The hindu

NEW DELHI - Amazon.com Inc’s Prime Video streaming service on Tuesday (March 2) issued a rare apology to its Indian viewers for some scenes in its original political drama series “Tandav”, which allegedly offended Hindu religious beliefs. “Tandav”, a Hindi word meaning “fury”, stars top Bollywood actors. In several states it has faced police complaints and court cases alleging the show had depicted Hindu gods and goddesses in a derogatory manner, and offended religious beliefs. Lawmakers from India’s ruling nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party have also criticised it. In a statement titled “Amazon Prime Video Apologizes”, the company on Tuesday said it deeply regrets viewers considered certain scenes to be objectionable. Amazon apologises “unconditionally to anyone who felt hurt,” it said, adding that it will continue to develop content while respecting the diversity of audiences’ culture and beliefs. The “Tandav” controversy escalated last week when police in the northern state ... » Learn More about Amazon issues rare apology in India after complaints that series hurt Hindu beliefs

DENPASAR, Indonesia: It was barely 7pm and Kuta, Bali’s most famous and vibrant tourism hotspot, appeared desolate and grim. Gone were the thumping sound of dance music blaring from its nightclubs, the calls of shopkeepers offering cheap clothes and souvenirs as well as the cheerful laughter of tourists from across the world strolling down its pavements in search of a good time. The COVID-19 pandemic and the worldwide travel restrictions which followed have stopped the tourists from coming. As a result, nearly all shops and restaurants lining the streets of Kuta had to shut down their businesses temporarily. Kuta - an area which before the pandemic was crammed by thousands of travellers and where complete traffic gridlock could be observed at 2am on a weekday - is now completely lifeless. This fate is shared by all tourism hotspots in the island, from the upscale resort area of Nusa Dua to the backpacking surfers’ paradise of Canggu. Although Bali is far from being ... » Learn More about Bali’s unemployed turn to odd jobs, hard labour as COVID-19 ravages tourism sector

SINGAPORE - While the level of religious harmony in Singapore remains high, updates to the Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act (MRHA) are timely due to global trends such as rising religiosity and increased violence fuelled by hate speech, said Home Affairs and Law Minister K. Shanmugam on Monday (Oct 7). Speaking in Parliament at the start of debate on proposed changes to the law, he noted that since it was passed in 1990, the Internet and social media have been used to mobilise hatred and mob attacks. There has also been increased foreign interference by countries in the affairs of other countries, he said. Mr Shanmugam cited various examples, including far-right movements in Europe that play up anxieties against Muslims and other minorities, the use of algorithms to allow hate to go viral online, and how in India in 2014, hundreds took to the streets over morphed pictures of Hindu gods that were shared on Facebook and later recirculated on WhatsApp. Singapore has been ... » Learn More about Parliament: Updates to Maintenance of Religious Harmony Act timely given external environment, says Shanmugam

The Malaysian government’s hasty policy U-turn regarding an important Lunar New Year family dinner event has done little to mollify its ethnic Chinese citizens, who have criticised not just the measures but also the government’s policy inconsistency on the matter. The government on Sunday loosened its policy regarding the so-called reunion dinners, which are held on Lunar New Year’s eve, saying that as many as 15 people, all of whom must live within 10km of the dinner venue, could attend any single gathering. Its previous policy on the matter – implemented to combat the spread of the coronavirus – was that the gatherings would be limited to members of the same household, with no outside guests allowed. The government also said Buddhist temples could open on Lunar New Year’s eve and day – February 11 and 12 – for prayers, as well as on February 19, which is considered a special day for Hokkien Chinese, with a cap of 30 individuals in any one temple at any given time. The original ... » Learn More about Malaysian-Chinese see red over Lunar New Year reunion dinner policy flip-flop

SINGAPORE - Stand united in safeguarding social cohesion amid the Covid-19 outbreak here , the country's inter-faith organisation has urged Singaporeans following reports of discrimination. In a statement on Monday (April 20), the Inter-Religious Organisation, Singapore (IRO), encouraged members of the public to keep in touch with those from diverse faiths and backgrounds, while it dissuaded the use of negative comments against the migrant community. "Negative sentiments typecasting our migrant brothers and sisters is inappropriate and against our national values. They are members of our Singapore community, helping build our ecosystem," the organisation said. The IRO, which comprises representatives from the Hindu, Jewish, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Taoist, Jain, Christian, Islam, Sikh and Baha'i communities, added that it is saddened by the high rise in the number of coronavirus cases and will continue to pray for the patients and their families. It directed those who need ... » Learn More about Coronavirus: Inter-Religious Organisation urges social cohesion during outbreak after reports of discrimination

The bindi is worn by everyone from Indian village women to Bollywood stars and international celebrities. It is both a fashion statement and a religious, cultural, and political symbol. Placed in the middle of the forehead, it can be anything from a demure red dot to a jewelled ornament, and conveys a wealth of information about its wearer. The word bindi comes from the Sanskrit word bindu or drop, and it denotes a woman’s mystic third eye. According to yoga experts, this mid-forehead point is the ajna chakra, the sixth and most powerful chakra in the body. Pressing on this point is said to conserve energy and increase concentration. The practice of wearing a bindi, described in ancient Hindu mythology and stories, denotes marital status and is considered useful in warding off bad luck. In the past, the materials used to make bindis included sandalwood ash, sandalwood paste, and turmeric-based kumkum (a type of powder). Observers could determine a Hindu woman’s region, ... » Learn More about How the bindi became a fashion accessory for K-pop idols and other stars, and the young women reclaiming it as retro chic

Nation Thailand decided to compare the real-life and cartoon versions of characters in the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT)’s “Himmapan Project” – with hilarious results. The TAT’s latest campaign to boost domestic travel feature cute cartoon characters based on crudely-fashioned statues seen at temples all around the country. This is not the first time that the homely temple decorations have made the news. In late December, the roughly-made statues became social media sensations for their simplicity and ridiculousness, though some netizens wondered if they were the result of corrupt renovation projects. The statues are based on mythical creatures from the Buddhist/Hindu legend of Himmapan, the forest that surrounds the base of Mount Meru. In December they inspired numerous Facebook fan-art portraits that celebrated the naïve cuteness of the stone creatures. The TAT followed up with its own campaign, which is designed to give both children and adults a fun ... » Learn More about Before and after: Temple statues in Thailand get hilarious makeover

A HINDU temple in Johor Baru has opened a car wash to keep afloat after its income dropped drastically due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Sri Subramaniar Temple Tampoi chairman K. Arumugam said the movement control order was a wake-up call for the 91-year-old temple to look at other ways to generate income. He said after two months of planning, the temple located at Jalan Dato Esa, Tampoi, opened the car wash on a piece of land located behind it. “We believe this is a first in Johor where a car wash is fully operated and managed by a Hindu temple. “This is a timely effort as we are planning to renovate next year, as Hindu temples usually undergo refurbishment every 12 years, ” he said after the launch of the car wash earlier this month. Arumugam said public donations had dropped by at least 60% due to the MCO. He added that besides conducting prayers and religious activities, the temple also carried out community outreach programmes to help the underprivileged, as well as health ... » Learn More about Temple starts car wash service to generate additional income

SINGAPORE - The threat of online radicalisation continues to loom large, and with young people especially at risk, Singapore has to step up its efforts to keep the peace in society, said religious leaders and observers. They were responding on Wednesday (Jan 27) to news of a Singaporean Christian plotting to attack Muslims at two mosques. The 16-year-old is the youngest to be held under the Internal Security Act (ISA) for terrorism thus far, and the first detainee to be influenced by far-right extremist ideology. He was specifically influenced by Australian Brenton Tarrant, who slaughtered 50 mosque-goers in Christchurch in 2019. In a statement condemning all acts of terror and violence as having no place in any religion, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (Muis) warned that the pervasive nature of social media posed the risk of extremist ideologies seeping into homes. "We are grateful that in Singapore, we have close bonds of friendship and trust among faith ... » Learn More about Religious leaders urge Singaporeans to join forces to battle online radicalisation of young people

Munawar Faruqi had not even started his set at the Munroe Café in Indore on January 1 when he and another stand-up comic were arrested, alongside two of the event’s organisers, for violating India ’s colonial era anti-blasphemy laws. The 28-year-old Muslim comedian was accused of “intent” to outrage religious sentiments by Aklavya Gaur, a Hindu nationalist activist and son of the city’s mayor. Moments before Faruqi’s arrest – and only seconds after he took to the stage – Gaur had burst into the venue and began shouting that the show was “cancelled”, according to eyewitnesses. “Munawar was interrupted even before he could start performing,” said 22-year-old audience member G Jen Agnes K, who has since received death threats for speaking out in support of the comic online. “As soon as he got the spotlight Aklavya Gaur interrupted him.” Gaur – whose mother Malini is a member of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi ’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party as well as being ... » Learn More about In Modi’s India, comedians can now be jailed for ‘intent’ to tell a joke – as Munawar Faruqi found out