UK PM Keir Starmer extends wishes to people on Diwali and Bandi Chhor Divas

Varanasi, Sep 29 (IANS) Varanasi transforms into a mini West Bengal during Navratri, with the grandeur of Durga Puja pandals drawing crowds from across the city. The large and elaborately decorated pandals are major attractions for devotees and visitors alike.

The pandal at Sanatan Dharma Inter College is modelled after the Khatu Shyam Temple, while the one in Bathua Market resembles the Maa Chamundeshwari Devi Temple. Inside the pandals, soldiers painted in patriotic colours flank the idol of Goddess Durga, adding a unique touch to the traditional celebrations. A BrahMos missile is also prominently displayed at an adjacent pandal, captivating onlookers with its impressive presence.

At Lahartara, a pandal dedicated entirely to army soldiers stands out, constructed completely using the tricolour, symbolising patriotism and respect for the armed forces.

The BrahMos missile atop one of the pandals has become a crowd-puller. From Saptami, the seventh day of Navratri, Maa Durga pandals open for devotees’ darshan. During Saptami, Ashtami, and Navami, people from Kashi and nearby areas throng these pandals for prayers, culminating in the immersion of the idol on the tenth day.

Tilak Raj Mishra, President of the Central Puja Committee, Kashi Region, Uttar Pradesh, said, “Preparations are excellent. This is a VIP region, and the pandals have been decorated beautifully. This year, there are 512 pandals across the city.”

Maha Saptami, observed on September 29 this year, marks the beginning of the most significant phase of Durga Puja. According to the Hindu calendar, Saptami Tithi starts on September 28 at 2:27 PM and ends on September 29 at 4:31 PM, falling in the Shukla Paksha of the Ashwin month.

Saptami is special as it marks the start of Maa Durga’s battle against the demon king Mahishasura, a symbol of good triumphing over evil. This battle concludes on Vijaya Dashami. On Saptami, Maa Durga is worshipped in her fierce form, Kaalratri, a manifestation of Adi Shakti believed to remove fear, negativity, and obstacles from devotees’ lives.

While Durga Puja is celebrated nationwide, Maha Saptami holds particular cultural importance in Eastern India, especially West Bengal, Assam, Odisha, and Tripura. Pandals come alive with grand idols, decorations, and cultural performances. Families gather for traditional feasts, prayers, and community bonding, while devotees across India observe fasting, chant mantras, and wear auspicious colours for the day.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 25 (IANS) Kamal Haasan, the celebrated celluloid figure and politician from Tamil Nadu, formally entered national politics on Friday, taking oath as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha.

Delivering his oath in Tamil, Haasan underscored his cultural roots and civic commitment, stating, “As an Indian, I will do my duty.”

His induction into the Upper House marks a significant milestone in a political journey that began with idealistic fervour and has evolved into strategic pragmatism.

Haasan founded the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) in February 2018, positioning it as a centrist, non-Dravidian alternative to the dominant DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam).

His early campaigns emphasised transparency, grassroots governance, and a break from entrenched political binaries.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, MNM contested 37 seats and secured a modest vote share, performing relatively better in urban constituencies.

The 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections saw Haasan himself contest from Coimbatore South, where he lost narrowly to the BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan.

Despite the setback, MNM garnered over 2.6 per cent of the statewide vote as per electoral records.

Following internal challenges and limited electoral traction, Haasan recalibrated his political strategy.

In March 2024, MNM joined the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance ahead of the general elections, choosing alliance-building over ideological isolation.

The DMK’s clean sweep of all 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu was partly credited to MNM’s support, and Haasan was subsequently offered a Rajya Sabha seat as part of the alliance’s power-sharing arrangement.

He opted for the Upper House over a direct Lok Sabha contest, citing national interest and the need for a broader platform to voice public concerns.

Haasan’s nomination was backed by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and other senior leaders, and he was elected unopposed on June 12.

His entry into Parliament is widely seen as a tactical elevation, giving MNM a foothold in national discourse while preparing the ground for future state-level ambitions.

At MNM’s eighth anniversary earlier this year, Haasan had hinted at this transition, declaring, “This year, our voice will be heard in Parliament. Next year, your voice will be heard in the State Assembly.” His political arc now enters a new phase — one that blends cinematic charisma with legislative responsibility.

–IANS

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Bhopal, April 7 (IANS) The fake doctor in Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh who impost himself as Dr. N John Camm performed multiple surgeries allegedly without requisite qualification has reportedly been taken into police custody in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, police sources said.

The police officials, however, remained tight-lipped on the case or his arrest but said the investigation is going on.

The district collector, Sudhir Kumar Kochar, told the media in a brief televised conference that a three-member team of the National Human Rights Commission reached Damoh.

The team of the commission discussed with the administration, police officials and the relatives of the victims.

The first case has been registered amid allegations of seven deaths during heart surgery in Damoh Hospital. In this case, late in the night, the Chief Medical and Health Officer of the district, Dr Mukesh Jain, reached the Kotwali police station on Sunday, and an FIR has been lodged, he said.

He said that the team is also meeting the people of the victim’s family. Also, the documents related to the operation are being looked at.

He added that the commission’s team will stay till April 9 afternoon, the district collector said. All the available evidence, the team is asking, is being provided. The situation will become clear after the findings of the commission, he said.

The Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Mukesh Jain. has filed a case against the accused doctor under various sections by submitting an investigation report to the police station.

On the basis of the facts mentioned in the report, a case has been registered and investigation has been taken up against Dr. N John Camm and others under sections 318 (4), 338, 336 (3) 340 (2), (5) of Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS) and section 24 of MP Medical Council Act 1987, as prima facie, the crime has been found to have been committed, a police officer said.

–IANS

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