Hindu Press International

Source: http://in.reuters.com/article/email/idINTRE4AS1LX20081129

CHENNAI, INDIA, December 1, 2008: India’s health minister said he wants to push all school-going children to learn yoga, in the hope that it can reduce the prevalence of diseases such as diabetes and hypertension in years to come.

“There should be extensive scientific deliberations on yoga. And today I blatantly put that yoga reduces diabetes, yoga reduces hypertension, yoga reduces stress,” Anbumani Ramadoss told a regional diabetes summit in Chennai in southern India. “I am going to make yoga mandatory for all school-going children in India (from) the coming year.”

Adult-onset diabetes has been linked to risk factors like aging, an inactive lifestyle, unhealthy diets, smoking, alcohol and obesity. India carries the highest diabetes burden in the world, with 41 million cases in 2007 and that is estimated to hit 70 million by 2025, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

This move might raise religious opposition. Last week, Malaysia’s National Fatwa Council told Muslims to avoid yoga because it uses Hindu prayers that could erode Muslims’ faith. The Malaysian Islamic scholars’ decision drew a sharp rebuke from many Muslims and saw Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi move to contain the damage, telling national news agency Bernama that Muslims could carry on doing yoga but minus the chanting.

Source: http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=54252&n_tit=Kundapur%3A+%91Hinduism+is+Gift+of+Saints%92

KANDAPUR, KARNATAKA, INDIA, December 1, 2008: The “Hindu Religious Awareness Conference” was held at Shetty Auditorium of Bhandarkar’s College yesterday. The conference was organized by the Hindu Jana Jagruti Samiti. Speaking after inaugurating the program, Sri Kalahastendra Saraswati Swami, Anegundi Jagadguru Maha Samstan, Katapady, said that the word “Hindu” is under siege in India. “Hindu religion is a precious gift of saints and not born through the influence of any propagator,” he said.

Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\12\02\story_2-12-2008_pg14_4

BADUY, WEST JAVA, December 2, 2008: High in the lush hills of far western Java, a tribe that mixes Hinduism and animism lives a peaceful existence, untouched by the turmoil of the financial crisis. The Baduy, who are estimated to number somewhere between 5,000-8,000 people, are surviving in tribal lands only 120 km (75 miles) from the teeming mega-city of Jakarta. Yet despite their proximity to the Indonesian capital, the Baduy might as well be a world away as they live in almost complete seclusion, observing customs that forbid using soap, riding vehicles and even wearing shoes. Villagers stare blankly when asked about events in the outside world.

Within a 50 sq km (20 sq mile) area in the shadow of Mount Kendeng, the Baduy people cling to their reclusive way of life despite the temptations of the modern world. No one is certain of their origin. Some anthropologists think they are the priestly descendents of the West Java Hindu kingdom of Pajajaran and took refuge in the limestone hills where they now live after resisting conversion to Islam in the 16th century. When the government of Indonesia’s long-time strongman president Suharto tried to foist development on the Baduy in the 1980s they sent an emissary to plead to be left alone. Suharto conceded and arranged for the Baduy to mark out their territory with poles to protect them from outside influence.

Source: http://www.hinduismtoday.com/hpi/2008/12/1.shtml

Even among high-context cultures, the Indian wedding stands out. It involves as much planning as the construction of a nuclear power plant–except it costs more.
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