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PNN Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 16: Chaltabagan Durga Puja, which was started in 1943, will highlight the spirit of the fading old world charm of north Kolkata culture through its theme 'Mool' or roots. This year's theme alludes to the adverse onslaught of modernity and gentrification on the para (community) culture of north Kolkata. "With the UNESCO heritage tag, Durga Pujas themes send out a very strong global message. Manicktala Chaltaban Durga Puja has been a pioneer and a trendsetter in innovating Puja themes and events. This year's theme 'Mool' is an attempt to highlight the rapidly fading north Kolkata culture through artistic expression. It is a call to go back to our roots and introspect," said Sundeep Bhutoria, Chairman, Manicktala Chaltabagan Lohapatty Durga Puja Committee. "To walk from Shyambazar to Shobhabazar through the narrow, winding lanes of North Kolkata is to traverse more than mere geography. It is a journey through the city's soul - a living archive. Gentrification is altering the streetscape. Heritage buildings - old havelis and colonial mansions - are being restored, but not as homes. They are repurposed into boutique hotels, chic art cafes, and cultural hubs aimed at a new class. Traditional tea stalls and age-old bakeries now share space with trendy cafes; vibrant murals cover once-faded walls. While these changes bring a new vibrancy, they come at a cost," said Mr Bhutoria. "The balconies and verandahs were not just architecture; they were poignant symbols - the heart of the "rowak adda" culture - the vibrant, informal conversations that forged community bonds. The role of historic cultural practices is eroding as new buildings replace old houses, reducing the communal spaces for the informal interactions that once defined the neighbourhood's spirit," he lamented. Manicktala Chaltabagan Lohapatty Durga Puja, universally known as the Chaltabagan Durga Puja, was started in 1943 in the Manicktala area of North Kolkata by a group of local young enthusiasts and businessmen. The area was historically known as "Lohapatty" (literally meaning "iron scrap neighbourhood") due to the numerous scrap iron merchants and workshops located there. The 1970s marked a dramatic turning point for Chaltabagan, transforming it from a local puja to a city-wide sensation. In 1976, for the first time under Probir Ganguly's leadership, Chaltabagan pioneered the concept of the "theme puja" in its modern, spectacular form. That year, they created a pandal replicating the famous "Jagannath Temple of Puri" in Odisha. This was a revolutionary step and a trendsetter. The intricacy, scale, and authenticity of the replication were unheard of at the time. It drew massive crowds from all over Kolkata and set a new benchmark for Puja pandals. This move is often credited with starting the trend of extravagant, theme-based pandals that define Kolkata's Puja today. After the success of 1976, Chaltabagan became synonymous with innovation and grandeur. Year after year, the committee tried to outdo itself. They replicated famous temples from across India, such as the Dilwara Jain Temple (1981), Meenakshi Temple (1984), and Golden Temple (1985). Later, they expanded their themes to include historical monuments and global wonders, like a Mughal Fort and even a massive, breathtaking Recreation of the Swiss Alps (1990), complete with artificial snow, which became the stuff of legend. The committee began collaborating with renowned artists and artisans from across Bengal and India, further elevating the artistic quality of their idols and pandals. Chaltabagan Durga Puja can also be credited for starting curated events around Durga Puja, like the dhak utsav, khuti puja, sindoor khela and puja parikrama for the elders. All these trends have been widely embraced by various puja committees in the state and have become an intrinsic part of the puja festivities. The Puja became a mandatory destination for Kolkatans and tourists during the festival. The long, snaking queues to get a glimpse of the Chaltabagan pandal became an integral part of the Puja experience. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
Bhubaneswar: In a distinctive departure from traditional Rath Yatra, the holy trinity of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra embarked on a unique water-borne sojourn at Kankan Sikhari, an islet in Chilika lagoon, on Friday. The deities are placed on a specially designed chariot mounted on three interconnected boats."After the ceremonial Pahandi ritual, we took the deities to the chariot mounted on boats at 1pm. The divine procession circumnavigated the islet while devotees and priests chanted hymns and beat gongs during the journey. At 2.15pm, we brought the deities from the boat ...Read More >
Mumbai, July 6 (SocialNews.XYZ) Actor Randeep Hooda penned a special birthday wish for the 14th Dalai Lama on Sunday as he celebrated his 90th birthday. Posting a picture of the Dalai Lama on the stories section of his Instagram handle, Hooda penned a heartfelt note that read, "Happy 90th Birthday, His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Celebrating 90 years of your unwavering voice for peace, compassion and care for our planet." "Your message of harmony between humanity and nature continues to inspire a more mindful, peaceful world," he added. Veteran actress, Bina Kak also wrote on the photo-sharing ...Read More >
Gingee Fort is fortified with high walls, deep moats, and hidden passageways ShowQuick Read Summary is AI-generated, newsroom-reviewed The fort is located in Viluppuram district and spans three rocky hills with strong fortificationsIts origins date to the 9th century with additions by Cholas, Vijayanagara, Marathas, Mughals, French, BritishRajaram Chhatrapati used Gingee Fort as a key Maratha resistance outpost during the 17th-century siege Did our AI summary help? Let us know. Chennai: Ta ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 15 (PTI) YouTuber Samay Raina appeared before the National Commission for Women (NCW) in Delhi on Tuesday, months after he was summoned in connection with allegedly offensive and sexist content aired during his show "India's Got Latent", officials said. Raina was also among the five social media influencers who appeared before the Supreme Court in a case seeking action against them for ridiculing persons suffering from disabilities. Raina submitted his statement in response to the allegations to NCW officials. Officials said further steps will be considered after reviewing his ...Read More >
Robert Fleming, the chairman of the U.S. Olympic Ice Hockey committee for the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" gold medal-winning team at the Lake Placid Olympics, died on July 31. He was 97. Fleming was the chairman of the Olympic ice hockey committee for five Olympics, as well as serving as the vice president of USA Hockey from 1970-81. He was a director for USA Hockey for 33 years. He received the Lester Patrick Award twice -- once for his work with the 1980 team and once for individual outstanding ser ...Read More >
Himachal Pradesh faced nature's fury. Bridges collapsed in Shimla, Lahaul, and Spiti. Cloudbursts and flash floods caused widespread damage. Over 300 roads closed, disrupting travel. A police post swept away, shops damaged. No casualties reported yet. Orange alert issued for more heavy rain. The state has suffered significant financial losses this monsoon. Many people have died in rain-related incidents. Several bridges were washed away in Shimla and Lahaul and Spiti districts, while over 300 roads, including two national highways, have been closed across Himachal Pradesh following fresh inci ...Read More >
New Delhi, Sep 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched the Gyan Bharatam Portal aimed at accelerating the digitisation. Highlighting that millions of manuscripts were destroyed and lost in the cruel tides of history, the Prime Minister stressed that there was a need to explore the past through technology. Emphasising the importance of preservation and public access to manuscripts, the Prime Minister said that despite the destruction in the past, India still possesses the world's largest collection and stressedd that there are approximately one crore manuscripts in ...Read More >
Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], July 10 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that he stands firmly in favour of holding elections, following the Supreme Court's decision allowing the Election Commission of India (ECI) to carry on with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar. He urged those involved in the case to explore alternative legal avenues for justice and 'wait for the consequences' for the time being. 'The matter was in the Supreme Court. The court has given its decision. Now, we have to wait for the consequences. Those who we ...Read More >
Hyderabad, July 18 (UNI) In view of the ongoing heavy rains in Hyderabad, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed all concerned departments to stay on high alert and ensure swift response to public grievances. The Chief Minister instructed officials from GHMC, HMDA, Water Works, Electricity, and Police departments to work in close coordination to prevent any rain-related disruptions. He also emphasised the need for immediate action in areas facing waterlogging, power outages, or other rain-induced issues. CM Revanth Reddy further directed the deployment of SDRF, NDRF, Hydra teams, and ot ...Read More >
Kolkata, Aug 25 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Calcutta High Court on Monday observed that no funds should be released to the Durga Puja committees that have not submitted the previous year's utilisation certificates. A division bench of Justices Sujoy Pal and Smita Das De questioned why grants should be given to puja committees even if they have not submitted expenditure accounts. Hearing a PIL filed by Sourav Dutta, the bench directed the West Bengal government to state its position on this matter in an affidavit by Wednesday, when the matter will be heard again. The judges wanted to know how many ...Read More >
A low pressure is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal by Tuesday, triggering moderate to heavy rainfall across the State, especially in the north and the central regions, ahead of Onam. According to a weather bulletin issued by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Tuesday, an upper air cyclonic circulation lies over the northeast Bay of Bengal and adjoining Myanmar coast. Under its influence a low-pressure area may form over the north Bay of Bengal during the next 24 hours. A trough ru ...Read More >
Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 28 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on his visit to the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati on Saturday shared the development project aimed towards making the trip to the temple more accessible and time-efficient He said, 'A ropeway will be constructed from Kamakhya station to Kamakhya temple and another ropeway will be constructed from Sonaram field to Kamakhya temple. Work on both ropeways is going on. The process of floating a tender has already been done. A feasibility study for many other ropeways is going on.' The construction of both ropeways to ...Read More >
Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...Read More >
Patna, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a major action against corruption, the State Vigilance Unit (SVU) on Saturday arrested Sub-Inspector Putul Kumari, the SHO of the Women's Police Station in Samastipur, for accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000. Her driver was also arrested in the case. The arrest has created a stir within the police department. According to an official, Putul Kumari was caught red-handed while taking the bribe from Rajiv Ranjan, a resident of Chhatauna village under Mufassil police station limits, in connection with an assault case. Rajiv Ranjan had filed a written complaint with ...Read More >
Ajmer (Rajasthan) [India], July 20 (ANI): Following incessant heavy rainfall for two consecutive days, the Anasagar Chaupati area in Ajmer was waterlogged on Sunday morning. As the lake overflowed, the residential areas bore the brunt. Traffic movement on the route has been halted; only large vehicles are permitted to move here, while small vehicles and two-wheelers are not being allowed. Earlier, the Ana Sagar lake in Rajasthan Ajmer overflowed on Saturday morning, following incessant rain, which caused waterlogging. Due to this, the road connecting Bajrang Garh to the market has been clos ...Read More >
New Delhi, Sep 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) Highlighting that millions of manuscripts were destroyed and lost in the cruel tides of history, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched the Gyan Bharatam Portal aimed at accelerating the digitisation, while stressing on exploring the past through technology. Emphasising the importance of preservation and public access to manuscripts, the Prime Minister said that despite the destruction in the past, India still possesses the world's largest collection and emphasised that there are approximately one crore manuscripts in India's possession. "Unlike mo ...Read More >
Agartala (Tripura) [India], September 13 (ANI): As the festive fervour builds, Agartala, the capital city of Tripura, is preparing for its most extravagant celebration of the year, Durga Puja, the state's biggest festival after West Bengal. The city transforms into a dazzling spectacle, illuminated like a galaxy with magnificent pandals ranging from fifty lakhs to crores, drawing lakhs of devotees and pilgrims from across the country. Also Read | Mentally Challenged or Craze for Social Media Reel? Man Electrocuted After Climbing Atop Pune-Bound Humsafar Express at Nagpur Railway Station; Dis ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 28 (ANI): India has expressed its concern over the escalating incidents of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and desecration, and damage to their places of worship, and has also called on the interim government there to ensure the safety of minorities. In a response to question asked by RJD MP AD Singh, Minister of State for Ministry of External Affairs, Kirit Vardhan Singh in a written reply to Rajya Sabha, stated that the "primary responsibility" for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, "rests with ...Read More >
New Delhi: Alleging "blatant misuse" of agencies to defame its leaders, AAP on Thursday questioned why the first information report filed against former Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain was being kept under wraps and "selective" press notes were being leaked to the media.Bharadwaj, who is Delhi AAP convener, alleged that only two former ministers were named in the case without any reasonable cause while all the officers of the health and public works departments, who were actually responsible for executing the hospital projects, were spared. "Is the FIR so baseless that BJP ...Read More >
Guwahati (Assam) [India], June 28 (ANI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, on his visit to the Kamakhya temple in Guwahati on Saturday shared the development project aimed towards making the trip to the temple more accessible and time-efficient He said, "A ropeway will be constructed from Kamakhya station to Kamakhya temple and another ropeway will be constructed from Sonaram field to Kamakhya temple. Work on both ropeways is going on. The process of floating a tender has already been done. A feasibility study for many other ropeways is going on." The construction of both ropeways to ...Read More >
Amritsar (Punjab) [India], July 15 (ANI): The Golden Temple in Punjab's Amritsar received another bomb threat on Tuesday. The dog squad has been deployed at the Golden Temple premises as part of a security check. The holy site for Sikhs received a bomb threat via e-mail for the second consecutive day. Also Read | India Raises Pahalgam Terror Attack at SCO Meeting: EAM S Jaishankar Calls for 'Uncompromising Position' on Combatting Terrorism. Pratap Singh, Secretary of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), demanded strict action against the miscreants. Pratap Singh told reporte ...Read More >
Kolkata, Sep 3 (PTI) The IMD has forecast heavy rain in some south Bengal districts till Thursday morning, owing to a low-pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal. Thunderstorms, accompanied by lightning and gusty winds, are very likely to occur at one or two places over all districts of south Bengal, it said in a bulletin on Wednesday. The well-marked low-pressure area over northwest Bay of Bengal off north Odisha coast is likely to move west-northwestwards across north Odisha and adjoining Jharkhand and north Chhattisgarh by Thursday, the India Meteorological Department said. It said th ...Read More >
Bareilly (UP), Jul 17 (PTI) A teacher from Bahedi district, who went viral recently after reciting a poem mentioning Kanwar Yatra, approached the police on Thursday stating a threat to his life from anti-social elements. A case has been registered at Bahedi police station based on a complaint from Dr Rajneesh Kumar Gangwar, a teacher at MGM Inter College in the district. According to Circle Officer Arun Kumar Singh, Gangwar's complaint says that ever since his recitation of the poem 'Tum Kanwad Lene Mat Jana, Gyaan Ka Deepak Jalaana' (You don't go get Kavad, light the lamp of knowledge inste ...Read More >
Kolkata: Tourism to Nepal is likely to take a major hit with uncertainty prevailing ahead of the festive season, including Durga Puja and Diwali, as the Himalayan country faces political unrest. Around 51 people have died and over 1700 have been injured in related violence. "The incidents (caused by political or social restlessness) happening in Nepal are called physical factors in tourism, which become the first barrier to promote tourism. It takes a long time for the impact to get reduced. Both foreigners and Indians travelling to Nepal will be highly impacted if the situation continues li ...Read More >
Kolkata: Tata Group & Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran met chief minister Mamata Banerjee at state secretariat, Nabanna, to discus key matters, including potential investments in West Bengal. This meeting follows Mamata Banerjee's Singur movement, after which the Tatas pulled the Nano project out of Bengal in 2008. Chief Secretary Manoj Pant was also present at the meeting today. Chandrasekaran's visit comes a day after the Bengal government announced plans to host a 'Business & Industry Conclave' in Kolkata after Durga Puja. "There was discussion on several important issues. It would b ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 14: Medulla Communications Pvt. Ltd., one of the world's most awarded healthcare-specialist advertising agencies, has announced the launch of its new hub in Singapore. With over 15 years of experience in solving complex healthcare challenges, Medulla is now looking to create a super-specialist category as the first digital healthcare advertising agency in Asia. New Hub to Deliver Scalable, Specialist Healthcare Marketing Solutions Across APAC. Also Read | New Cheque Clearing System: Banks To Clear Cheques Within Few Hours Starting October 4, Announces RBI. ...Read More >
Ranchi, Sep 13 (UNI) With Durga Puja festivities approaching, Ranchi district administration and police are on high alert to ensure peaceful and orderly celebrations. A meeting of the Central Peace Committee was held on Saturday chaired by Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate Manjunath Bhajantri and Senior Superintendent of Police Chandan Kumar Sinha. The meeting saw participation from various Puja committees, peace committee members, social organizations, and administrative officials. The primary objective of the meeting was to ensure Durga Puja is celebrated in a peaceful, organize ...Read More >
RANCHI/SILLI/PURULIA/KOLKATA: "Bhagwan Krishna ne aaj bacha liya (Lord Krishna has saved us today)," said farmer Puran Chand Mahto (55) of Mardu village in Ranchi district's Silli block, still unable to believe his luck at being alive to tell the tale of how he and his family - his three daughters and a relative, who is a minor - slept peacefully while a tiger silently crouched in a corner of the same room.Around 4.30am Wednesday, Puran was getting ready for the day. As he stepped out of his thre ...Read More >
New Delhi: The razing of a Durga temple in Dhaka's Khiliket area has cast a long shadow over India-Bangladesh ties, reviving questions about the safety of religious minorities in post-Hasina Bangladesh. With reports attributing the demolition to pressure from radical Islamist groups, the incident on Thursday represents a potential inflection point in India's foreign policy approach toward its eastern neighbour. "We understand that extremists were clamouring for demolishing the Durga temple in Khilkhet, Dhaka," External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during a regular media ...Read More >
New Delhi: Today, OPPO India sets the vibe - and the countdown - for its Reno14 Series launch on 3rd July with its newest brand film under the 'Live the Aawara Life' campaign. After Ranbir Kapoor teased fans by name-dropping his "Aawara Gang" - Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ishaan Khatter and Pooja Hegde - OPPO India has now unveiled the full story, and it's a joyride of spontaneity, friendship, and rediscovery. Rooted in Reno's philosophy of living in the moment, the campaign positions the Reno14 Series as the ultimate travel companion - capturing fleeting experiences and turning them into unforgettab ...Read More >