Connecting Global Threads of Faith Newsletter # 2 February
- GHTN Admin
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Editor’s Note
Civilisations are not sustained by noise, but by continuity, and Dharma survives because it remembers who it is, even when the world forgets…
January Newsletter – 2
(February 15 – February 28)
"In a connected world, Hindu struggles and resilience amid violence often remain unseen. This fortnightly report sheds light on these overlooked realities, offering a global overview of incidents affecting Hindus and celebrating our heritage, advocating for Hindu rights and religious freedom worldwide."
North America
United States of America
Pew Research Center 2023–24 Religious Landscape Study finds that Hindus are the most educated religious group in the U.S., with about 70% holding at least a bachelor’s degree.
Their educational attainment surpasses all other major religious groups and is significantly higher than the national average of around 35–40%.
Europe
United Kindom
A 40-year-old Hindu temple and community centre located within a complex in the eastern England city of Peterborough fears closure after the local council upheld a decision to sell the building it rents out.
UAE
Abu Dhabi
The BAPS Hindu Mandir marked its second anniversary on February 14, drawing more than 8,000 devotees and over 1,500 participants to a special “Mandir Talks at 2” assembly in the UAE capital. Held under the theme “Mandir: Our Family, Our Future”, the event brought together community leaders, diplomats, families and children to reflect on the temple’s role in promoting peace, values and harmony in the country.
Asia
India
Delhi Police have foiled a major terror plot targeting Hindu temples with the arrest of eight suspected Lashkar-e-Taiba operatives allegedly linked to a Bangladesh-based handler connected to Pakistan’s ISI and LeT leadership.
Investigators say the module conducted detailed reconnaissance of temple sites, with security tightened in sensitive areas as agencies probe a cross-border terror network spanning Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court has given parties two weeks to submit objections to the ASI’s report on the Bhojshala–Kamal Maula complex in Dhar, after the Supreme Court directed the sealed survey findings to be opened.
The ASI’s 2,000-page report, based on a 98-day scientific survey, cites inscriptions, temple architectural remains, and over 1,700 artefacts suggesting a significant pre-existing Paramara-era temple structure at the site.
A Durga temple in Jabalpur was vandalised during an ongoing puja, sparking outrage among local Hindus and leading to clashes and stone-pelting, after which police intervened and detained multiple individuals to restore order.
Similar disruptions targeting Hindu religious events were reported in Karnataka during a Shivaji Jayanti procession and in Hyderabad near a mosque area.
Preparations are underway in West Bengal’s Nadia district to build an Ayodhya-style Shri Krittibas Ram Mandir, with priests set to bring sacred soil from Ram Janmabhoomi for the temple’s foundation ceremony.
In Uttarakhand, the portals of Kedarnath Temple, the eleventh Jyotirlinga located in Rudraprayag district, will be opened for devotees on 22nd of April this year.
The Madras High Court directed Tamil Nadu’s HR&CE Department to conduct the Sree Maha Mariamman Temple festival in Thiruchengode this year after rival groups failed to cooperate, warning that no festival would be allowed if disputes caused law and order issues.
In related rulings, the court stressed non-discrimination and collective participation in temple events, barred “first honour” practices, and held that globally significant events like Jallikattu must be organised by the state, not private committees.
The 14th-century Sri Prasanna Venkateswara Swamy temple in Nellore district has been renovated with restored heritage features and modern amenities, including a new Rajagopuram and revived temple tank, ahead of its annual Brahmotsavams beginning February 25.
A centuries-old Hindu shrine in this northernmost district of Kerala has hosted a community Iftar in its courtyard for Muslim community members, as a mark of religious harmony.
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