Sringeri Mutt Looted: How Tipu Used It for Political Mileage: Vikram Sampath Reveals
In this powerful and eye-opening discussion, historian and author Vikram Sampath dives deep into the lesser-known historical truths surrounding Tipu Sultan, the attack on the Sringeri Math, and the Maratha-Pindari connection. Contrary to popular belief, Sampath reveals that the attack on Shringeri was not sanctioned by the Peshwas and was instead carried out by irregular Pindari forces, known for their brutality and addiction-fueled rampages. He further explores Tipu Sultan's carefully crafted image as a secular ruler—highlighting his realpolitik letters to the Shankaracharya and his alleged 'Ring of Ram,' debunking many modern myths.
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The Print
8 hours ago
- The Print
Not Noddy, Tom & Pingu, but ‘Adu, Sanju & Teju'—BJP wants Mumbaikar penguins to have Marathi names
'We are not saying anything about the names of penguins that have come from the foreign countries. But, these three penguins are born in Mumbai, on our soil,' Nitin Bankar, who heads the BJP's Byculla unit, said to ThePrint. The idea behind the demand is that the three chicks were born on Mumbai's soil and must not have foreign names. Their names should be rooted in Marathi. Mumbai BJP leaders also held a protest outside the Veermata Jijabai Bhosale Vanaspati Udyan and Zoo, popularly known as the Byculla Zoo, Monday to emphasise their demand. Mumbai: Leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Mumbai unit want three baby penguins born in the city in March this year to be renamed from Noddy, Tom and Pingu to 'Adu, Sanju and Teju.' 'In Mumbai, it is compulsory for all shops and establishments, too, to display their names in Marathi. The state government has said all official communication within the government should be in Marathi. The Centre has accorded Marathi classical language statues. So, why can't the three penguins have a Marathi name?' Bankar said. He added, Adu, Sanju and Teju are name suggestions that he has put forth to the BMC. The BJP's demand comes ahead of local elections expected to be held across the state, including in Mumbai for the cash-rich Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), this year. Dr Sanjay Tripathi, director of the Byculla Zoo, did not respond to ThePrint's calls and messages for a comment. Bankar said Tripathi was unavailable to meet the protesters Monday. 'But, his second in command promised us to find a solution to the issue in 10 days. If they don't change the name in 10 days, we will have an even bigger protest and have the zoo shut down,' Bankar said. The BJP leader said he first wrote a letter to the zoo authorities on 30 April, 'within 3 days of the naming ceremony of the baby penguins'. When there was no response to his letter, he wrote another one a month later on 30 May. 'I have not received anything from the zoo authorities on my letter,' Bankar said. Local BJP leaders, under Bankar's leadership, have also been protesting the branding of the zoo on all social media platforms as 'Mumbai Zoo' when its officially named after Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji's mother. Also read: On Maharashtra tour, why Amit Shah inaugurated former Congress CM Vasantrao Naik's statue Mumbai's penguin colony When the BMC first brought penguins to Mumbai's Byculla zoo, the civic body faced much flak with several politicians as well as members of the civil society, saying it was wasteful expenditure and raising questions on whether the penguins will be able to survive in the city. The penguins are kept in an 1,800 sq ft fortress enclosure with CCTVs, rocky caves, ice, and artificial ponds. The Byculla zoo in Mumbai has had penguins as one of its star attractions since 2016, when the BMC got eight Humboldt penguins to the zoo from South Korea. The penguins were all named after popular cartoon characters—Donald, Daisy, Popeye, Olive, Flipper, Bubble, Mr Molt and Dory. Dory died a few months after coming to Mumbai due to a bacterial infection. Penguins in captivity are monogamous and choose a lifetime partner. Mr Molt, the youngest male among the eight Humboldts, and Flipper, the oldest female, are the most popular pair in the zoo. They had the first penguin baby in Mumbai in 2018. The chick, born on 15 August, however, could not survive and died within a week. But, since then, the colony has only expanded. In 2021, a new chick was born who was named Oreo. Then gradually the penguins reproduced some more to add new members to their family—Nemo, Dora, Siri, Flash, Bingo, Alexa, Coco, Stella, Jerry and so on. Other animals born in the Byculla zoo are mostly given Indian names. For instance, two tiger cubs born around the same time as Nero, Siri and Dora were named Jai and Rudra. (Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri) Also read: Post legal battle with L&T, MMRDA says it will retender 2 infra projects in 'public interest'
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Marathas in PCMC areas draft code, encourage simple weddings & less spending
Pune: Members from the Maratha community in Pimpri Chinchwad came together to draft a social code for community members to follow while organising weddings. The initiative, which received support from leaders across political parties, aims to promote simple and responsible wedding practices and prevent harassment-related issues. A proposal outlining the new guidelines was unanimously passed at a meeting on Sunday. One of the key rules is to avoid arranging marriages in families against whom there are complaints of harassment or dowry-related abuse—a practice referred to as avoiding "roti-beti" ties with such households. The guidelines also urge community members to keep weddings simple, minimise expenses, and ensure the timely conduct of functions. Bhausaheb Bhoir, actor and former PCMC corporator, stated that ten-member committees will be formed in each locality to spread awareness. These committees will work closely with people, especially youths, to change prevailing mindsets and encourage more responsible behaviour. Bhoir said, "We have also planned separate meetings with young men and women in the community to discuss the issue with them. The recent incident (Vaishnavi Hagawane's death) was deeply unfortunate, and we believe such proactive steps are essential to prevent similar tragedies." The community members said that the incident has sparked misunderstandings and brought a bad name to the community. Rajendra Kondhare of Akhil Bhartiya Maratha Mahasangh said that extravagant wedding celebrations have become the norm, with many spending excessively to show off. "What they often forget is that much of their wealth comes from ancestral property, and it should not be wasted like this. We discussed plans to create awareness about reducing expenses on such extravaganzas in the meeting," he said. Kondhare also criticised the growing trend of politicising weddings by inviting prominent politicians and celebrities, calling for an end to such practices. He revealed that plans are in place to produce awareness videos featuring senior politicians and celebrities, urging families from the community to keep weddings simple. Former mayor Sanjog Waghere, who also participated in the meeting, pointed out to the rising trend of honouring several relatives on stage, which includes gifting clothes. "We recommend felicitating only the bride and groom. Also, families should not delay functions waiting for VIP guests. Ceremonies should start and end on time," he said. Waghere added that the community will soon host sessions for unmarried youths to raise awareness about these guidelines. He also stressed the role of marriage intermediaries in maintaining post-marriage communication between families to address any issues before they escalate. The discussion extended beyond weddings to other community rituals. One rule included in the resolution passed in the meeting involved limiting the number of attendees from each village to pay condolences during the last rites. Head: No alliance with families with history of harassment * Parents should create a supportive and open environment at home, encouraging their sons to discuss important matters freely before marriage * Marriage ceremonies should be conducted on time, avoiding delays * No matrimonial alliances (roti-beti ties) should be formed with families facing a history of complaints related to the harassment of women * Felicitation events should be kept minimal and focused only on essential participants * The number of people invited on stage during ceremonies should be limited * Wedding processions (baraat) should be simple * Extravagant and unnecessary expenses must be avoided; families are encouraged to host simple, dignified wedding functions * Only one formal 'Swagat' (welcome) and 'Ashirwad' (blessing) ceremony should be conducted * Parents should refrain from interfering in the internal matters of the bride's family after marriage * In cases of injustice towards a woman, the entire community must come together to support her and stand by her side
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Marathas' demand to review OBC list will be placed before state backward classes panel, says chairman Shukre
Kolhapur: Justice Sunil Shukre (retired), the chairman of the Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes, announced that the Maratha community's request to review Other Backward Category caste listings will be considered by the commission within two months for discussion and verdict. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now On Sunday, Maratha community representatives met with Shukre during his one-day visit to Kolhapur to engage with various stakeholders. The Maratha delegation requested implementation of the legal provision for periodic OBC list review, as stipulated by the Maharashtra State Commission for Backward Classes Act, 2005. According to section 11 of the Act, after 10 years, state govt can revise the lists to remove classes no longer considered backwards or include new backward classes. Since the commission's establishment 10 years ago, this periodic assessment has not been conducted. Maratha representatives alleged that several castes were included in the OBC list without proper procedure, bypassing the Supreme Court's requirement for empirical data collection. Shukre said, "The demands were placed before us. The demands were of two types based on the two sections (9 and 11) of the Act passed in 2005. On the basis of the two sections, the Maratha representation has sought the implementation of what has been said in the two sections. They told me that the demand has the support of the Supreme Court's comments in recent times." The chairman added, "The demand is to review the backwardness of the existing OBCs for which the empirical data is required. The demand is to make suitable recommendations over the castes that have progressed and do not require reservation, and should be excluded, and those who are demanding the reservation under OBC should get one if they deserve it. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now They told me that they are not against any caste but have a rightful demand to review the conditions which were not been met so far. We will place the demand, and the commission will deliberate upon and take the decision. In the next two months, I hope the demands are discussed and a conclusion is drawn. We will let the Maratha community know about the decision." Maratha community members, including activist Manoj Jarange, seek inclusion in the OBC category. Currently, OBCs receive 27% reservation in govt positions and admissions, corresponding to their estimated 54% population share. Pravin Indulkar, a Maratha activist and lawyer who attended the meeting, said, "Many castes have been included in the OBC list without quantifiable data. Some even on the basis of reports of just two to three pages. As per the Act, the review was mandatory, but it never happened due to political pressure. The SC, in the Jayashri Patil case, has indicated that including Marathas into the OBC list is the only solution for Marathas to get the reservation, but for that, the reviewing of the OBC list is required. " Maratha representatives have indicated potential protests if the commission fails to initiate the periodic OBC list review in the upcoming months.
