Latest news with #Nagari
The Hindu
7 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
YSRCP MLC demands arrest of TDP MLA for ‘derogatory' comments
YSRCP Women Wing president and MLC Varudu Kalyani has demanded the immediate arrest of Nagari MLA Gali Bhanuprakash Reddy for his alleged derogatory comments against former Minister R.K. Roja. The National Commission for Women and the Andhra Pradesh Women's Commission should initiate action against the MLA for 'denigrating a woman'. Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan and Home Minister V. Anitha should respond to the issue, and Mr. Bhanuprakash Reddy should be suspended from the TDP, Ms. Kalyani told media on Friday. 'The Red Book rule is continuing in the State. There is no security for women. The Nagari MLA's remarks against Ms. Roja tell it all about the attitude of the TDP leaders towards women. TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu should suspend Mr. Bhanuprakash Reddy from the party,' she said. Ms. Kalyani said that the MLA had resorted to 'character assassination as the former Minister questioned corrupt practices in sand mining'. Ms. Kalyani criticised the CM, Deputy CM and the Home Minister for their failure to respond to the issue. YSRCP Women's Wing district president Pedada Ramani Kumari, Corporator Sashikala, and YSRCP Women's Wing leaders were present.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Time of India
Centre reviews tourism devpt projects in Varanasi, Sarnath
Varanasi: Union Govt's additional secretary Subhashish Panda on Saturday evening reviewed the ongoing development work at key tourist destinations in Varanasi and Sarnath. The review meeting, held at the Commissionerate auditorium, focused on transforming both heritage-rich locations into world-class tourist hubs. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now During the meeting, Divisional Commissioner S Rajalingam presented a detailed progress report on various initiatives underway in the region. He informed that 18 major tourist sites in Varanasi have been identified for focused development, with nodal officers appointed and work already in progress. Among the key initiatives highlighted were comprehensive cleanliness drives, removal of unauthorised hoardings and banners, hygiene training for hotels, eateries, and street vendors, and installation of uniform signage at prominent locations. The municipal corporation and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) are jointly conducting training sessions to raise hygiene standards. To ease congestion and improve the visitor experience, a no-vehicle zone will be created between Maidagin and Godaulia, with provisions for golf cart services for senior citizens. Efforts are also underway to identify parking areas near the Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Panda stressed the need to upgrade tourism information centres at airports, railway stations, and bus terminals, along with the inclusion of digital maps and improved public facilities. The review also included plans for Sarnath, where a modern light and sound system is being introduced. Discussions covered issues such as improved cleanliness, standard signage, cultural programming during festivals, training of local guides, beautification of tourist spots, improved lighting, and measures to extend the average duration of tourist stays. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Later, Panda conducted field inspections of major sites in Varanasi. His itinerary included visits to Varanasi Junction (Cantt), Bharat Mata Temple at Vidyapith, Anand Van Park, Durgakund, Tulsi Manas, and Sankat Mochan temples. At Assi Ghat, Commissioner Rajalingam briefed him on the cultural significance of local events such as the Ramnagar Ramlila, Nakkatayya fair, and Bharat Milap. Panda also visited Dashashwamedh Ghat, where he was informed about the Dashashwamedh reservoir, Sheetla Mata Temple, and Hanuman Temple. At the Man Mahal Museum, he viewed 3D displays, historical video clips, and wall engravings portraying the spiritual, cultural, and religious legacy of Kashi. He later visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Annapurna Temple, and Kal Bhairav Temple to offer prayers. Panda also visited the Urban Haat at Chowkaghat and then toured key Buddhist heritage sites in Sarnath, including the Chaukhandi Stupa, Dhamek Stupa, Archaeological Museum, and various viharas. He examined murals, sculptures, and displays related to Lord Buddha and the development of the ancient Nagari script.
Time of India
26-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Kaithi script training centre to be set up at Buxar museum
Buxar: A dedicated training centre for the Kaithi script will be set up within a month at the Sitaram Upadhyay Museum in Buxar, museum curator Shiv Kumar Mishra announced on Thursday. The move comes as the state govt undertakes a statewide land survey, where a key obstacle has been the inaccessibility of historical records written in Kaithi. Once widely used across the state, the Kaithi script is now understood by very few, making it difficult for officials to interpret crucial land documents. "The widespread unfamiliarity with Kaithi is causing delays in loan processing and judicial decisions related to land disputes," said Mishra. Kaithi has been in use in the region for nearly a thousand years. One of its earliest known inscriptions, dated to the 9th or 10th century, is located at the Baijnath Shiva Temple in Kaimur district. Others have been found in Srinagar (Madhepura) and Andharathadhi (Madhubani). Two rare inscriptions, featuring Kaithi, Bengali and Nagari scripts, are also engraved on the gates of the Bateshwar Shiva Temple in Bhagalpur. The script served as the official medium for land records during Sher Shah Suri's reign and remained in use during the time of Veer Kunwar Singh. Zamindars in regions like Darbhanga also used it to document their estates. Despite its historical significance, a lack of Kaithi proficiency among land officials, legal professionals and bank staff has led to bottlenecks in administration and justice. "Functional literacy in Kaithi is essential for resolving land disputes," Mishra said. To address this, training and awareness programmes have been held nationally and internationally. Thousands have participated in workshops in Patna, Bhagalpur, Darbhanga, Nawada and Begusarai. The state revenue department has begun formal training, aided by experts Pritam Kumar and Waqar Ahmed. A learning booklet has also been published. Institutions such as the Maithili Sahitya Sansthan, Bihar Archaeological Council, INTACH and CIIL Mysuru are supporting the effort. Tilka Manjhi Bhagalpur University now offers a six-month certificate course in the script. "Our mission continues. By promoting Kaithi literacy, we intend to preserve a vital part of Bihar's cultural heritage and restore its practical utility," Mishra said.
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Science
- Time of India
1st Indian reference to Halley's Comet in Sanskrit inscription
HYDERABAD: In what is being described as a rare epigraphical discovery, the Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) epigraphy division has found the first known Indian inscription referring to the appearance of Halley's Comet. It was found in a Sanskrit copper plate charter dated 1456 CE from Srisailam, Andhra Pradesh, during the reign of Vijayanagara King Mallikarjuna. The inscription, engraved in Nagari script, clearly mentions a celestial phenomenon involving a comet and a subsequent meteor shower, ASI epigraphy director K Muniratnam Reddy said. It records a land grant in the form of a village made by the Vijayanagara ruler Mallikarjuna to a Vedic scholar on Saka 1378, Dhatru Ashadha ba 11, corresponding to Monday, June 28, 1456 CE. The vedic scholar, a brahman named Limganarya, was from Kadiyalapura - likely present-day Kadiyapulanka in Kadapa district - and known for his expertise in astronomy. The donation was made "in order to pacify the great calamity that is believed to arise due to the appearance of a comet (Dhumaketu mahotpata santyartham)" and its meteor shower (Prakasyaya mahotpata santyartham)," said Reddy. "From several historical records across the world, it is known that the appearance of Halley's Comet in 1456 CE was interpreted as a bad omen," said Reddy.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
ASI unearths 5 inscriptions, illuminating centuries of history
Hyderabad: The (ASI) has discovered five significant inscriptions across India and Sri Lanka, offering new insights into historical events, social customs, and religious practices spanning several centuries. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Among the most striking is a 16th century unearthed near the Sru Chandrasekhara temple in Guttala, Haveri district in Karnataka, which recorded the deaths of 6,307 people during a catastrophic drought in 1539 CE. According to K Muniratnam Reddy of the ASI's epigraphy division, the sculpted stone slab—dated Aug 18, 1539—documents the mass burial of the deceased, carried out by Marulaiah Odeya, son of Nanideva Odeya. Using baskets (jhalle), he transported the bodies in an act of devotion to the deity Basavesvara and to earn religious merit on behalf of the local ruler, Timmarasa Svami. Inscribed in Kannada, the record highlights the devastating human toll of the drought within a defined territorial unit (sime) and stands out as a rare quantified account of a historical climatic disaster. Rich cultural themes In Andhra Pradesh, a 13th century trilingual inscription discovered in Gudimetla village in Krishna district records a land grant and tax remission by Pridhvisetti, a merchant guild leader. The donation, made in honour of the deity Mulasthana Mallikarjjuna Mahadeva, was intended to support temple rituals and honour the Chagi chiefs, Ganapaya and Dorayarajulu. From Jharkhand, a 10th century inscription engraved on a Tara Devi image in Danto Khurd village in Hazaribagh district, reveals that a royal official, Pranabha, commissioned the sculpture in memory of his parents and teacher. Despite partial damage, the slab preserves the sacred dharani mantra 'ye dharma hetu,' signifying deep religious intent. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In the Nallamala forest region of Prakasam district in AP, a 1518 CE Telugu inscription commemorates the construction of a well and sluice for temple lands at Sriparvata. It was commissioned by Velanga Parvatanayani and names Kemideva, the agent of Siddha Bhikshavritti Ayyamgaru, the head of a Virasaiva monastery in Srisailam. Meanwhile, in Sri Lanka's Wilpattu National Park, an eighth century Sanskrit inscription found at Pomparippuwa and carved in early Nagari script refers to a goddess and the term 'kirtti' (victory). Though damaged, the inscription affirms the site's status as a Buddhist pilgrimage centre during the early medieval period. Experts say these remarkable finds, documented by the ASI's epigraphy division, deepen understanding of the subcontinent's religious devotion, administrative traditions and social philanthropy.
