வெலிங்பரோ(இங்கிலாந்து)வில் இந்து ஆலயம்

Work under way on £2m temple in Wellingborough

Published Date: 30 June 2008
By Staff Copy
A new £2m Hindu temple could be opened within 12 months.
Work has already started on the impressive domed building in the heart of Wellingborough, which will serve followers of the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism.

Community leaders believe the temple in Mill Road will allow volunteers to serve a growing community as 12,800 new homes are built in the town under the Core Spatial Strategy.

Eager to see how the new temple will benefit everyone, councillors could travel to the Neasden Temple in London to see how a similar building in Wellingborough might operate.

Castle ward member Shashi Dholakia, who has helped arrange a potential visit for later this year, said: "This is really bringing about community cohesion on a much larger scale.

"Wellingborough is expanding and this will be a focal point, being situated in a central part of the town. It will be really important once it's built."

Vice-chairman of Wellingborough Council's community committee Bob Patel said: "It is going to be just right for Wellingborough and wider Northamptonshire. People will be coming from as far as Daventry, Coventry and Northampton."

The old, house-based Hindu temple in Wellingborough has already been knocked down to make way for the more traditional structure.

After a planning application was approved last year work has started on constructing the outside shell of the temple, which will be made of marble imported from India.

The outside is set to be completed in six months' time and it is estimated that the inside of the building, which will contain prayer areas and rooms for community activities, will take another six months to complete.

The £2m building is being funded by the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir central organisation in London.

Community leaders are keen to stress it will not just benefit Hindus.

Cllr Patel said: "As far as the community is concerned fundraising and activities will be done for lots of different people."

It is hoped that a visit to the Neasden Temple will give councillors a better understanding of Hindu culture, which is a major influence in Wellingborough because of a high Hindu population.

A report for today's community committee meeting at Wellingborough Council said: "The trip is about strengthening understanding of the temple project."

Earlier this year the council was criticised by the Audit Commission for its poor understanding of diversity issues.

அமர்நாத்: 600 கோவில்களை அழித்துவிட்டு இப்போது நிலம்தர மறுப்பதா - காஷ்மீரி அகதிகள் ஆவேசம்

காஷ்மீரின் கலாச்சாரத்தை முழுமையாக அழித்து, அறுநூறுக்கும் மேற்பட்ட கோவில்களை சுவடே இல்லாமல் அழித்து அங்கிருந்த காஷ்மீரி இந்துக்களை அகதிகளாக விரட்டிய முஸ்லீம்கள் இப்போது ஒரு இந்துக்கோவிலுக்கு நிலம் தர மறுப்பதை எதிர்த்து காஷ்மீரி இந்து அகதிகள் டெல்லியில் போராட்டம் நடத்தினர்.

Kashmiri Pandits join protest over Amarnath land row

By IANS,

New Delhi : About 500 Kashmiri Hindus, settled in the national capital, Sunday took to the streets and burnt effigies of a few political leaders against what they called "communalisation and politicisation of the Hindu shrine Amarnath".

Youths, who had drawn red lines on their forehead, blocked a road near Jantar Mantar, close to the city business hub Connaught Place, for over an hour.

They held placards reading, in red colour, "Kashmiri Pandits still alive... U dare not do that", "Ethnic cleansing of Hindus... Genocide.. Exodus.. Now the revocation of land transfer!!!" and "Don't ignore our silence".

They burnt the effigies of former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Baig and militant-turned-politician Yasin Malik.

A minor clash took place between Kashmiri Pandits and the police when they set fire to the effigies of Mahbooba Mufti, People's Democratic Party (PDP) president, and another symbolising the Jammu and Kashmir government.

The protesters accused the political leaders of communalisation and politicisation of the sacred Amarnath shrine.

"The ongoing crisis in the Valley is a well-crafted exercise by the separatists and some `anti-national' forces. It comes at a time when the Amarnath pilgrimage was in progress and the Jammu and Kashmir elections are round the corner," said Amal Magazine, a coordinator with Roots In Kashmir, a group that organised the protest.

Ajay Raj Kaul, another activist, termed Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra's decision to ask the state government to retain the land allotted tyo the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) as "immature".

"The land transfer is justified for the benefit of locals and as well the pilgrims. Over six hundred Hindu temples and shrines have been desecrated and destroyed as a part of a systematic plan of cleansing the Valley of any traces of its glorious Hindu past," said Kaul.

He also criticised the PDP that withdrew from the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led coalition government Saturday.

"They are at the forefront of this mayhem, fuelling the anti-Hindu campaign in the Valley," he added.

Kashmiri Pandits warned the government of a possible backlash on Amarnath shrine issue.

"This should be treated as a warning to the government that there will be a severe backlash and mayhem of the same magnitude as is being seen on the streets of Srinagar if the land transfer is reversed," said Pooja Shali, a female activist.

The Jammu and Kashmir government Sunday said it will retain the forest land allotted to the SASB.

The move came a day after the PDP left the government in crisis by pulling out of the Congress-led coalition amid differences over the allotment of the forest land in north Kashmir's Baltal area.

The Kashmir Valley has witnessed violent protests in the past week, after the state government March 5 allotted 40 hectares of forest land to the SASB, which till now managed the annual pilgrimage to the Hindu cave shrine in south Kashmir.

The Jammu and Kashmir cabinet March 5, 2008 allotted the 40 hectares of forest land in north Kashmir Baltal base camp area of the Amarnath Yatra to the SASB headed by the state governor for facilities for the pilgrims.

தமிழ்நாட்டு கோவில்களில் சிலை திருட்டு அதிகரிக்கிறது

3:57 AM

எழில்

தமிழ்நாட்டு கோவில்களை குறி வைக்கும் சிலை திருடர்கள்

தமிழ்நாட்டு கோவில்களை குறி வைக்கும் சிலை திருடர்கள்

from எழில் by எழில்

தமிழ்நாட்டு கோவில்களில் சிலை திருட்டு அதிகரிக்கிறது.

கோவில்களில் அதன் நிர்வாகத்தில் முனைப்புடன் இந்துக்கள் ஆர்வம் காட்டவேண்டும். அங்கு நாஸ்திக, கம்யூனிஸ, திமுக, திராவிட கழக மற்றும் மிஷனரி ஜிகாதி கும்பல்கள் அதிகாரம் செலுத்தாமல் இருக்க இந்துக்கள் ஆர்வத்துடன் பங்கெடுத்து அங்கு உழைப்பதே இது போன்ற திருடுகளுக்கு மாற்று.

இந்துக்கோவில்கள் இந்துக்களின் கைகளிலேயே இருக்க வேண்டும்.


Idol thieves target Tamil Nadu temples
27 Jun 2008, 1117 hrs IST, K Praveen Kumar,TNN

Print EMail Discuss New Bookmark/Share

Save Write to Editor



Exquisitely carved Natarajas have been stolen from poorly guarded temples in Tamil Nadu (TOI Photo)
More Pictures
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has always been synonymous with temples. It boasts of some of the most popular temple towns - Kancheepuram, Madurai and Tanjavur. Built centuries ago, these temples are a visual treat for lovers of architecture and history.

However, not everyone visits these temples with an intention to appreciate their beauty or to worship. They have now become soft targets for idol thieves. In the last one month, there have been at least three cases of idol thefts, the latest being Thursday, where a wooden elephant was found being smuggled to France.

The exquisitely carved Natarajas, Alwars and Murugans, crafted prior to 12th century have been stolen from these poorly guarded temples and make their way to many foreign countries.

Westerners pay exorbitant amounts for these idols. The idol wing of the crime branch CID, a special branch dedicated to track idol theft cases in the state, has seized 16 antique idols from different parts of the state this year.

Officials from the idol wing say that there are idol thieves active in every district of Tamil Nadu, constantly targeting temples in Tanjavur and Madurai belonging to the Chola period, temples in Kancheepuram and Vellore belonging to the the Pallava period and temples in Tirunelveli belonging to the Pandian period.

"These gangs constantly roam around the districts and target temples which don't have adequate security. When they strike at a temple, they only pick up the expensive idols. In many cases, they kill the security guard at the temple," an idol wing official said.

Once the burglars pick up idols, they hand them over to middlemen. "There are middlemen involved in the smuggling of idols. The burglars hand over the idols to first level middlemen who are mainly located in Karaikudi, Madurai and Chennai. Karaikudi is the main market for stolen idols. The middlemen collect the idols and get in touch with their other contacts. They provide the photograph of the idol to the second-level middlemen to assess the quality and value of the idol. The third-level middlemen later buy them and either send them outside the country or to cities like Mumbai and Delhi," the official added.

These panchaloha idols, the price of which even the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) cannot ascertain, are sold to the first-level middlemen for as less as 10,000 to 15,000. "The first level middlemen sell this off for around Rs 1 lakh and the second level middlemen, for a price between Rs 5-10 lakh for the idol. In the international market, these idols are sold for a price between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore," the official added.

The value of the idol is calculated as per its antiquity, size and weight. "There is a demand in the international market for 12th century idols. So the idol thieves concentrate more on areas like Tanjavur, Tiruvarur, Madurai and Kancheepuram," the official said.

Any transaction of artifacts that are more than 100 years old need permission from the government. “It is very easy to send the antiques out from India. The container services do not evaluate the age of the artifacts sent through them. The consignee records them as new artefact and presents photos of new artifacts. The consignment is then certified as non-antique, The customs officials also rely on this statement,” another official said.

பாகிஸ்தானின் ஹிந்து கோவில்கள், திருடர்களால் தொடர்ந்து சூறை - இஜாஸ் அன்வர்

சரித்திரம் நெடுகிலும், ஹிந்து கோவில்கள் மதப்பற்று மிகுந்த முஸ்லீம்களால் சூறையாடப்படுவது குறித்து வருந்தியிருக்கிறார், மதவெறி குறைந்த ஒரு இஸ்லாமியர்.

அவருக்கு எமது வாழ்த்துக்கள்.

Hindu religious sites in Pakistan have been targeted by looters: historian
June 27th, 2008 - 4:18 pm ICT by ANI - Email This Post Email This Post

Lahore , June 27 (ANI): Pakistan art historian Prof Dr. Ejaz Anwar has said that Hindu religious sites in Pakistan have always been the target of looters throughout history.

The surviving sculpture at the Katas Raj temple which depicted Hindu deities and seemed quite old is also in a serious threat of being stolen as the site provides an ideal ground for smugglers to work at, he told the Daily Times.

The statue was carved in the same red sand stone the whole Ramachandra Temple was constructed with.

He said the sculpture might have survived so long as it was present in a corner and could have escaped relic thieves eyes.

He urged the authorities to protect the sculpture and save it from being stolen.

The sculpture is precious and should be preserved as a heritage. It is a great asset for archaeologists. (ANI)

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/india-news/hindu-religious-sites-in-pakistan-have-been-targeted-by-looters-historian_10065162.html

Only one Hindu relic left at Katas Raj temple

* Temple pundit fears smugglers have eye on last surviving relic

By Afnan Khan

LAHORE: The ancient Hindu temple at Katas Raj, some 40 kilometres from Chakwal, has been robbed of all its relics, save for a stone carving depicting a god and a goddess, who are sitting, and two female slaves standing on either side.

The sculpture, which has been defaced and marred by the ravages of time, is part of a wall in the right balcony of Ramachandra Temple, also known as the Temple of Snakes.

Pundit Javed Akram Kumar, who is also chief of the Katas Raj Parbandh Committee, told Daily Times on Thursday that the statue showed Lord Shiva and his wife, the goddess Satti, sharing a moment of love with two servants standing beside them.

He said Lord Shiva is one of the three main Hindu gods, the other two being Brahma and Vishnu. The three together are called ‘Trimurti’ and complete the cycle of life. Brahma is the creator, Vishnu the maintainer or preserver and Shiva the destroyer or transformer. Shiva is also known for his strong love for his wife, Kumar said, adding that their love was the reason for the creation of the Katas Raj Temple.

Kumar said Shiva cried so bitterly on Satti’s death that his tears filled two ponds, one of them at Pushkara in Ajmer, India, and the other one at Ketaksha (now Katas Raj). Ketaksha means ‘raining eyes’ in Sanskrit.

Kumar accused the Punjab Archaeology Department (PAD) for lack of interest and not providing the temple enough security. He said the temple had been a continuous victim to smugglers of ancient sculptures. He said the surviving statue was priceless and was also in threat of being stolen.

Sculpture in threat: “The smugglers are powerful people, equipped with all kinds of modern tools, including stone cutters, diggers and metal detectors. They have already stolen all stone and wooden artefacts from the temple. Now they have their eyes on this sculpture, which is evident by the fact that it has been chipped from all sides. I will not be surprised if it is plucked out soon,” he said.

Kumar said that the temple could have been a major tourist attraction, if the government had paid attention to it and advertised it. He said the temple was one of the most ancient sites in the country. He said the Katas valley had been famous for its beauty and centuries ago, there used to be a Sanskrit University in the valley which had produced many eminent scientists, including Alberuni, who had written his book ‘Kitab Al Hind’ at the university.

Kumar added that there had been a Buddhist stupa at the site, which had signs of an ancient civilisation that lived in the area centuries ago.

PAD Director General Shahbaz Khan told Daily Times that he had seen the temple and that his department was mapping the site. He said he would be able to comment on the history and details of the sculpture only after the mapping was complete. He said the site had already been looted and destroyed and had nothing to offer to smugglers and relic thieves.

Khan said that his department was running a project to preserve the site and that the project would be completed by next year. He admitted that the security at the site had been ‘loose’, but his department had recently put barbed wire around the temple. He added that the department was hiring staff who would take care of the temple.

“We will not increase the number of idols in the temple since we are not preserving the site as a Hindu temple on religious grounds, but as a historical and cultural monument,” the PAD DG said.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\06\27\story_27-6-2008_pg13_7

பலூசிஸ்தான் ஹிந்து கோவிலை மூழ்கடிக்கும் அணைத்திட்டத்தை கைவிடுக : பாகிஸ்தானுக்கு பலூச் சட்டசபை

பலூசிஸ்தான் ஹிந்து கோவிலை மூழ்கடிக்கும் அணைத்திட்டத்தை கைவிடுக : பாகிஸ்தானுக்கு பலூச் சட்டசபை


சரித்திர முக்கியத்துவம் வாய்ந்த ஹிங்லாஜ் மாதா கோவிலை மூழ்கடித்து பாகிஸ்தான் அரசு கட்டப்போகும் அணைத்திட்டத்தை கைவிடுமாறு, பலூசிஸ்தான் மாகாண சட்டசபை ஏகமனதாக தீர்மானம் நிறைவேற்றியிருக்கின்றது.

பலூச் இனத்தார் தாங்கள் பாகிஸ்தானிகளே இல்லை என்றும், முஸ்லீம்கள் என்ற ஒரே காரணத்தால் தங்களை பாகிஸ்தானிகள் என்று நடுவன் அரசு கருதினால், இஸ்லாத்தை துறந்து தங்களது பூர்வீக மதமான ஹிந்து மதத்துக்கு திரும்பவும் தயார் என்று ஏற்கெனவே அறிவித்திருப்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.


BA protests dam project endangering Hindu temple

* MPA claims construction of dam violation of another WB-funded project
* BA moves resolution to reinstate sacked Bugti employees at oil and gas companies

By Malik Siraj Akbar

QUETTA: The Balochistan Assembly (BA) on Saturday unanimously demanded the federal government, through a parliamentary resolution, cancel construction plans for a dam on Hangol River in order to avoid damage to a historical Hindu temple.

Balochistan Minister for Irrigation and Power Sardar Muhammad Aslam Bizenjo along with several other provincial ministers moved a joint resolution on the floor of the BA against construction of the dam. The ministers told the House that the federal government was planning to construct a dam on Hangol River which would pass close to the Makran Coastal Highway.

The location of the dam concurs with the historical Hinglaj Mata temple, a shrine visited by tens of thousands of local and foreign Hindus annually. The temple is also the venue for a grand annual religious festival held every April.

The resolution said that if the government continued with the project, the temple was likely to be inundated with water and all roads leading to it getting completely closed. "We request the government to respect the sentiments of our fellow Hindu brothers. If the temple is damaged, Pakistan's image on the global front would be tarnished and the Hindus living all across the world would be ‘hurt’ over our inability to protect our religious minorities. We therefore request the government to construct the dam elsewhere to ensure the protection of the Hinglaj Mata temple," demanded the resolution.

While the whole House supported the resolution, it was ironically a parliamentarian from the Hindu community who insisted that the government should continue with the project “without making religion a hurdle on the path to socio-economic development”. Basant Lal Gulshan told the House that it was unreasonable to cancel the entire project on the mere basis of the threats it posed to the temple. The government should instead find an alternative path to carry on the project, ensuring the temple’s protection.

World Bank violation: Another parliamentarian from the area where the dam is proposed to be constructed told Daily Times that the Government of Pakistan was morally bound not to carry on the project because the World Bank (WB), assisting Pakistan with the construction of Hangol National Park in the same area, would provide Rs 250 million for the construction of the dam provided that the government ensure the protection of the environment there.

"The construction of a dam in the premises of Hangol National Park amounts to a violation of Pakistan’s commitment to the World Bank and the international community," he said.

The Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), the department responsible for building the dam, was hence asked to either re-design the dam or move it to another location.

Reinstatement: The BA in another resolution ordered Pakistan Petroleum Limited (PPL) and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) to immediately reinstate 65 employees of various oil and gas companies, including Nawabzada Jamil Akbar Bugti, son of late Nawab Akbar Bugti, who had been fired from their jobs by the previous government on the basis of either being members of the Bugti tribe or having close links with the late Nawab Bugti. The top management of these companies were also directed to send a representative each to the BA by July 1 to clarify their position on the sacking of these workers.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008\06\29\story_29-6-2008_pg7_23