Latest news with #Sati
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Lucknow dastango duo at Prez house recounts lore of Ahilyabai, who refused Sati to serve masses
Lucknow: In a proud moment for Lucknow, two renowned Dastangoi storytellers from the city, Himanshu Bajpai and Pragya Sharma, got opportunity to narrate the life and glory of Ahilyabai Holkar, queen of Indore, at Rashtrapati Bhavan, New Delhi. In the two-day event (May 29-30) that marked 300th birth anniversary of Ahilyabai Holkar, Himanshu and Pragya narrated 'Dastan-e-Ahilya', organised by Union ministry of culture and Sahitya Akademi. Inaugurated by President Draupadi Murmu, the event was themed 'How much has literature changed'. The duo began with the incident of Raghoba's wife, Anandi Bai, sending her maid to discover secret of Ahilyabai's popularity. The maid tells her that Ahilyabai lives a an austere life, with neither jewellery, nor any ostentation, but is famous because of her great thinking and welfare of common people. How Ahilyabai meets Malhar Rao Holkar, becoming daughter-in-law of the Holkar dynasty and then becomes a widow was narrated along with the highpoint of the legend in which she stops herself from performing Sati (jumping into her husband's funeral pyre) for the sake of her subjects and instead, devotes herself to public welfare. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like They Lost Their Money - Learn From Their Lesson Expertinspector Click Here Undo The queen was famous for her fairplay and trait of upholding justice at any cost. She sentenced her son Male Rao to death because he had killed a calf by crushing it under his chariot. The storytellers recounted that Ahilyabai was not only devout but a warrior too. She defeated Chandrawat of Rampura thrice. The last section of the narration describes how when Ahilyabai died, a large number of people gathered in Maheshwar. Due to her contribution to the masses, Ahilyabai was termed a goddess while she was alive. Previously, in 2020, Himanshu had the opportunity to narrate the Kakori Conspiracy episode at Rashtrapati Bhavan. Among the listeners were Sahitya Akademi president Madhav Kaushik, secretary Srinivas Rao, poets Arun Kamal, Ashok Chakradhar, Lakshmi Shankar Bajpai and Rajshekhar Vyas.
Associated Press
7 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
1.5 Million Users to Access Bitcoin's Lightning Network on Xverse thanks to Sati
Sati, a Bitcoin payments app and Lightning infrastructure provider, today announced the launch of its Lightning integration with Xverse, a Bitcoin wallet used by over 1.5 million people worldwide. Thanks to the integration, Xverse users can now send and receive sats (Bitcoin's smallest denomination) instantly over the Lightning Network with no setup, no app switching, and no custodial risk. Initially designed in 2017, the Lightning Network has grown to become Bitcoin's leading layer-2, with a current BTC capacity of over $465M. Sati is now leveraging this technology to bring the world's favorite digital currency into the pockets of almost 3 billion users worldwide, thanks to its powerful API integration with WhatsApp. 'Bitcoin was not meant to be an asset for Wall Street—it was built for peer-to-peer money, borderless and accessible,' said Felipe Servin, Founder and CEO of Sati. 'Integrating Lightning natively into Xverse brings that vision back to life, making Bitcoin usable at scale for billions.' Thanks to the integration, every Xverse user now gets a Lightning Address instantly. That means they can receive tips, pay invoices, and use Bitcoin for microtransactions—all without having to manage channels or switch between different apps. Sati expects USDT on Lightning to be supported as early as Q3 for the Xverse wallet and in July 2025 for users accessing Sati through WhatsApp. This integration positions Sati's role as a Lightning infrastructure provider, not just a consumer app. By leveraging its API-based solution, the company provides plug-and-play backend services to wallets and platforms looking to add Bitcoin payments without compromising on security or UX. The Xverse launch follows the debut of Parasite Pool, a new mining pool leveraging Sati and Xverse's tech stack and focused on democratizing Bitcoin mining. Parasite Pool charges 0% fees and pays out instantly over Lightning, making it ideal for small-scale miners, especially those running ultra-low-power hardware like Bitaxe. With over 500 users joining Parasite Pool within weeks of launch and an average pool hashrate of 5 PH/s, Parasite Pool is steadily growing its presence in the home mining space. Thanks to the Lightning integration, Parasite Pool supports the smallest Lightning payouts in the industry (a fraction of a cent), lowering the barrier to entry for anyone interested in mining. Sati recently closed a $600K pre-seed round backed by Bitcoin-focused investors, including Draper Associates, BitcoinFi, Arcanum, BoostVC, and Ricardo Salinas. The funding is being used to support global expansion, stablecoin integration, Lightning infrastructure growth, and broader access to Bitcoin in emerging markets. Sati will be conducting live product demos at Bitcoin 2025 in Las Vegas on May 27-29. To learn more about Sati, visit About Sati Sati is a Bitcoin payments infrastructure provider. Launched in 2025 with investors of the likes as Draper Associates and Ricardo Salinas, Sati powers fast, seamless Bitcoin payments on applications such as WhatsApp to fuel the next wave of adoption. Learn more at About Xverse Xverse is the on-chain platform for the Bitcoin economy—think Revolut meets Alchemy, built natively on Bitcoin. Trusted by over 1.5 million users, Xverse is launching a unified portfolio platform for Bitcoin L1 and Layer 2s, alongside developer infrastructure to power seamless Bitcoin-native apps. Press Contact [email protected]
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Raja Ram Mohan Roy Jayanti 2025: Odisha and Bengal CMs pay tribute – know history, significance, and more
Raja Ram Mohan Roy's Birth Anniversary 2025: Raja Ram Mohan Roy Jayanti marks the birth anniversary of Ram Mohan Roy, India's most influential social and religious reformer of the 19th century. Renowned as the Father of the Indian Renaissance, Roy played a significant role in advocating for social, religious, and educational reforms, which shaped and paved the way for modern India. In 1814, he founded the Atmiya Sabha (Society of Friends) to promote philosophical conversations about the concept of monotheism in Vedanta and the battle against idolatry, casteism, child marriage, Sati, and other social problems, while promoting widow remarriage. Roy used his journal Sambad Kaumudi, his writings in the Bengal press, and the formation of various sabhas (associations) to mobilise public opinion and promote reformist ideas, aiming to transform entrenched social norms and practices. Through these platforms, he advocated for the abolition of regressive customs such as sati, child marriage, and the rigid caste system, while also championing women's rights, education, and rational religious thinking. Born on May 22, 1772, in Radhanagar, Hooghly District, then Bengal Presidency, in 2025, we will be marking Roy's 253rd birth anniversary, falling on Thursday, May 22, 2025. This day serves as a tribute to his pioneering efforts in driving the Bengal Renaissance and laying the foundation for modern Indian society Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi paid tributes to Raja Ram Mohan Roy on the social reformer's birth anniversary, recalling Roy's fight against orthodoxy and religious discrimination. Tribute to visionary reformer and pioneer of modern Indian society, #RajaRamMohanRoy on his birth anniversary. His relentless efforts towards social justice, women's empowerment, and education continue to inspire generations. — Mohan Charan Majhi (@MohanMOdisha) May 22, 2025 Furthermore, Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, also expressed tributes to social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy on his birth anniversary, describing him as a pioneer figure in Indian modernism. I pay my humble tributes today, on his birthday, to Raja Ram Mohan Roy, the pioneer figure of Indian modernity and the great social reformer. Ram Mohan was the first major figure of the Indian Renaissance and a visionary for enlightened and nationalist India. We remember him… — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 22, 2025
NDTV
22-05-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
Mamata Banerjee Pays Tribute To Raja Ram Mohan Roy On His Birth Anniversary
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday paid tributes to social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy on his birth anniversary and described him as a pioneer figure of Indian modernity. She said Mr Roy is remembered by people at every step of their lives. "I pay my humble tributes today, on his birthday, to Raja Ram Mohan Mr Roy, the pioneer figure of Indian modernity and the great social reformer," Ms Banerjee posted on X. I pay my humble tributes today, on his birthday, to Raja Ram Mohan Roy, the pioneer figure of Indian modernity and the great social reformer. Ram Mohan was the first major figure of the Indian Renaissance and a visionary for enlightened and nationalist India. We remember him… — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) May 22, 2025 "Ram Mohan was the first major figure of the Indian Renaissance and a visionary for enlightened and nationalist India. We remember him at every step of our life even today," she added. Born in 1772, Mr Roy was a prominent Indian social reformer, scholar, and religious leader, often referred to as the 'Father of Indian Renaissance'. He played a pivotal role in shaping modern India by advocating for social, religious, and educational reforms. Mr Roy was known for his efforts in abolishing Sati and promoting widow remarriage. He died in 1833.
Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
HistoriCity: Enigmatic Bastar a mix of ancient tribal culture, Hindu influences
An ongoing security campaign in Chhattisgarh's Bastar remains underreported, and lately, overshadowed by the India-Pakistan conflagration. Being an ignored sidebar of Indian history, however, is not new for this forested region bordering Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra. Bastar is a geologically rich area known for massive reserves of bauxite, iron ore and coal. Its ecology is diverse, dependent on primitive forests, and topography tough with numerous hills and hundreds of seasonal streams and rivers, making this region one of the least assimilated in mainland India. Coveted for timber and minerals, the Bastar region, roughly spread over nearly 7000 square kilometres, is populated by indigenous tribes such as Marias, Gonds, and their subdivisions; the Bastariya identity today also comprises Hindu castes and communities. Over the last several centuries and particularly since the colonial period, it has remained a region mired in enigma and indigenous struggles for equality. The history of tribal cultures in Bastar is a rich resource in itself; however, as is the case elsewhere, it has to be extracted out of oral stories as well as mainstream Hindu histories. This is a difficult challenge, since the continuous process of interaction between the two makes it hard to establish chronology and causation. The bare facts internalised in most accounts, tribal and non-tribal, are that in the 14th century, Annam Deo (1313-1358 CE) a member of the Kakatiya dynasty of Warangal, pacified the region by defeating the Nagavanshi chiefs (Barsoor is believed to be their capital) and declared himself king. The Kakatiyas belonged to the non-elite castes i.e., Brahmin and Kshatriyas. Over the last seven centuries, while being recognised as rulers, they have remained on the fringes of royalty in India. Bastar region is believed to be the Dandakaranya forest, of the epic Ramayana, where the trio from Ayodhya suffered hardship, and from where Sita is abducted by the Ravana. Danteswari, Manikeswari and Mawli About 350 kilometres from Raipur, lies Dantewada, in south Bastar. In popular imagination, it evokes images of armed conflicts between security forces, and cadres of the banned group CPI (Maoist). However, it is home to the Danteswari temple, which the Puranas tell us is the site where the tooth of Sati, Shiva's consort, fell. While the king as god, imbued with the divine right to rule, is a well- known template across the world, in Bastar, the kings have been titular priests of goddess Danteswari, giving them divine sanction and legitimacy to rule. The temple precedes the 14th century arrival of the Kakatiyas. According to inscriptions recovered at Jatanpal, the local Nagavanshis, built the temple in reverence to goddess Manikeswari in the 11th century. Subsequent to their victory, the Kakatiyas co-opted the local deity and remoulded the tradition according to Hindu Puranic lore of Sati and her Shakti Peethas. However, Goddess Manikeswari too seems to have been an avatar of a local tribal deity, known as Mawli (meaning Mother), and whose non-human or unanthromorphised shrines can still be found across the region. Sundar wrote: 'A Barsur inscription speaks of the Nagas as worshippers of Manikyadevi or Manikeswari, who was an incarnation of Durga or Mahisasuramardini. Hira Lal (noted historian) argued that the Kakatiyas merely adopted the same Goddess and renamed her Danteswari'. Celebrating Dussehra in Bastar Dussehra, which is celebrated across India as Durga-Puja or Navratri, is a nine-day festival in the lunar month Asvina (September-October) that culminates on Vijay Dasami (victory day). This 10th day traditionally commemorates Ram's victory over Ravana, or goddess Durga's defeat of the buffalo-demon Mahishasura. In Bastar, however, the local goddess Danteswari replaces Durga as the central deity, making Dussehra the state's most important festival. Bastar's celebration features distinctive elements: the worship of professional tools such as weapons, throughout the festival, ceremonial processions on the ninth day, and animal sacrifices, particularly of buffaloes. The 10 days historically marked the beginning of military campaigns, timed with the end of monsoons. The festival centers on elaborate royal assemblies and processions where the king entrusts the kingdom's welfare symbolically to the goddess, in the form of a sceptre or sword, ensuring prosperity and protection. These rituals evidence a complex blend of pan-Indian and high-Hindu traditions with Bastar's unique local customs, creating a multi-layered celebration that encompasses religious, political, and cultural significance. HistoriCity is a column by author Valay Singh that narrates the story of a city that is in the news, by going back to its documented history, mythology and archaeological digs. The views expressed are personal. Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
