May 2025: Full list of important national and international days
May's important days are not merely dates on a calendar. They have messages of awareness, respect, oneness, and development. Whether it is about respecting hardworking people, safeguarding health, or respecting families, every day teaches us something and makes us reflect.
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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Indian Express
Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla performs havan at Raj Bhavan, prays for protection of Himachal from natural calamities
Himachal Pradesh Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla Saturday performed a havan, a ritual that involves making offerings into a consecrated fire, on the auspicious occasion of Sawan Purnima at Raj Bhavan. He prayed for peace, safety, and protection of the state from natural calamities. Special offerings were made to seek divine intervention in preventing the recurrence of disasters that have recently affected Himachal Pradesh and the neighbouring state of Uttarakhand. Himachal Pradesh has witnessed disasters causing a loss of more than 56 human lives and infrastructure worth crores of rupees during the ongoing monsoon. Governor Shukla's wife Janaki Shukla, and all officers and staff members of Raj Bhavan were present. Speaking on the occasion, Governor Shukla said, 'We, the people of Himachal, are deeply rooted in our faith, and firmly believe that such spiritual endeavours will help protect the 'Dev Bhoomi' from natural calamities.' Shukla expressed concern over the significant losses the state has suffered in recent years due to natural disasters. Recalling his recent visit to the disaster-affected Siraj region of Mandi district, the governor noted the extensive damage to life and property. Shukla added that through the havan, prayers were also offered for peace to the departed souls who lost their lives in these calamities. Extending warm greetings on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, he said the festival is a symbol of affection, trust, and mutual protection. Secretary to the Governor, C P Verma, was also present on the occasion. Following the havan, members of Maitri Sanstha and women from the state Red Cross tied Rakhis on the governor's wrist, wishing him a long life and good health. The governor remarked that the delicate thread of Raksha Sutra not only binds the wrist but also connects hearts and souls.
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Time of India
Retaining wall on M'luru-Madikeri highway develops cracks, risks collapse
Madikeri: The location of the 2018 landslide on Mangaluru-Madikeri NH-275 is now at risk of collapse again. The expensive retaining wall, which took nearly five years to be built, has developed substantial cracks. Authorities have directed residents below this wall to evacuate to a Madikeri relief centre. The DC, Venkat Raja, conducted an on-site inspection. For safety purposes, residents dwelling at the lower end of the road have been relocated to the Red Cross building. The retaining wall, situated 4 kms from Madikeri's centre, was constructed following a significant 2018 landslide. The site initially utilised thousands of sandbags for protection, and substantial funding was allocated to construct the wall. The project achieved completion in 2023, five years after its approval. However, merely two years post-completion, the wall displays significant structural damage and risks collapse. Authorities have implemented barricades and established measures to ensure safe vehicular movement. Since 2018, lasting remedial work on the landslide-prone Mangaluru-Madikeri national highway has remained unrealised. Despite substantial funds allocated, the national highway faces collapse, and risks and endangers travellers during each monsoon period. The route features numerous retaining walls, including Rs 7.5 crore structure behind the DC office, which is currently undergoing reinforcement due to stability concerns.
India Today
17-07-2025
- India Today
The brutal legacy of Akbar's Chittorgarh siege referenced by NCERT
The National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has released a new Class 8 Social Science textbook that offers a revised take on Indian history from the 13th to 17th centuries. The book, part of the series Exploring Society: India and Beyond, calls Akbar's reign a mix of brutality and tolerance, referring to his massacre of 30,000 people at siege of Chittorgarh is a pivotal event in Indian history. It marks the beginning of Akbar's campaign to subdue the Rana of Mewar. Below is a detailed account based on historical sources, primarily the Akbarnama by Abu'l Fazl, of the causes, events, and aftermath of the Sisodia RajputsThe Rajputs, a warrior caste of northern India, are organised into numerous clans claiming descent from ancient Kshatriya lineages, often linked to solar (Suryavanshi), lunar (Chandravanshi), or fire-born (Agnivanshi) dynasties. The Sisodias, a Suryavanshi Rajput clan, ruled Mewar from Chittorgarh and later Udaipur. Renowned for their fierce independence, they resisted Mughal domination longer than most, notably under Rana Udai Singh II and his son Rana Pratap located in present-day Rajasthan, was a formidable hill fortress and the heart of Mewar. Sprawling over 700 acres atop a 180-meter-high hill, the fortress had a history of resistance, having faced sieges by Alauddin Khalji in 1303 and Bahadur Shah of Gujarat in 1535. Its core structure - walls, gates, and key monuments - dates back to the pre-Mughal era, with contributions from the 7th to 16th Siege of ChittorgarhBy 1567, Akbar had consolidated power over much of northern India, including Malwa and parts of Rajputana. Unlike other Rajput rulers, such as those of Amber and Bikaner, who allied with Akbar through diplomacy and marriage, Rana Udai Singh II refused to recognise Mughal overlordship. His support for rebellious Mughal vassals, like Baz Bahadur of Malwa, further provoked the October 1567, Akbar marched from Agra with 40,000 men with the objective of bringing the Rana to his knees. His large army was equipped with cannons, muskets, and siege equipment. The army set up camp at the base of the Chittorgarh hill, choking off the Chittorgarh fort, a stronghold of Rajput pride, 8,000 warriors led by Jaimal Rathore braced for the storm. Mewar's ruler Rana Udai Singh II had retreated into the Aravalli hills, leaving his trusted commander to hold the Sisodia capital against an unstoppable cannons began to roar, hurling iron at the 30-foot-thick walls of the fort. But the fort's height and defences repelled the Mughal army's efforts. Jaimal's men answered from the ramparts, targeting the Mughals with arrows, musket fire, and stones hurled from catapults. Night after night, the Rajputs struck with quick raids on Mughal by the army's failure and the Rajput resistance, Akbar asked his men to creep toward the fort in covered trenches (sabat). The Mughals burrowed beneath the fort, packing gunpowder to rip the foundations apart. But the Rajputs were watching. They dug counter-mines and fought of ChittorgarhWeeks turned into months, but the defenders stood firm. Akbar, sleepless, prowled his camp, watching the army lose patience and hope. But in February 1568, Jaimal Rathore was killed, possibly by a Mughal marksman or during a sortie (though Mughal chronicles say he was shot by Akbar himself). His death was a turning point, as it demoralised the defenders and signaled the fort's imminent defeat inevitable, the Rajput women inside the fort performed jauhar on or around February 23, 1568, to avoid capture. The men donned saffron robes and launched a final sortie against the Mughal February 23-24, 1568, after nearly four months of siege, the Mughals breached the fort's defences through a collapsed wall section. Mughal sources claim that the defenders were almost entirely killed, with estimates of 8,000-10,000 Rajput deaths. Akbar, enraged by the prolonged resistance, ordered a general massacre of the fort's non-combatant population, with estimates of civilian deaths ranging from 20,000 to 30,000. The fort, scarred and silent, stood as a hollow AftermathThe fall of Chittorgarh marked a significant victory for Akbar, weakening Mewar's resistance and sending a message to other Rajput states. The fortress was briefly occupied by Mughal forces but was not permanently garrisoned due to its remote location and the high cost of maintenance. Akbar appointed a governor to oversee the region, but Mewar's resistance continued under Rana Udai Singh's son, Pratap Singh, who later waged a guerrilla campaign against the the Rajputs, the siege became a symbol of sacrifice and defiance. The jauhar and Rajput bravery at Chittorgarh were immortalised in Rajput ballads and chronicles, celebrating the heroism of Jaimal, Patta Sisodia (another commander), and the women who performed jauhar. Rana Pratap's refusal to submit to Akbar further cemented Mewar's reputation as a bastion of Rajput fort still exists and retains significant elements of its pre-1568 structure, such as its gates, towers, and major palaces, reminding visitors of the siege, the massacre, and the unyielding spirit of the Ranas of Mewar.- EndsMust Watch
