Connecting Global Threads of Faith Newsletter -1September
Editor’s Note
From targeted violence and structural desecration to sacred service and legal reclamation, faith asserts itself not in passive endurance, but in the unwavering duty to protect heritage, seek justice, and serve humanity.
September Newsletter – 1
(September 01 –September 30)
"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
BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Jersey is supporting relief efforts in flood-hit Nepal, with BAPS volunteers providing food, utensils and essential supplies to affected communities.The temple community has also offered prayers for those killed and missing as rescue and relief operations continue.
Europe
France
More than 50 UNESCO ambassadors and diplomats from 43 countries visited the BAPS Swaminarayan Hindu Mandir in Paris, celebrating India-France cultural ties and the temple’s role in promoting living heritage, service and intercultural dialogue.
South Asia
Bangladesh
Hindu devotees in Bangladesh celebrated Sri Krishna Janmashtami at Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka with prayers, rituals and a historic procession, reaffirming the continuity of their religious traditions.
Bangladesh’s government has assured Hindus of safety ahead of Durga Puja, promising equal rights, support for Hindu religious institutions, and strengthened security and welfare measures.
Amid escalating attacks on minorities across Bangladesh, two Hindus, including a woman, were killed in separate incidents, raising fresh concerns over the safety of the minority communities in the country, local media reported.
The Hindu monk, Chinmoy Krishna Das, jailed since November 2024 was denied parole to see his ailing mother, who died without fulfilling her final wish of seeing her jailed son; he was allowed only five hours of parole to attend her funeral.
At least 20 Hindus have reportedly been brutally killed in six months of Tarique Rahman’s rule, with recent killings intensifying fear in the community ahead of Durga Puja.
Pakistan
Pakistan last week ‘demolished’ a 125-year-old Hindu temple in Punjab, to make way for a madrasa. The ‘demolition’ has now sparked a dispute between a minority rights organisation and the government body responsible for managing religious properties.
Two Hindu sisters, reportedly aged 13 and 14, were allegedly abducted, converted to Islam and married in Sindh; after pleading “We want to go home,” a court sent them to a safe house.Activists also reported the abduction of another 14-year-old Hindu girl, alleging that six Hindu minor girls in Tando Allahyar had been abducted and converted within 10 days.
India
Air Marshal (Retd.) Jeetendra Mishra has been appointed the first CEO of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, bringing 39 years of military experience to the administration, security and management of the Ram Mandir complex.
The Supreme Court on Monday upheld eviction orders concerning 3.93 acres of land belonging to the Arulmigu Annamalainathar Temple at Kadayanallur in Tamil Nadu, where residential houses, a mosque and an Arabic school were built after portions of the property changed hands.
A valuable 2¼-foot emerald Lord Murugan idol was stolen from a Tamil Nadu temple after thieves disabled its alarm and CCTV cameras, prompting a police investigation and a search for the idol.
Odisha Cabinet approved the Shree Jagannath Temple Land Management Rules, 2026, introducing online processing, GIS mapping, transparent valuation, stricter oversight and penalties for fraudulent land settlements.
Probe underway, Google details sought: Delhi police to court on Dhruv Rathee's 'Hindu deities' video
Delhi Police is investigating a complaint against YouTuber Dhruv Rathee over allegedly offensive remarks about Hindu deities, with the video restricted in India following a GAC order and police seeking Google-YouTube details.
Calling for an overhaul of finance management of Hindu temples, the Karnataka High Court has upheld the dismissal of an employee held for misappropriation of temple funds, while simultaneously issuing a comprehensive set of directions applicable to all Hindu religious institutions in the State.
Ujjain’s historic eight-foot Khade Hanuman idol remains unmoved even after the surrounding temple was dismantled for a road-widening project ahead of Simhastha 2028, with officials clarifying that no attempt has yet been made to remove the idol.Technical experts, including IIT specialists, are being called in to determine whether the idol is structurally connected to ancient stonework beneath it before any relocation is considered.
Devotees of Chennai’s Nungambakkam temple have urged the Tamil Nadu government to recover over 415 grounds of temple land allegedly alienated illegally over the years by former trustees in collusion with HR&CE officials.
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