Latest news with #HinduReligiousandCharitableEndowment
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Coimbatore man treks Velliangiri Hill for 102 days to raise awareness against alcohol, drug use
COIMBATORE: In a bid to raise awareness against the use of alcohol and drugs and promote a healthy lifestyle, a 39-year-old Coimbatore-based man has trekked Velliangiri Hill continuously for a record 102 days as on Sunday. B Hari Kumar, a fitness coach, has been climbing the hill since February 1. The Velliangiri stretch consists of seven hills and reaches an altitude of 1,778 metres from the sea level. It is a 5.5 km stretch from the foothills, and there is a temple of Lord Velliangiri Aandavar on the seventh hill. Even though the temple is under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department, the trekking route comes under the forest department's purview as it is in the reserve forest area. Every year, the trekking route is open for the public from February 1 to May 31, and the trek takes roughly six-seven hours for an average person to complete. However, Hari Kumar completes the trek in two-and-a-half hours. Hari Kumar told TNIE, "Earlier in the season, I trekked for 26 days continuously on the hill. To make an attempt to complete 108 days continuously, I started trekking on February 1. I made the attempt to show the importance of fitness. Every day, I start trekking around 9.30 am and reach the top of the seventh hill, at 6,200 feet, in one-and-a-half hours and return down in 50 - 55 minutes. I complete the trek by 12.30 pm." "As I am a fitness coach, it makes it easier to trek the hill within two-and-a-half hours. My friends admire the speed at which I trek the hill. To create a record, I decided to trek 108 days in the season. So far, I have completed 102 days as on May 25," he said. He said that the motive is to be fit and healthy, and without drugs and alcohol.
The Hindu
18-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Pandhakaal ceremony held at Tiruchendur Subramanya Swamy Temple
With the consecration of Subramanya Swamy temple in Tiruchendur scheduled for July 7, a sacred pole erection (pandhakaal) ceremony was held on Sunday. Major renovation and infrastructure works are being carried out at the temple at a cost of ₹100 crore by Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department. Additionally, HCL has funded ₹200 crore for renovation work through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund. With these funds, a majority of the works have been completed. In preparation for the grand consecration ceremony , a series of rituals are underway. As part of the preparatory rituals, Bhoomi puja and erection of sacred pole (pandhakaal) for setting up a yagasala near the temple's were performed. Under the leadership of Pillayarpatti Pichai Gurukkal from the HR&CE department's agama expert committee, the rituals were performed at the event. The event was attended by Minister of Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Anitha Radhakrishnan, Thoothukudi Collector K. Elambahavath, Joint Commissioner Gnanasekaran, other officials and trustees.
India Today
23-04-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Dalits denied entry to Mariamman temple in Tamil Nadu, officials intervene
Chaos broke out in a village in Tamil Nadu's Namakkal district when some Dalit villagers were stopped from entering a temple by caste Hindus during a festival. Residents of Veesanam village on Tuesday were stopped from entering Sri Maha Mariamman temple when its annual festival, which began on Monday, was Dalit villagers had requested to take part in the temple festival and pray inside the temple, which is managed by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) Board. However, some caste Hindu villagers objected to this and stopped them from entering the temple. Reportedly, they claimed that Dalits should build their own temple instead of coming to this Separately, ahead of the festival, miscreants had removed the 'kambam' (a pole placed to mark the start of the temple festival) and thrown it into a nearby well, which added to the tension in the region. As the situation between caste Hindus and Dalits escalated, local officials and police were called to the village. The authorities asserted that the temple was public and under the government-run HR&CE department; thus, all Hindus have the right to pray there. Despite this, some people from the caste Hindu community persisted in opposing the entry of avoid any violence, the police gave protection and allowed Dalits to enter the temple. Seeing this, several caste Hindu women gathered around the temple and started protesting. They demanded that the temple be sealed and asked the police to leave the September 2024, a similar incident occurred in Tiruvallur district when Dalit villagers were denied entry to the Ettiamman temple, also falling under the authority of HR&CE, due to a dispute over a shared passage used to access the premises. Tensions escalated, prompting authorities to temporarily shut the temple. Following this, Dalits were allowed to enter the temple and offer Watch IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
