A live concert DVD of Devi Kshetra Kritis by M. Lalitha and M. Nandini has been brought out by Santhananda Soundscapes. The album features compositions on the different female (Devi) deities in Chidambaram, Madurai , Kancheepuram, Pudukottai, Tiruvaiyaru, Tirunelveli, and Thirumayilai. The DVD also features visuals of the deities and the temples. The album includes the compositions of Thyagaraja, Muthuswamy Dikshithar, Subbaraya Sastri, Gopalakrishna Bharati, Harikesanallur Muthiah Bhagavathar, and Papanasam Sivan.  Devi Kshetra Kritis is available at The Sankara Hall, Alwarpet, Chennai. For more details: Mob: 98401 22729.

The treasure was unearthed at the entrance of the Angala Amman Temple at Maligai Chetti Street in Kanchipuram. The crow bar of one of the workers who were digging a pit for an underground project accidentally hit a pot and broke it. When the workers removed the pot, they found a silver crown, used to adorn the Amman and a copper plate etched with nearly 21 images of goddess Amman with Kanchi Kamatchi Amman in the center. Officials after ascertaining the exact date will decide whether to hand over the treasures to the temple or to the archeological department. Such treasures are hidden in many temples. People fearing attacks from Muslim invaders had buried treasure in many places. But the exact location was never passed on to the next generation.

Navya Shastra (www.shastras.org), the international Hindu reform organization, has issued an apology to all those people who have suffered and are suffering from the evil caste system. STATEMENT OF APOLOGY We, at Navya Shastra, deeply regret and apologise for the atrocities committed on the sons and daughters of the depressed communities of India , including the tribals, the "untouchables" and all of the castes deemed as low.  We shamefully acknowledge that the ideals of varna and its practical manifestation in castes (jatis), promoted and encouraged the notions of inequality, lesser and greater, high and low, superior and inferior among human beings. An ideal that does not aspire for equality of human beings is not worthy of being an ideal.  Caste and varna have relegated many to a degradingly low status. This was a divisive, inhumane and a ruinous social construct. Navya Shastra fully recognises this and rejects unequivocally as heinous and d