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Ranchi: With chants of "Jai Jagannath" rending the air, thousands of devotees gathered at the historic Jagannath Temple in Dhurwa here on Thursday for live darshan of Lord Jagannath and special rituals, a day ahead of the annual Rath Yatra. The spiritual atmosphere was marked by devotion and preparation for Rath Yatra as temple priests performed Netra Daan ceremony, symbolically restoring the divine sight to Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra after their 15-day seclusion (Anasara).The three idols were ceremonially bathed using 51 earthen pots filled with milk, curd, turmeric, rose water and other holy items, accompanied by Vedic chants. Later, an elaborate aarti was held with 108 lamps and 'bhog' (food) offerings of 'malpua' (a sweet dish). All devotees congregating at the temple expressed a deep emotional connection with the event. Medha Kumari, who comes from Jamshedpur, said, "I come here every year, but today's darshan felt even more special after the long wait during the 'Anasara'. The energy, the chants and the rituals, it feels like Lord Jagannath is truly among us."Sudhanshu Nath Shahdeo, the chief priest of the Jagannath Temple, said, "Today's darshan marks the return of the deities after the Anasara. Devotees were waiting eagerly for this moment. With the Netra Daan, the Gods regain their divine sight and are ready for the Rath Yatra tomorrow. We expect even larger crowds for the chariot procession. Every ritual is being followed in strict accordance with tradition." The Rath Yatra here will mirror Puri's famed chariot procession with Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Goddess Subhadra seated on a majestic 40-foot chariot made from sal, mango and jamun wood adorned with red and yellow cloth, a brass 'Kalash', 'Sudarshan Chakra' and wooden figures of 'Jay-Vijay', horses and elephants.The procession will begin at the temple around mid-afternoon, proceeding along a designated route to the Mausi Bari (aunt's temple) where the deities will dwell for seven days. Devotees will manually pull the chariot, and in keeping with tradition, even dignitaries symbolically sweep the path ahead of the deities, emphasizing humility and unity. Security and logistics have been meticulously arranged with the administration installing barricades, CCTV cameras, watch towers, ambulances, fire tenders, mobile toilets, drinking water stations and 24/7 electricity. Vehicular traffic will be restricted during the procession. Environmental measures are in place to ban single-use plastics and a cleanliness drive around Dhurwa has been conducted by the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC).A festive fair will accompany the procession at the temple grounds. The fair will include cultural performances, prasad distribution and numerous stalls, and is expected to draw huge crowds.
The annual 'Kartheeka Brahmotsavams' began at the temple of Goddess Sri Padmavati Ammavaru at Tiruchanur here on November 28 (Thursday). Priests hoisted the 'Dhwajapatam', the sacred flag bearing the imprint of the divine elephant (the celestial carrier of Goddess Padmavati), atop the temple flag post as part of the 'Dhwajarohanam' ceremony, which signalled the formal launch of the nine-day fete. Under the guidance of the 'Pancharatra Agama' adviser Manikantha Swamy, the officiating priest (Kankana Bhattar), K. Srinivasacharyulu, and priest Babu Swamy conducted the rituals. Executive Office ...Read More >
A temple locked since 1978 communal riots in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, has been reopened by authorities during an anti-encroachment drive. The Bhasma Shankar temple, containing idols of Lord Hanuman and a Shivling, was rediscovered during an electricity theft inspection. This follows recent violence and heightened tensions in the area, including a mosque survey dispute and loudspeaker fine.The Sambhal administration here on Saturday uncovered and reopened a temple, which is said to have been closed ...Read More >
PRAYAGRAJ, India (AP) -- Millions of Hindu devotees, mystics and holy men and women from all across India flocked to the northern city of Prayagraj on Monday to kickstart the Maha Kumbh festival, which is being touted as the world's largest religious gathering. Over about the next six weeks, Hindu pilgrims will gather at the confluence of three sacred rivers -- the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati -- where they will take part in elaborate rituals, hoping to begin a journey to achieve Hindu philosophy's ultimate goal: the release from the cycle of rebirth. Here's what to know abo ...Read More >
Mumbai, Feb 5 (VOICE) Actress-producer Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who will be next seen in the second season of the streaming series 'Citadel', is busy with her brother Siddharth Chopra's wedding festivities. On Wednesday, the actress took to her Instagram, and shared pictures and videos from the Haldi ceremony. She wrote in the caption, "Kicking off #Sidnee ki shaadi with happiest haldi ceremony". In the pictures, Priyanka can be seen posing with her family and friends. The videos show her dancing and celebrating the festivities. Earlier, Priyanka took blessings at the famous Chilkur Balaji te ...Read More >
Guwahati, Jun 5 (PTI) The Assam Congress on Thursday demanded a CBI inquiry into alleged illegal stone mining in Karbi Anglong district in violation of a Supreme Court order. Addressing a press conference here, former Rajya Sabha member Ripun Bora also alleged that Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council Chief Executive Member Tuliram Ronghang was allowing illegal activities in the district in nexus with Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma. "Large-scale illegal stone mining is taking place in the hills of Karbi Anglong in violation of the Supreme Court order. The SC had banned mining in and around K ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out searches at 15 places in Mumbai and Kochi in connection with the Mithi River desilting scam that caused a wrongful loss of more than Rs 65 crore to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), official sources said. The massive crackdown is underway at the premises across Mumbai and Kochi linked to the accused and suspects as part of an ongoing probe into alleged financial irregularities. According to the sources, the searches are being carried out under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at locat ...Read More >
Ahmedabad, June 8 (SocialNews.XYZ) The MSC IRINA, recognised as the world's largest container ship by TEU (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit) capacity, is set to dock at the Adani Group's Vizhinjam International Seaport on Monday and will be berthed till Tuesday. The monumental arrival marks a significant milestone for the seaport, which was dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 2. The MSC IRINA boasts an impressive capacity of 24,346 TEUs, making it a formidable player in global shipping. With a length of 399.9 metres and a width of 61.3 metres, the vessel is approximate ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
New Delhi: The comedy series Laughter Chefs: Unlimited Entertainment has once again captured the audience's attention, but this time in the latest promo for Season 2, actress Ankita Lokhande left viewers buzzing with speculation after she appeared to hint at a pregnancy during a fun on-screen moment. The recently released promo opens with comedian Krushna Abhishek snatching an ingredient from Ankita's hand and sprinting away. As Ankita chases him, she suddenly stops and says, "Main pregnant hoon, main bhaag nahi sakti" (I am pregnant, I can't run), a line which shocks the entire cast. Krushn ...Read More >
Digha (West Bengal) [India], June 26 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited Lord Jagannath temple in Digha in West Bengal on Thursday, ahead of Jagannath Rath Yatra scheduled to start on June 27. CM Mamata Banerjee said, "Lord Jagannath temple has become a major place of pilgrimage. The Rath Yatra will be held on a 1 km route from 9 am to 4 pm tomorrow. The aarti will be performed at 2.30 pm. Our ministerial team has arrived here for this." Also Read | 'Dreamer and Disciplined': School Teachers Recall Fond Memories of Shubhanshu Shukla As Astronaut Becomes First Indian To ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, June 26 (SocialNews.XYZ) The city of Puri in Odisha is bracing for the famous Ratha Yatra, as holy siblings -- Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra -- prepare to embark on their nine-day sojourn from their abode, the 12th-century shrine, to Gundicha Temple on June 27. Devotees, gripped with ecstasy, will pull the chariots of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra -- Nandighosh, Taladhwaja, and Darpadalan respectively -- for around 3 km to the Gundicha Temple, believed by some legends to be the birthplace of the Chaturddha Murti (Lord Jagannath, Lord Balab ...Read More >
Hyderabad, Feb 10 (VOICE) Telangana's Minister for Industry and Information Technology D. Sridhar Babu has strongly condemned the attack on Chilkur Balaji Temple head priest C. S. Rangarajan and made it clear that the government will not tolerate anarchic elements hijacking Hinduism to spread hate and terror.Terming the attack on the chief priest and administrator of the temple as a heinous act, he said that the government would deal with such evil acts with an iron fist. "Although the main accused is in police custody, this isn't just a crime -- it's an attack on our values and faith! Using ...Read More >
Digha (West Bengal) [India], June 26 (ANI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited Lord Jagannath temple in Digha in West Bengal on Thursday, ahead of Jagannath Rath Yatra scheduled to start on June 27. CM Mamata Banerjee said, 'Lord Jagannath temple has become a major place of pilgrimage. The Rath Yatra will be held on a 1 km route from 9 am to 4 pm tomorrow. The aarti will be performed at 2.30 pm. Our ministerial team has arrived here for this.' The Rs 250 crore temple in Digha, constructed over 20 acres, was inaugurated by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on April 30 ...Read More >
Karthigai Deepam 2024 is set for December 13, with rituals honoring Lord Shiva and spreading spiritual light. The lighting of lamps symbolizes victory over darkness and ignorance. Karthigai Deepam, one of the most cherished festivals in Tamil Nadu, is a vibrant celebration of light, spirituality, and devotion. In 2024, the festival will be observed on Friday, December 13, a day marked by the lighting of countless earthen lamps (deepam) to signify the triumph of light over darkness and good over ...Read More >
New Delhi, December 13: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said the government is committed to providing every facility to the devotees visiting Prayagraj for Maha Kumbh. Ahead of his visit to Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, on Friday, PM Modi said that he will take stock of the works related to the Maha Kumbh and also inaugurate and launch multiple development projects. PM Modi Prayagraj Visit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi To Arrive in Prayagraj Today To Launch Development Projects Worth Around INR 5,500 Crore. "Along with making the Maha Kumbh of faith divine and grand, we are committed to providi ...Read More >
Mumbai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit the naval dockyard for the commissioning ceremony of three naval vessels -- two warships INS Surat and INS Nilgiri, and the submarine INS Vaghsheer -- on Wednesday. The event will take place between 9.30 am and 12.30 pm. According to a defence spokesperson, thies commissioning represents a crucial advancement towards fulfilling the national ambition to emerge as a global force in defence production and maritime security. Later, Modi will be at Kharghar in Navi Mumbai at 3.30 pm. Officials said that as part of his initiative to streng ...Read More >
Ayodhya: A new spiritual milestone was achieved in Ayodhya on Thursday with the grand Pran Pratishtha (consecration) ceremony of the Ram Darbar at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi temple complex. Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath participated in the sacred rituals as the chief guest, underscoring the occasion's spiritual and cultural significance. The Ram Darbar, installed on the first floor above the sanctum of Ram Lalla, features intricately carved idols of Lord Ram, Sita, Lakshman, Bharat, Shatrughan, and Hanuman. This event follows 498 days after the historic consecration of Ram Lalla on January 2 ...Read More >
The Odisha government has formed a high-level ministerial committee, headed by Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, to ensure the smooth execution of the Rath Yatra in Puri on June 27. The committee will oversee all arrangements for the festival, expected to draw around 1.5 million attendees. Preparations are also underway for the Snan Yatra on June 11.The Odisha government has constituted a high-level ministerial committee to ensure the smooth conduct of the upcoming Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannat ...Read More >
Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 5 (ANI): Pointing out the developmental works done by the Centre and his administration in Ayodhya, where Ram Janmabhoomi Temple is located, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday said that earlier bullets were fired on people coming to the city, but now people visiting the temple were welcomed with a shower of flowers. The Chief Minister was apparently referring to the police firing on karsevaks during the Ram Janmabhoomi protest in 1990. Also Read | World Environment Day 2025: Italian Deputy PM Antonio Tajani Lauds PM Narendra Modi's ...Read More >
Ayodhya (Uttar Pradesh) [India], June 6 (ANI): Thousands of devotees rejoice as they make their way to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple today, a momentous occasion in the spiritual and cultural landscape of India. Uttam Kumari Sheluwal, a local from Nepal, said,' We've come to Ayodhya to visit the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple, where our beloved Bhagwan Shri Ramchandraji resides. Our family's Ishtadev is Bhagwan Shri Ram, and we worship Mata Janaki too. We're thrilled to be here in Ayodhya, the city of Lord Ram, and can't wait to have Darshan of Prabhu Shri Ram. We're grateful to Chief Minister Yogi ...Read More >
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday raised questions over the fresh electoral roll revision guidelines issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) ahead of Bihar assembly polls scheduled this year. Expressing apprehensions, Banerjee said that these fresh guidelines might be implemented in Bengal ahead of the assembly polls in 2026. Speaking to ET, Banerjee said that she has apprehensions that these guidelines may be even worse that National Register of Citizens (NRC), if implemented. "How will poor people get documents? Are they doing this to establish the NR ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar, Dec 3 (PTI) President Droupadi Murmu on Tuesday arrived in Odisha and unveiled a statue of Santali writer and educator Pandit Raghunath Murmu here. She also visited the Adim Owar Jarpa Jaher, a sacred place for Santals, in Bhubaneswar and offered prayers. The President was accorded a warm welcome at Biju Patnaik International Airport (BPIA), where she landed on a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to commence her five-day visit to Odisha. She was received at the airport by Governor Raghubar Das, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and other dignitaries. People standi ...Read More >
BHUBANESWAR/PURI: In a massive incentive, the Law department has approved Rs 2.25 crore for Daitapati servitors of the Shree Jagannath Temple if they ensure a smooth Rath Yatra. A proposal in this regard was sent by the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) recently. In a letter to the Srimandir chief administrator, the department informed that the government has approved Rs 2.25 crore as a 'special reward' for Daita servitors for disciplined conduct during the annual festival of the Trinity. The money will be paid from the SJTA funds and replenished with the allotment of funds as spe ...Read More >
Puri (Odisha) [India], June 26 (ANI): After its vast and largely volunteer-led support effort to feed the multitude at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj earlier this year, the Adani Group has now turned its attention to another of India's most iconic religious festivals -- the Rath Yatra in Puri, Odisha. Held annually at the Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri, the nine-day chariot procession draws millions of pilgrims from across the country and beyond. For the Adani Group, corporate social responsibility has always extended beyond infrastructure, education and healthcare. Increasingly, it includes ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], December 12 (ANI): Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Thursday strongly defended the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, as the Supreme Court will be hearing pleas challenging the law. Speaking to the ANI, Chidambaram emphasized that the Act was crucial in maintaining the secular fabric of India and should not be altered. "The provisions of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, protect the secular fabric of the nation. Any alteration to the Act is very problematic," Chidambaram stated. He stressed that changing the law would not only disrupt the social harmony but ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Gundicha Temple, where the deities of Jagannath temple were born, is being prepared for a visual transformation through enhancement work before Rath Yatra on June 27."The beautification work includes stone-cladding of the outer boundary wall, landscaping and illumination arrangements to welcome the deities at their place of birth during Rath Yatra. The aesthetic transformation will give a visual delight to the deities and devotees," chief administrator of Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Arabinda Kumar Padhee told TOI.The temple's exterior boundary wall, previously co ...Read More >
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Bhubaneswar: As Odisha gears up for the grand Rath Yatra, Reliance Industries Limited, in close collaboration with the Puri district administration, has launched a comprehensive series of efforts to ensure that visitors enjoy a safe, comfortable, and enriching journey. The annual chariot festival in Puri draws lakhs of devotees who gather to witness the majestic procession of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple. Honouring the spirit of seva, Reliance Foundation, with its characteristic We Care spirit, is proud to support this 13-day sacre ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal President and Leader of Opposition in Assembly Naveen Patnaik has extended his warm greetings to the people on the auspicious occasion of Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra. Naveen, who is currently undergoing treatment at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai, extended his heartiest congratulations and best wishes to the people through a video message. Notably, Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Naveen Patnaik, wishing him a speedy recovery and a swift return to public life. Leaders from various political parties and citizens across Odisha and outside hav ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha BJP government has renamed 21 schemes launched by the previous BJD regime, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi told the assembly Thursday. The BJP government took oath June 12 after defeating the 24-year-old Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government in the assembly elections. In a written reply to a query by BJD legislator Tusharkanti Behera, the Chief Minister said the state government has renamed 21 existing schemes and launched seven new ones. According to a statement, the BJP government has rebranded eight schemes that were named after the late Biju Patnaik, father of form ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Outgoing Governor Raghubar Das said Odisha's success in advancing on the path of development while preserving its traditions is truly inspiring. "Odisha has achieved recognition for its rich culture and glorious tradition. The enthusiasm and unparalleled hospitality of the people of Odisha has left a deep impression on my heart. Odisha's success in moving ahead on the path of development while adhering to its tradition is truly inspiring," said Das. He further stated that after spending more than 13 months in Odisha, he is leaving with a deep sense of gratitude and respect for t ...Read More >