Bonalu festivities Begin in Secunderabad
The two day annual Bonalu festival has began today in Secunderabad ( Religion News of Secunderabad Bonalu festival ). The historic Sri Ujjaini Mahankali Temple and the various other goddess in Secunderabad are all decked up with Lights and flowers.
Since morning thousands of devotees are thronging the temples with bonam. There are long queues’ for darshan of the goddess at Ujjaini Mahankali Temple. MP Kavitha, daughter of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Reddy has offered the ‘Bonam’ at the Ujjaini Mahankali in the morning.
Telangana state Government has give Rs10 Cr for the celebrations of the Bonalu in twin cities. Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav, is looking after the organizations personally and his family offered the first bonam to the diety around 4 am.
Sringeri Mutt Releases Guru Purnima Parayana (Religion News Guru Purnima Parayana )
With the blessings and guidance of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam and Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam, on the eve of Guru Paurnami, Srigeri Peetham has released a compilation of Guru Parayana.
This small compendium published by the Peetham, contains shlokas for Parayana, and the Ashtottara Shatanamavalis and is titled Guru-Saparyaa, meaning worship of the Guru. To enable the devotees from different states and region to involve themselves and chant this Parayanam the Stotras and Ashtottara Shata Namavalis are given in Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Devanagari scripts. These can availed on Mobile Tablet and Computer Viewable version and as Printable version too on the official website of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham.
The Parayana Audio consists of : Ekashloki Gurudhyanam, Vishnu Shatpadi, Sri Krishna Ashtottara Shata Namavali, Sri Veda Vyasa Stuti, Bhagavan Veda Vyasa Ashtottara Shatanamavali, Totakashtakam, Sri Shankarabhagavat Padacharya Ashtottara Shata Naamaavali, Gurupaduka Stotram, Mangalam. And also the learning versions of Vishnu Shatpadi, Sringeri Guruparamparastotram, Gurupaduka Stotram.
Lack of Funds, stop the restoration at St Philomena’s Church ( Religion News of Lack of Funds )
The restoration work at St Philomena’s Church, one of the largest churches in south India, is being done with funds from the tourism department, has now slowed down. Supposedly the department has not released the funds for the company which is doing the restoration work at the church.
The cost restoration work for the 90 year structure was estimated at 2.70 crores. And the restoration work has being undertaken with the technical support from the department of archaeology museum and heritage. The work on the city’s iconic church had started in March 2016 and was to be completed in 18 months. Mumbai-based Savani Construction Company is executing the work.
Dr Susan Thomas is the new Executive member of WCRC( Religion News of Dr Susan Thomas )
Dr. Susan Thomas, the President of the CSI Synod Women’s Fellowship, has been elected as the Executive Committee member of the World Communion of the Reformed Churches (WCRC) in the General Council held at Leipzig in Germany. She has a doctorate in Theology and an active proponent of gender equality in the church and society. She has been in the active ministry with her husband, Most Rev. Thomas K. Oommen; the Moderator of the Church of South India, for more than three decades.
WCRC has over 220 member churches from 109 countries and the General Council was attended by over a thousand delegates from across the world. The Rev. Najla Kassab, a minister in the National Evangelical Synod of Syria and Lebanon (NESSL), has been elected president of the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC), which groups more than 225 churches in over 110 countries.
“With her experience and many gifts, Najla’s vision, insight, spiritual strength and grace make her the right person to lead us forward as president,” said Alison McDonald, the moderator of a Nominating Committee that brought a slate of nominees for the WCRC Executive Committee to its General Council.
The elections took place on 7 July, the final day of the Council, which has been meeting in the eastern German city of Leipzig since 29 June. Of the 22 members of the new Executive Committee, 10 are men and 12 women; 15 are ordained and 7 are lay people.
The four vice-presidents elected by the General Council are Rev. Dr. Samuel Ayete-Nyampong (Ghana), Rev. Dr. Lisa Vander Wal (United States), Rev. Sylvana Maria Apituley (Indonesia) and Raissa Vieira Brasil (Brazil).
Other members of the Executive Committee are:
Dr. Johann Weusmann, a member of the Evangelical Reformed Church in Hannover,Clayton Da Silva (Independent Presbyterian Church in Brasil), Diana Erdélyi (Hungarian Reformed Church) Hilary Hagar (Presbyterian Church of Canada), Hefin Jones (Union of Welsh Independants), Annabell Lallaram-kelawan (Presbyterian Church in Trinidad and Tobago),Hong Jung Lee (Presbyterian Church in Korea), Coutinho Maravilhoso Moma (Evangelical Congregational Church in Angola), Veronica Muchiri (Presbyterian Church of East Africa), J. Herbert Nelson (Presbyterian Church (USA), Tibonge Ng‘ambi (Presbyterian Church in Zambia),Hannah North (Presbyterian Church Aoteara New Zeland), Claudio Pasquet (Waldensian Church), Khid-arn Prawate (Church of Christ in Thailand), Milciades Pua (Presbyterian Church of Colombia), Mary Ekinde Salle (Presbyterian Church Cameroo)
Wakf Board’s decision to stop collecting money for graves applauded
Telangana State Wakf Board in a one a of its kind bold decision has decided to stop collecting money for providing graves for Muslims. This is the culmination of the efforts of Mr. Mohammed Saleem, Chairman of Wakf Board, who is being applauded by everyone.
It may be mentioned that the chairman of Wakf Board had warned the persons engaged in collecting money for providing space for graves for Muslim dead bodies. Mr. Saleem admonished the Mutawallis of the graveyards and warned them that they would be dismissed if they indulge in such activities.
In fact he even urged the ublic that in case if any mutawalli demands money for providing space for graves, they should immediately contact Wakf Board.
