01-20-2006, 05:52 AM (This post was last modified: 01-20-2006, 05:52 AM by agnivayu.)
Lot's of good information in this article. So about $ 1.2 Billion comes into India every year. The US + UK + Germany is about $640 million, which is probably the vast bulk of Christian money. Total Xtian money into India cannot be more than $800-1000 million then.
Also note how the Southern states get a lot of money, consistent with the missionary goals.
<!--QuoteBegin-mitradena+Jan 20 2006, 02:57 AM-->QUOTE(mitradena @ Jan 20 2006, 02:57 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Why India changed law on foreign donations
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So is the new bill good or bad from the Hindu point of view?
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<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The work of Pratishtana is not limited to these initiatives, but extends to a vast area. Protection of environment is a key concern of Pratishtana. It launched a movement to `Save the Western Ghats' led by Anant Hegde who works with the Pratishtana.
It has instituted a task force to document the bio-resources of various villages in Sagar, Thirthahally and Hosanagara taluks in Karnataka - a far-reaching work.
It has special concern for women and conducts massive programmes mobilising them on the cultural plane. It conducts Deepa Pujas in which thousands participate every year. It organised a Matru Sangama in which 45,000 women from executives and professionals to ordinary slum dwellers resided together.
It also works vigorously to eradicate untouchability and alcoholism. Conceived and executed by Ajit Kumar, a dynamic RSS worker, 25 years ago, the Hindu Seva Pratishtana has over the years grown into a huge, high quality public service mission.
He died young, but thanks to his far-sight, the Pratishtana work has grown exponentially.
As he conceived this mission, Ajit Kumar did not think of building a huge corpus of funds. Instead, he built a team of dedicated volunteers and instituted a system of identifying, training and sustaining more of them.
The idea of public service is generally understood as raising, accumulating and spending funds. Sometimes it is even trivialised as a task, which can be accomplished by just money.
More often than not, skill in fund raising is considered more important to engage in public service. But Ajit Kumar was different. He believed that motivated men, motivated by the urge to serve the motherland through the service of the needy, are more critical than money.
He proved right. Thanks to his vision, today in the Pratishtana there are over 3000 whole-time volunteers - yes 3000! They are called `Sevavratis', that is, those who have taken a vow for service. They are competent in different fields, well-trained and motivated by high levels of compassion linking the service they deliver to the idea of man-making and nation-building.
A âSevavrati' takes oath to give full time to the Pratishtana for three years. But, there are `Sevavratis' who are working for over 15 years. In addition there are thousands of equally dedicated workers who work only part time.
This huge stock of trained, sincere and committed workers constitutes the real asset of the Pratishtana, not the moderate financial numbers disclosed in its balance sheet.
But the story of Pratishtana is still not complete. It is a mission whose service enriches the soul of the needy who receive its help, and not trade off its service for change of faith, God, or culture of the recipient.
Those missions that offer relief to the needy in exchange for the recipient being persuaded to disown his or her faith or God or culture are also celebrated as great social service missions.
But, the Pratishtana is different, because its services have no aim or intent other than building a mighty and prosperous India. This is real national service, man-making and nation-building service, which Swami Vivekananda repeatedly commended to the youth of India.
The Hindu Seva Pratishtana that serves the acutely needy is actually transforming into a movement in Karnataka. This illustrious mission is entering its Silver Jubilee Year on February 25, 2006.
'Develop Kali temple as a tourist spot'
[ 15 Sep, 2006 1715hrs ISTPTI ]
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KOLKATA: A visit to the renowned Kali Temple at Kalighat here will be a less harrowing experience for devotees and tourists, with the Calcutta High Court on Friday directing authorities to develop it as a tourist spot.
The court issued a string of directions to the police and others responsible for running the temple in response to a PIL filed by a devotee.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice V S Sirpurkar and Justice Nadira Patherya observed that every visitor to the city normally visited the Kali Temple.
The court directed that the temple should be developed as a tourist spot with proper facilities and security arrangements.
It said construction of a yatriniwas near the temple complex and other development work, for which the Centre has sanctioned Rs five crore, should begin within two weeks.
The court entrusted Kolkata Municipal Corporation with carrying out the work in coordination with the West Bengal Tourism Development Corporation.
Taking note of allegations of financial irregularities in the temple, where huge amounts of money and ornaments are donated by devotees, the court asked the Kalighat police station's officer-in-charge to depute an officer to be present during the counting of money deposited in donation boxes.
It directed that the money should be counted every night and ornaments deposited in a bank vault the next day.
According to practice, 50 per cent of offerings by devotees are taken by the day's paladar (the person who conducts the puja) and the other half by the Kalighat Temple Committee.
The court directed this division should be made transparent and the deposited money counted and accounted for every day.
