed poison. 

Police said the couple’s was an inter-religious marriage and Rani had changed her name after the wedding. A probe revealed the couple had tied the knot against their families’ will. They were working in a garment shop in the city. Though the reason behind the suicides is yet to be ascertained.

Rani’s younger brother Ahmed Raphal, who works in a shop in Commercial Street visited the police station to identify the bodies. 

Source: TOI

USA: Harvard’s ‘racist and evocative cartoon’ on Hinduism

The Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) wrote a letter to Harvard University expressing outrage regarding a deeply racist and highly evocative cartoon on Hinduism.

On April 23, 2020, the Harvard University Press (HUP) tweeted an announcement regarding Dr. Ajantha Subramanian’s upcoming virtual talk titled “Meritocracy and Democracy: The Social Life of Caste in India,” which also featured guest speaker TM Krishna.

In promoting the talk by Dr. Subramanian, HUP failed to review the contents of the link, which contained a gory cartoon depicting a Hindu religious figure holding holy books while adding ingredients to a traditional mill stone and conjuring up a skeleton from the ingredients, crushing many black human figurines and killing them or throwing them into what seems to be waves of fire. One black figurine is also seen holding on to the feet of the religious figure in a desperate attempt to save itself, according to a press release by CoHNA.

Interestingly, the image is not from the book but was specifically selected for the tweet and the promotion of the event.

“In our view, the use of the cartoon is prejudicial and sensationalist, and without providing that context of colonial critique, the cartoon seems to present a racist view of Hindus and can be seen as pejorative, and reinforces the kind of narratives that were created about Hinduism to justify colonial conquest and conversion,” stated Nikunj Trivedi, president of CoHNA.

Complete news and Source: NIT

Pakistan: Two Hindu Girls Kidnapped, Converted and Forced Married to Muslim Man

Dainik Jagran, New Delhi, 26 April 2020

Palghar: Two Sadhus Lynched Amidst Lockdown due to Rumors

Two Sadhus and their driver were killed in a mob lynching incident in Palghar near Mumbai in the state of Maharashtra. As per news agencies, villagers were angry due to rumors of child smugglers moving in their area, spotted a vehicles in which the two Sadhus were traveling, attached them and beaten them to death. Several Police personnel were present at the site and the Sadhus pleaded them for protection. But after a while the Police personnel left them to die. 

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