1,008 'Cleansing Fires' Anger Indian Activists

[Guest guest]

KOLKATA (November 17, 2006)(Reuters) - Hindus in West Bengal began

burning wood and herbs in over a thousand deep pits on Friday in a

ceremony they said will heal the ozone layer and cure disease,

drawing anger from green campaigners.

 

Billowing smoke from 1,008 fires, which will blaze for three days,

will wipe out parasites which cause outbreaks of dengue fever and

malaria, local religious leaders said, and help boost the earth's

natural defences.

 

But environmentalists warned the thick blanket of smoke generated

would only pose a serious health hazard and dismissed the beliefs as

foolish.

 

"The smoke will cause a deep haze and the ozone layer will only

weaken with such foolish acts," Subhas Dutta, an activist

warned. "Someone must stop this madness before it is too late."

 

The Gayatri Janakalyan Kendra, a group which believes in the

benefits of ancient Hindu philosophy, began kindling the fires in

densely populated Howrah, about 10 km north of Kolkata, witnesses

said.

 

Hundreds of priests were supervising the fire ceremony, chanting

ancient Hindu verses to invoke gods, as thousands of people,

including women clad in yellow robes, looked on.

 

"Three days after the sacred fire rages, smoke from burnt wood and

herbal medicines will strengthen the ozone layer and cure diseases,"

Pashupati Nath Misra, Gayatri's secretary said.

 

The fires cleanse the atmosphere of evil, he said.

 

The ozone layer shields the earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet

rays and U.S. scientists reported in October that this year's hole

over Antarctica was bigger and deeper than any on record.

 

SOURCE: India News. Thousand "cleansing" fires anger Indian

activists. Friday November 17, 07:05 PM. By Bappa Majumdar

URL: http://in.news./061117/137/69gqv.html

[Guest guest]

Dear Brother,

 

What the experts say is correct. In olden days rishis never used wood for havan. They only used fallen twigs from trees and even cowdung was not used and it was used mainly for the purpose of protecting the premises from insects and to fertilise the land. people mistake the flame and smoke as agnideva whereas it is not. The energy in the agni is the agnideva for the purpose of havan. Even we have jataragni within us it and it does not emit smoke and flame.

I have introduced with the sole purpose of making the havan as simple as possible and also to protect the environment "homa-in-home" and without prejudice people interested may kindly visit the website "homam.co.in" under construction.

I mean no inconvenience to anyone nor compelling anyone to follow.

Regards,

S.SHANGARANARAYANAN

 

 

 

Devi Bhakta <devi_bhakta >

 

Friday, November 17, 2006 9:41:39 PM

1,008 'Cleansing Fires' Anger Indian Activists

 

KOLKATA (November 17, 2006)(Reuters) - Hindus in West Bengal began

burning wood and herbs in over a thousand deep pits on Friday in a

ceremony they said will heal the ozone layer and cure disease,

drawing anger from green campaigners.

 

Billowing smoke from 1,008 fires, which will blaze for three days,

will wipe out parasites which cause outbreaks of dengue fever and

malaria, local religious leaders said, and help boost the earth's

natural defences.

 

But environmentalists warned the thick blanket of smoke generated

would only pose a serious health hazard and dismissed the beliefs as

foolish.

 

"The smoke will cause a deep haze and the ozone layer will only

weaken with such foolish acts," Subhas Dutta, an activist

warned. "Someone must stop this madness before it is too late."

 

The Gayatri Janakalyan Kendra, a group which believes in the

benefits of ancient Hindu philosophy, began kindling the fires in

densely populated Howrah, about 10 km north of Kolkata, witnesses

said.

 

Hundreds of priests were supervising the fire ceremony, chanting

ancient Hindu verses to invoke gods, as thousands of people,

including women clad in yellow robes, looked on.

 

"Three days after the sacred fire rages, smoke from burnt wood and

herbal medicines will strengthen the ozone layer and cure diseases,"

Pashupati Nath Misra, Gayatri's secretary said.

 

The fires cleanse the atmosphere of evil, he said.

 

The ozone layer shields the earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet

rays and U.S. scientists reported in October that this year's hole

over Antarctica was bigger and deeper than any on record.

 

SOURCE: India News. Thousand "cleansing" fires anger Indian

activists. Friday November 17, 07:05 PM. By Bappa Majumdar

URL: http://in.news. / 061117/137/ 69gqv.html

 

 

 

 

 

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