(Eurasia Review) The marquees near Nepal's Pashupatinath Temple in the secular Himalayan country's capital resembled a carnival with people trooping in from morning to night. But for some members of minority religions, including people (among about 700,000 Christians) who were given the privilege of religious freedom in 2006, this Hindu gathering has been a cause for concern. The group Christian Solidarity Worldwide has warned that Nepal's new constitution (which will go into effect in May) may not allow people to convert from one religion to another. Kalidas Dahal, a Hindu baba (see video) who claims to have supernatural powers, on March 1 began a nine-day prayer meeting (yajna). He was aiming to show the coalition government the public support Hinduism still enjoys in Nepal. Besides ministers and lawmakers, the deposed king, Gyanendra Shah, also attended on May 8, 2010. Once the only "Hindu kingdom" in the world, Nepal was declared a secular State by its parliament... More>>
