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India.com
27-06-2025
- India.com
Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025: Glimpses From All Over India Of This Divine Celebration Beyond Puri- In PICS
photoDetails english 2923238 The sacred Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025 is more than just a religious celebration—it's a spiritual journey of devotion, faith, and divine connection. Celebrated with immense enthusiasm in Puri, Odisha, and across India, the yatra marks the annual journey of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Goddess Subhadra to their aunt's temple, the Gundicha Temple. Updated:Jun 27, 2025, 06:16 PM IST Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2025 1 / 9 The auspicious and much-revered Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra has commenced this year from June 27. The 15-day long festivity is celebrated with much gusto and enthusiasm among the devotees who visit the temple town of Puri in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Why Devotees Try To Touch The Chariot Rope 2 / 9 If you ever have noticed watching the videos or pictures from the famous Rath Yatra in Odisha, devotees try to touch the chariot rope of carrying the deities. But why? Well, let's try to find out here: The holiness of the chariot rope is one of them. It is believed that the Lord himself comes to the human level to show and tell them that he is like any of his devotees. Simple love and faith can make any devotee witness the supreme power of the Lord's divinity. Ahmedabad 3 / 9 Union Home Minister Amit Shah, along with his son and ICC Chairman Jay Shah, offers prayers during Mangla Aarti of Shri Jagannath Temple on the occasion of Rath Yatra, in Ahmedabad. Digha 4 / 9 Priests take part in the 'Pahandi Vijay' ritual - taking of the deity from the temple to the chariot amidst musical ceremony, as the first-ever Rath Yatra commences at Digha Jagannath Temple. Hooghly 5 / 9 Devotees take part in a procession on the occasion of Jagannath Rath Yatra, at Guptipara in Hooghly Puri 6 / 9 Sand artist Manas Kumar Sahoo creates a sand art on the on the eve of Rath Yatra, in Puri. Digha 7 / 9 Priests offer 'Aarti' to Lord Jagannath as the first-ever Rath Yatra commences at Digha Jagannath Temple. Puri 8 / 9 Large number of devotees take part in the 'Pahandi Vijay' ritual - taking of the deity from the temple to the chariot amidst musical ceremony, of Lord Jagannath, in Puri. Puri 9 / 9 Devotees in large numbers take part in the Pahandi Vijay ritual of Lord Jagannath, taking the deity from the temple to the chariot, in Puri. (With ANI Inputs)
Time of India
26-06-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
'BJP stooge': Mamata claims ECI covertly introducing NRC in Bengal; urges allies to 'build resistance'
NEW DELHI: West Bengal chief minister on Thursday accused the (ECI) of acting as a "stooge of the BJP" and making a 'backdoor attempt to implement the NRC' under the guise of a special revision of electoral rolls. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "This looks to be more dangerous than the NRC," she warned, calling on all opposition parties to resist what she described as a "dangerous game" threatening India's democracy. Addressing a press conference from Digha in East Medinipur, where she's overseeing preparations for Friday's Rath Yatra, the TMC supremo said she had received two lengthy letters from the ECI containing new rules targeting voters born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004. "I have received two letters from the ECI, each comprising 25-30 pages. I haven't been able to go through them in detail so far. But from what I have understood from a cursory glance, the Commission is now seeking a declaration form from voters born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, which is Annexure D in one of the letters, where they will have to submit birth certificates of both parents as proof of citizenship," she said, according to news agency PTI. "I don't understand the reason behind the ECI move or the rationale behind selecting these dates. This is nothing short of a scam. I seek clarification from the Commission on whether they are trying to implement the NRC through backdoors. In fact, this looks to be more dangerous than the NRC, which every political party in opposition must resist," Banerjee added. She futher claimed the BJP's real target was Bengal, not Bihar, where assembly elections are due later this year. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now 'Nothing will happen in Bihar because the BJP rules that state… They want to delete the names of valid young voters. Many parents will not be able to furnish their birth certificates,' she said, alleging that migrant workers, students, villagers, and uneducated voters were being selectively targeted. Banerjee also accused the ECI of bypassing political parties and serving the agenda of a 'certain RSS pracharak' running the country -- an indirect reference to Union home minister Amit Shah. "How can the ECI do this unilaterally without consulting the recognised political parties at the central and state levels who play a key role in running the country's democratic structure? They are treating us like bonded labourers and doing this only to fulfil the wishes of a certain RSS pracharak who is now running the country for all practical purposes," she said. Citing an earlier ECI letter asking for details of TMC booth-level agents, she asked: "Why should I reveal the names of my booth agents? So that the BJP can purchase them?" The West Bengal CM alleged that the BJP, with ECI's support, was trying to enlist outsiders in Bengal's voter rolls while deleting genuine voters. 'We ask the poll panel not to pressurise common people to accept their verdict. My humble request to the EC is that it should act impartially like it is expected to,' she said. Calling on opposition parties across India to take note, Banerjee said, 'This ploy is now clear as daylight. We are the first to respond. But I urge the other opposition parties to take serious note of this and build resistance.' "Citizens should keep a keen eye on their status in electoral roles till the very end. Else they might find their names struck off and sent to detention camps. That's the intention of the BJP," she said, adding, "our party will build up people's resistance against this and we will soon hit the streets.'
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Cancer ward for children at IGIMS to start functioning in June: Minister
1 2 3 Patna: The cancer ward for children at IGIMS here will start functioning from June, state health minister Mangal Pandey said on Friday after laying the foundation stone for the construction of a boundary wall, concrete road, drain and cable trench with an estimated expenditure of Rs16 crore on the hospital campus. "Two state-of-the-art operation theatres, physiotherapy machines and two dozen dialysis machines, besides a 20-bed creative care medicine unit at the IGIMS will also be inaugurated next month," the minister said, adding a multi-level car parking will be constructed on its campus as well at a cost of over Rs 76 crore like Patna Medical College and Hospital. Pandey further said work was going on projects worth Rs 701 crore at IGIMS, and further plans worth Rs 300 crore had also been approved for the expansion of health facilities there. "The state govt has made a provision of Rs 1,050 crore to develop IGIMS as a super specialty hospital of eastern India. "The number of seats for MBBS studies in IGIMS has now increased to 150. At present, a total of 1,700 beds are available here and an equal number of beds are being added. A lecture theatre will also be constructed at a cost of over Rs 96 crore, hostel for MBBS students for over Rs18 crore and an eight-storey dental hospital building will also come up at a cost of over Rs 91 crore at the IGIMS," he said. Digha MLA Sanjeev Chaurasia presided over the function in the presence of IGIMS director Dr Binde Kumar, hospital superintendent Dr Manish Mandal and Bihar Medical Infrastructure Development Corporation MD Dharmendra Kumar. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Brother's Day wishes , messages and quotes !
Time of India
11-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Puri temple admn suspends servitor for ‘role' in Digha shrine row
1 2 Bhubaneswar/Puri: Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) on Sunday suspended Daitapati servitor Ramakrushna Dasmohapatra for 30 days, barring his entry to the temple during the period for his role in the controversy surrounding Digha Jagannath temple's naming as 'Jagannath Dham'.Dasmohapatra, who is currently the secretary of Puri temple's Daitapati Nijog (a prominent association of servitors), faced disciplinary action for two specific violations — his false claim regarding the use of surplus neem wood from Puri temple's Nabakalebara ritual to create idols for the Digha shrine, and staying silent about the naming of the temple as 'Jagannath Dham' while attending its consecration ceremony on April 30. The suspension followed after he failed to give satisfactory answers to two show-cause notices. "Temple chief administrator Arabinda Kumar Padhee suspended the senior servitor from his duties for one month. During this suspension period, Dasmohapatra is prohibited from participating in any service or rituals, and is not allowed to enter the temple," SJTA said in a order stipulates that Dasmohapatra must not influence or intimidate other servitors or interfere with temple services and rituals. Any violation could result in extended suspension and stricter penalties, the notice stated. The temple commander and senior supervisor will monitor and report his behaviour to the chief administrator."The administration reserves the right to cancel or withhold Dasmohapatra's dues and rewards if any misconduct is observed during or after the suspension period," the order repeated attempts, Dasmohapatra could not be contacted for his comment. On May 4, SJTA had asked Dasmohapatra to explain within seven days his controversial media statement about facilitating idol creation for the Digha temple using surplus neem wood from the Puri shrine. His statement had caused a stir, leading to a govt investigation that subsequently disproved his May 9, he was issued with a fresh notice and asked to explain within 48 hours whether he had expressed his opposition to naming the Digha shrine as 'Jagannath Dham' while attending its consecration ceremony."We found his replies unsatisfactory and took disciplinary action following the Shri Jagannath Temple Act of 1955," a temple official to Padhee, "This action has been taken to maintain discipline in the temple. It is everyone's duty to uphold the temple's traditions and dignity without pride or arrogance. Every servitor should be dedicated to Lord Jagannath. There will be zero tolerance to misconduct." Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
Time of India
07-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Shrine naming row: Mamata's action motivated by money, hints Puri Shankaracharya
1 2 Bhubaneswar: Puri Shankaracharya Swami Nischalananda Saraswati on Wednesday criticised West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for using the term ' Jagannath Dham ' to describe the newly consecrated Digha temple , hinting her action may have been dictated by a recorded message from Hoshiarpur in Punjab where he had gone to attend an event, Saraswati, one of the four Shankaracharyas who head the four major Hindu mutts in the country, said, "Puri's economy and the sustenance of 'pandas' (servitors) and local shopkeepers depend on Bengali tourists visiting Puri," Shankaracharya said."A large number of tourists from West Bengal visit Puri. Mamata Banerjee thinks that if Jagannath temple is set up in West Bengal, the Bengali pilgrims will spend money only there. Mamata is clever. An economy game is being played in the name of Lord Jagannath," the Shankaracharya message comes a day after chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi wrote to Mamata to drop the name 'Jagannath Dham' from the Digha that calling the Digha shrine as 'Jagannath Dham' is wrong, the Shankaracharya said, "Everyone knows about the sacred Kashi Vishwanath temple. If the same name is applied to another shrine, it will not be acceptable. Lord Brahma had first installed Shree Jagannath idol in Puri temple . Later, Adi Shankaracharya again installed the 'Daru' (wooden) idols of Lord Jagannath."On Tuesday, Jyotish Peeth (Uttarakhand) Shankaracharya Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati had also affirmed that the term 'Jagannath Dham' should be used exclusively for the Puri Puri seer also said Mamata wanted him to consecrate the Digha idols. "But I declined," he statement comes on a day Puri king and Jagannath temple managing committee (JTMC) chairman Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb seeking Iskcon's intervention to resolve the sensitive Lord Jagannath's primary servitor, Deb acknowledged being informed about Iskcon representatives' appointment to the Digha temple trust board. "I am informed that the Iskcon is also supervising the seva-puja in that (Digha) temple. I request you to use your good offices to convince the Digha temple trust board to desist from using the word 'Dham'. Naming the Digha temple as 'Jagannatha Dham' or 'Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre' amounts to a violation of scriptural injunctions and long-established tradition of Lord Jagannatha, which is hurting the religious sentiments of countless devotees around the world," the Puri king wrote in a letter to Goverdhan Das Prabhu, chairman of Iskcon's governing body commission, Mayapur, West Gajapati also pointed out that the Shankaracharyas of Puri and Jyotish Peeth have categorically stated that only Purushottama-kshetra Puri is the 'Jagannath Dham' and that no other temple or place should be called so.
