Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

On July 1, 2001, The San Francisco Chronicle reported on "William Claassen, a self-described 'nomadic pilgrim.'...Claassen spent 2 1/2 years traveling around the world, visiting 40 monasteries in 12 countries. He broke bread with Greek Orthodox monks on Mount Athos, walked with Catholic brothers in Spain, watched whirling dervishes in Turkey, meditated with Zen monks in Japan and sat at the feet of Hindu gurus and Jain pujaris in India."

Source: INDIA New England

On July 1, 2001, INDIA New England reported that "reflecting...the community's growth across the United States, New England's Indian-American population has more than doubled in the past 10 years...The availability of work visas, the lure of academic institutions and the vitality of the region's high-tech industry have fueled this increase locally...The...2000 census reported 76,157 Indian-Americans in New England," up from 36,282 in 1990. "In New England, Massachusetts has the largest Indian-American population -- increasing from...

Source: The Houston Chronicle

On June 30, 2001, The Houston Chronicle reported that "June...is the time when brides and grooms fill churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and banquet halls with promises of love, fidelity and care. Traditions vary...But most couples taking a leap into married life begin by professing love and faithfulness until death parts them, if not for eternity. And even those who profess no religion often look beyond themselves on their wedding day to seal their commitment. 'People intuitively understand that [it] is something sacred...

Source: Los Angeles Times

On June 30, 2001, the Los Angeles Times reported that "more than 1,000 Hindus have gathered each day for more than a week at the Fairplex in Pomona to hear Ramesh Oza tell the story of Lord Rama's life." Ramayana is "an ancient epic that is fundamental to Hindu belief and culture...The story can take up to 30 days to tell...Hearing the story reinforces messages of respect and helps direct listeners to inner serenity."

Source: Chicago Daily Herald

On June 27, 2001, the Chicago Daily Herald reported that "members of the Vaishnav Samaj of Midwest soon will have a permanent place to celebrate their faith in Addison [Illinois]. The village board's building, zoning and development committee has recommended approval for a 27,778-square-foot Hindu temple... The temple, one of only four for the Pushti Marg in the United States, will serve devotees from throughout the region... Census 2000 figures show Indians are the second-largest group in the Chicago area who are not U.S....

Source: The Associated Press State & Local Wire

On June 24, 2001, the Associated Press State & Local Wire reported on a three-day conference at the Vivekananda Monastery and Retreat in Ganges, Michigan called "Vedanta in the Third Millennium." 14 leading swamis - Hindu religious teachers - attended. They were from India, Bolivia and across the United States. More than 800 others attended the conference as delegates or visitors. The leaders spoke about the danger of technology without ethics.

Source: Religion and Ethics Newsweekly

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week443/pluralism.html

On June 22, 2001 Religion and Ethics Newsweekly reported, "R. Scott Hanson wrote his doctoral dissertation at the University of Chicago on 'City of Gods: Religious Freedom, Immigration, and Pluralism in Flushing, New York.' He is a postdoctoral research associate at Brown University. Flushing, Queens is the most religiously and ethnically diverse...

Source: The Plain Dealer

On June 18, 2001, The Plain Dealer reported that Cleveland is "becoming a magnet for Indian-American doctors....Nationally the Asian Indian community doubled in size last decade, to about 1.7 million people...It was the fastest growing Asian group in Ohio, reaching...39,000 people. Nationally, 4.5 percent of all doctors are of Indian ancestry...Their numbers grow with proximity to Cleveland...One in 15 Ohio doctors is Indian-American...In no other city, arguably, is such a high proportion of the Indian community licensed to practice...

Source: The Washington Post

On June 17, 2001, The Washington Post reported that "the Montgomery County Agricultural Fairgrounds in Gaithersburg [Virginia]" was filled this weekend "with members of the Hindu movement Gayatri Pariwar, which claims 55 million followers worldwide, 50 million of them in India...About 3,000 people, mostly Washington area residents of Indian descent, performed the ritual of yagna." They kindled sacred fires to "offer an oblation to the inner being -- the light inside you...The festival also included free mahaprasad -- food -- and...

Source: St. Petersburg Times

On June 17, 2001, St. Petersburg Times reported on Dr. Kiran Patel, "a champion of Indian culture in Tampa." One of the Indian traditions that he espouses is "for Indian fathers to help arrange the marriages of their daughters to worthy Indians," but his 27-year-old daughter decided to marry an American Methodist from New Jersey. Dr. Patel opposed the marriage at first, but eventually relented.

Source: Newsday

On June 16, 2001, Newsday reported on an interfaith marriage panel, "which brought together four interfaith couples and four clergy members earlier this month at Huntington Congregational Church in Centerport [New York]." Among other things, the panelists discussed wedding ceremonies, raising children, cultural differences, and all that interfaith marriages can teach a couple.

Source: India Abroad

On June 15, 2001, India Abroad reported that "a 15,000-square-foot high-domed Dradha Krishna temple...has been built...in Spanish Fork, Utah, by the Utah chapter of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness...Among the guests invited for the celebration [of its opening] are...local members of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints (LDS)...In 1999 the LDS Foundation donated $25,000 toward construction and more than 800 local Mormons voluntered their time in the construction at various times."

Source: The San Francisco Chronicle

On June 15, 2001, The San Francisco Chronicle reported on the wedding ceremony of an Indian-American Hindu bride and groom. "The bride says her wedding day was perfect because it combined her Indian background and her American upbringing into one beautifully unique ceremony."

Source: Chicago Sun-Times

On June 14, 2001, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that "in an unprecedented gathering, more than a dozen orange-swathed Hindu swamis representing every Ramakrishna order center in North America will assemble in Chicago next week and then spend the weekend at a Hindu retreat center in Ganges, Mich. More than 500 devotees are expected to join the 14 swamis for a conference that will examine their religion in the third millennium."

Source: The Associated Press State & Local Wire

On June 13, 2001, the Associated Press State & Local Wire reported on a three-day Hinduism conference at the Vivekananda Monastery and Retreat in Ganges, Michigan. "Vedanta in the Third Millennium," is expected to attract about 500 people. The leader of the Vivekananda Vedanta Society of Chicago said that "the idea of doing this conference is to make the people aware of their spiritual identity."