Latest news with #Puran
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Time of India
3 of a family among 4 dead as speeding car rams into group of Kanwariyas in Madhya Pradesh
In Gwalior, a tragic accident occurred on the Agra-Mumbai National Highway when a speeding car, reportedly due to a tyre burst, ran over a group of Kanwariyas, killing four and critically injuring two. The devotees were walking back to their village to perform a ritual after collecting water from a nearby waterfall. BHOPAL: At least four Kanwariyas were killed after a speeding car ran over a group of devotees walking along the Agra-Mumbai National Highway near Sheetla Mata Mandir Gate in Gwalior around 1am on Tuesday. Two others sustained critical injuries in the incident. The accident occurred on the Shivpuri Link Road stretch of the highway when the car's tyre reportedly burst, causing it to veer off course and run over the Kanwariyas before overturning into roadside bushes. Police said the vehicle was at high speed when its tyre burst. It lost control, hit the Kanwariyas, and toppled off the highway. When the police reached the spot, the vehicle was empty. Efforts are underway to trace its occupants. Teams from various police stations, along with local residents, pulled the injured and the deceased from a roadside ditch and took them to the trauma centre at JAH Hospital. Doctors declared three Kanwariyas dead on arrival. A fourth victim succumbed to injuries later. The victims were identified as Puran, resident of Sidna's Chak, Simaria Ghatigaon; Ramesh, Dinesh – both residents of Simaria Ghatigaon; and Dharmendra, a resident of Ghatigaon. Three of the deceased belonged to the same family. They were part of a 13-member group of Kanwariyas from Banjara Ka Pura in Simaria Panchayat. The group had collected water from a waterfall near the Shiv temple in Bhadavna and was walking back to their village, a few kms from the accident site, to perform the Jalabhishek ritual on Wednesday when the incident took place.
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Long before ‘Heeramandi', Batalvi gave the world ‘Loona'
Chandigarh: At a time when web series like Heeramandi, Made in Heaven, and Saas Bahu aur Flamingo are making headlines for centering rebellious, complex women, one Punjabi poet had already done it, nearly 60 years ago. On the birth anniversary of Shiv Kumar Batalvi, it's worth revisiting Loona, the epic verse play that earned him the Sahitya Akademi Award at just 31, youngest till now, and challenged the way generations viewed women in folklore. Loona is based on the Punjabi legend of Puran Bhagat, a prince turned saint. In the traditional telling, Loona is a young stepmother who tries to seduce Puran, and when he refuses, she falsely accuses him of misconduct. The king, her husband and Puran's father, has him exiled and mutilated. Loona has, for generations, remained the archetype of an immoral woman, a scheming seductress. But Batalvi flipped the narrative. In his telling, Loona is not a villain but a victim — a young girl married off to an ageing king Salwan, living a life she never chose. Her attraction to Puran is not sin but yearning. Her rage is not evil but trauma. Rather than glorify her, Batalvi indicts the society that condemned her for feeling, for desiring, for speaking. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 30 Beautiful women who lived 80-100 years ago Undo Retired associate professor Manjit Kaur, who wrote a PhD thesis titled Puran, Loona and the Psychology of Punjab, calls Loona a rare example in Punjabi literature where a woman's desire itself becomes an act of protest. "Puran protests by renouncing the world and turning to yog. But Loona protests by refusing to silence her longing," Kaur said. "In Punjabi society, we often see the spiritual man as a rebel, but a desiring woman is called immoral. Shiv turned that upside down." According to her, Loona challenged the psychological and cultural frameworks of Punjab long before such themes entered mainstream writing or cinema. The idea that a woman could want something, or someone, and not be punished for it was radical in 1965. Today, it's become the emotional and political core of many popular shows and films. In Heeramandi, Sanjay Leela Bhansali presents courtesans as women with agency, navigating patriarchy with their own power. Made in Heaven peels back the layers of modern Indian weddings to expose how women are still expected to conform, sacrifice, or stay silent. Saas Bahu aur Flamingo breaks the mold of the "ideal woman" altogether.
Time of India
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Worship Khanna on his acting journey; says ‘I'm still walking on the path, the destination is far'
Actor Worship Khanna, known for his roles in Kumkum Bhagya , Meri Doli Mere Angana, Ishq Subhan Allah, and web series like Hello Jee and Cold Lassi Aur Chicken Masala, is currently seen playing Puran in Pati Brahmachari. In a candid conversation, he opens up about his journey from journalism to acting and how passion and perseverance led him to Mumbai. 'I had already made up my mind during my school days. I started acting when I was just 13 years old,' says Worship, recalling his early love for performance. He pursued Mass Media and Journalism, choosing subjects that aligned with his dream of working in the entertainment industry. 'That course taught me editing, writing, advertising — all of which helped me understand how the industry works,' he shares. Worship landed his first job at a media house at 21 through college placements. But something felt missing. 'I was proud, but I realized my heart wasn't in it,' he admits. 'I used to write scripts, but someone else would read them on screen. When I asked to anchor, I was told only females usually get that chance. That's when I knew this isn't what I wanted.' To pursue his dreams in Mumbai, he had to convince his father. 'I told him I wanted to do my Master's. I said, someday my kids should be proud their dad completed his education. That worked,' he laughs. After moving, he balanced studies with auditions. 'My first break came with CID, and slowly, more roles followed. Every journey teaches something. I'm still walking on the path — the destination is far, but I'm learning at every turn.' On his latest role, Worship says, 'I play Puran — a cheerful tea-seller who faces struggles but stays joyful. Viewers will love the trio of Puran, Monika, and Bluetooth!'
Time of India
26-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Family wakes up to surprise visitor in bedroom: A tiger
RANCHI/SILLI/PURULIA/KOLKATA: "Bhagwan Krishna ne aaj bacha liya (Lord Krishna has saved us today)," said farmer Puran Chand Mahto (55) of Mardu village in Ranchi district's Silli block, still unable to believe his luck at being alive to tell the tale of how he and his family - his three daughters and a relative, who is a minor - slept peacefully while a tiger silently crouched in a corner of the same room. Around 4.30am Wednesday, Puran was getting ready for the day. As he stepped out of his three-room house into the courtyard, he asked his daughter, Savita, a Class IX student, to bring out the cattle for grazing. Moments later, her shrieks sent a chill down his spine. Savita had found a seven-foot-long tiger inside their room - which had only one door - and screamed: "Baba, baag... (Father, tiger)!" "All hell broke loose as my two other daughters and the relative were still sleeping inside," Puran told TOI over the phone. His wife and son were away to attend a wedding in a nearby village in West Bengal. "Savita rushed inside briefly to wake up the others. I also went in and asked the girls to run to the other side of the room," Puran said. "Soon, the tiger jumped into another room through a window that had no grille and stood there. I then asked the girls to run out of the house. As soon as we escaped, we locked the iron door from outside and called for help," Puran added. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 40세 넘고 PC만 있으면? 이 게임 완전 내 거임! Hero Wars 플레이하기 Undo The big cat may have sneaked into the house early in the morning when Puran had gone to the courtyard leaving the door open. Instances of leopards and other wild animals straying into houses had earlier been reported in Jharkhand, but it was the first time that a tiger had strayed into someone's house. The news sent district authorities into a tizzy, and the forest department rushed a team to control the situation. Senior forest officials arrived at the spot to oversee the operation. The house was covered with nets, and prohibitory orders were imposed to check any gathering at the site. A local police officer told TOI that they had roped in additional personnel to prevent any unwanted incident. "There was a crowd of nearly 1,000 villagers. .. it was a big task for us to ensure their safety," the officer said. Around 4pm, a special team from Palamu Tiger Reserve reached the village, and aided by personnel from Ranchi forest division, managed to trap the tiger - a male aged about five years. The team placed a cage, fitted to a rescue van, in front of the door and lured the big cat out. "Even before placing the bait, the tiger entered the cage and got trapped. It was then tranquillized so that it wouldn't get injured. We had to dart it twice. Around 6.45pm, we left for Ranchi's Bhagwan Birsa Zoo where the tiger will undergo tests," an official said. Jharkhand's chief wildlife warden Paritosh Upadhyay said, "If the tiger is fit, we will release it in a nearby tiger reserve with a radio collar in consultation with the National Tiger Conservation Authority." The village is located on the banks of the Subarnarekha river, about 60km from Ranchi city and barely 500m from Purulia in West Bengal. It is believed that the same tiger had passed through the stretch - from Palamu Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand to Purulia's Jhalda forest range - several times this year, beginning Jan.
Time of India
25-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Unsuspecting Silli family ‘sleeps' with crouching tiger
Ranchi/Silli/Purulia/Kolkata: Imagine sleeping with a tiger inside a room with your family and living to tell the tale. This is what exactly happened to 55-year-old farmer Puran Chand Mahto of Mardu village in Ranchi district's Silli block, his three daughters and one minor girl, a relative. "Bhagwan Krishna ne aaj bacha liya (Lord Krishna has saved us today)," remarked Puran. Around 4.30 am, a little before sunrise, Puran was getting ready for the day. As usual, he came out of his three-room house to the courtyard and was listening to his daily dose of Krishnavani (Krishna puran) on his phone. He asked his daughter Savita, studying in Class IX, to bring out the cows and goats for grazing. However, her screams sent a chill down the spine. Savita couldn't believe what she had just seen — a seven-foot-long crouching tiger — inside their rooms, which had only one door, used for both entry and exit. "Baba Baag..." she screamed. Talking to TOI over the phone, Puran said, "All hell broke loose as the tiger was inside the house where my two other daughters and a relative were sleeping." His wife and son were away to attend a marriage in a nearby Bengal village. Their village in Kocho panchayat is located on the banks of the Subarnarekha river, some 60km from Ranchi city and barely 500 metres from Purulia in West Bengal. It is believed that the same tiger is traversing through the stretch — from Palamu Tiger Reserve in Jharkhand to Purulia's Jhalda forest range — several times this year beginning January. "My daughter rushed briefly inside to wake the other girls up and came out. I also went in and asked the girls to run to the other side of the room where his cot was placed and hold their breath," he said.
