Latest news with #Shrawan
Time of India
15 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Young children on kanwar yatra walk barefoot with devotion, determination
Prayagraj: In an age where most children are occupied with cartoons, toys, and games many kids have chosen a different path, one paved with devotion, determination and divine faith. Amid the ongoing kanwar yatra , it's not just the adults chanting 'Bol Bam', but also young children who have become torchbearers of faith alongside their parents. Clad in saffron, their foreheads marked with chandan and sindoor, and barefoot, these little kanwariyas are walking miles in the scorching sun, carrying Ganga jal in plastic containers hung around their necks. Far from expressing discomfort or fear, their faces beam with spiritual enthusiasm as they chant, 'Bol Bam ka naara hai, Baba tera sahaara hai'. At Dashashwamedh ghat, the presence of these young pilgrims is drawing both attention and admiration. The sight of children chanting prayers, participating in aarti, and performing rituals with unshakable faith reflects a powerful emotion—that devotion knows no age. A four-year-old child from Shringverpur Dham, Ram Shrish Bahubali, was seen immersed in the devotion of Lord Shiva on the banks of the Ganga at the place which is so closely associated with Lord Ram. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Illinois Launches New Policy for Cars Used Less Than 50 Miles/day Bindright Undo On the second Monday of Shrawan, he made a 'shivling' from sand and offered prayers. In a similar instance, Aditya Kanojia, a Class 4 student, and his younger sister Saradhya, have accompanied their father Deepak Kanojia from Shahwabad, Varanasi. This is Aditya's second kanwar yatra. "We bathed in the Ganga, prayed, and then shouted, 'Bol Bam! Baba, we are coming to your door with Ganga water," said Aditya with a proud smile. Their father explained, "This is my fifth yatra. I want my children to walk the path of dharma from a young age." Similarly, Ravi Nishad from Jhunsi is walking the yatra with his 8-year-old son Samar and UKG student daughter Vidhi. Inspired by their father's resolve, the children insisted on joining the spiritual journey, despite the long distance. "It might take 4 to 5 days to reach Varanasi, but they were determined," said Ravi. When asked about the challenge of walking such a distance, he replied with faith, "Baba will take care of everything." "These stories of little kanwariyas are not just heartwarming; they are a testament to how faith, when nurtured in childhood, blooms into courage and devotion. As these tiny feet tread the holy soil, they carry a message of hope, purity, and the timeless bond between generations and their shared spiritual heritage," says Swami Hari Chaitanya Bhramchari of Tikar Mafi Ashram, Prayagraj and Amethi.
Time of India
20 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Bihar's election platter turns spicy with mutton parties in Shravan
Patna: Holy Shrawan month is on, and temples are abuzz with Shiva devotees fasting. Vegetarianism is in vogue. But in poll-bound Bihar, guess what's stealing the spotlight? Mutton curries! Mutton Rogan Josh — that rich, aromatic Kashmiri delight made a surprise appearance in the central hall of the state assembly on Monday, the second Somwari. The occasion? First day of the monsoon session before the state goes to polls. The serving was enough to stir a political potboiler. Leader of opposition Tejashwi Prasad Yadav wasted no time. He accused the NDA leader of adopting a "double standard" over meat consumption. "BJP MLAs relished mutton on Shravan Somwari (Monday). We have no objection to anyone's food choice, but the PM should not be 'selective' in his attacks. While he finds it pleasing that his party leaders eat mutton during Shravan, he doesn't hesitate to attack opposition leaders even though they avoid non-vegetarian foods," Tejashwi posted on social media. He also uploaded a video of the stall with "Mutton Rogan Josh" to highlight his point. The video has gone viral on social media. The BJP reacted by saying that Tejashwi, being the leader of the opposition, should focus on the election looming large rather than watching who is eating what. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Buy the Dip: Top 5 Dividend Stocks with Growth Potential Seeking Alpha Read More Undo "Maybe the caterer also arranged for the mutton dish along with vegetarian food, but did Tejashwi only watch who ate the mutton?" state BJP spokesperson Manoj Sharma said on Tuesday. Mocking Tejashwi, Sharma said whether the leader of opposition should scan the CCTV images to find out who consumed what or focus on Bihar's development. This isn't the first time mutton has made an entry in Shravan when majority Hindus turn vegetarian. Last week, Union minister Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh triggered a similar row when he hosted a mutton party for his supporters in Lakhisarai, which is a part of his Munger Lok Sabha constituency. In a video that went viral, Lalan is heard saying that he arranged both "vegetarian and non-vegetarian" foods. Tejashwi again took a dig at Singh for hosting a mutton party during Shravan. Earlier this month, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor arranged "biryani" for all those who came to hear his speech in Kishanganj district. TV footage released later showed people crowding the food stalls and scrambling to get the food packets. But the party claims it was "vegetarian biryani" and not mutton. Mutton had been the menu for controversy earlier also when RJD chief Lalu Prasad cooked a special mutton dish for Congress MP Rahul Gandhi at his daughter's residence in Delhi during Shrawan in 2023. The video of Lalu cooking mutton in a desi style and stirring in a pot went viral at that time, drawing sharp reactions from the NDA. Later, Tejashwi and his ally, Muhesh Sahani, drew bitter criticisms from the NDA leader after both were caught on camera relishing fish during a chopper ride as part of the poll campaign during the LS elections. The NDA leaders targeted the duo, describing their acts as an "insult to sanatan" for relishing during "Navaratra". Later, Tejashwi clarified that they had eaten the non-vegetarian dish before the start of Navarata.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP has failed to provide proper facilities to kanwariyas: Akhilesh
1 2 Lucknow: Accusing the UP govt of having failed to set up dedicated corridors for hassle-free movement of kanwariyas and devotees, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav held the BJP responsible for the incident where a CRPF jawan was manhandled on kanwariya route. Talking to media outside the Parliament on the opening day of the monsoon session on recent remarks of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath about "fake social media accounts peddling falsehood to call kanwariyas rioters", he said: "Those who are levelling such allegations are the biggest rioters themselves. Anyone who has studied law will know who has the most cases of rioting lodged against them. People who are calling others (opposition) rioters, have maximum case of rioting against them. " On kanwariyas being associated with violent incidents, Akhilesh said BJP govts in UP and at the Centre were responsible for the situation. "In the past nine years in UP and 11 years at the Centre, the BJP has presented 20 budgets worth lakhs of crores of rupees but failed to give facilities to devotees and kanwariyas," Akhilesh said. "Kanwariyas have been following a tradition that started centuries ago. Had the govt constructed dedicated corridors for kanwariyas, incidents like manhandling of personnel from armed forces would not have taken place. The way a member of our armed forces was assaulted is concerning," Akhilesh said. The SP chief had on Saturday posted a video of how a man, identified as a CRPF jawan, was repeatedly kicked and punched by men clad in saffron. Asked about the issues that the opposition wanted to raise in the Lok Sabha, Akhilesh said the Pahalgam terror attack issue was very important. "All Opposition parties want that there should be a discussion on Pahalgam terror attack. The govt should disclose what had happened and if there was any intelligence failure. The PM and the govt should hear the opposition out. We as the opposition will listen to what the govt has to say," he added. SP workers shower petals on kanwariyas On the second Monday of Shrawan, SP functionaries welcomed kanwariyas by showering flower petals on them and offering them water and refreshments apart from medical aid at several locations in western UP districts. One such camp was held in Muradnagar in Ghaziabad which was organised by former MLC Rakesh Yadav.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
On 2nd Shrawan Monday, kanwariyas queue up roads leading to KV Dham
1 2 Varanasi: Kashi Vishwanath Dham radiated spiritual splendor as multitudes of devotees and kanwariyas flocked to the holy city on the auspicious second 'Somvar' of the holy Shrawan month to offer prayers to Lord Shiv, who was resplendently adorned in the divine Gauri-Shankar form. Amid chants of 'Har Har Mahadev' and 'Om Namah Shivaya', massive crowds of kanwariyas and pilgrims began gathering from Sunday night to seek darshan of Baba Vishwanath. Special security arrangements, including deployment of Varanasi Police and Black Commandos, were in place to manage the huge influx of devotees. The CEO of Kashi Vishwanath Temple, Vishwabhushan Mishra, showered flower petals on the devotees patiently awaited their turn to offer prayers. As Monday holds profound significance during Shrawan, the revered deity was worshipped in various divine forms, captivating the hearts of the faithful. Mishra stated that on the first Monday of Shrawan, the movable idol of Baba Vishwanath was adorned, highlighting the significance of Mondays during this month for Shiv devotees. The Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple has planned a series of divine adornments for Lord Shiv during the Shrawan month. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 15 most beautiful women in the world Undo Lord Shiv will be adorned in the Ardhanarishvara form on the third Monday (July 28) and with Rudraksha on fourth Monday (Aug 4). A special Jhula adornment will take place on this auspicious occasion of Purnima on Aug 9. To ensure seamless security and crowd management, the police made extensive arrangements for the event. As per Commissioner of Police Mohit Agarwal, the measures included deployment of water police and NDRF teams in the Ganga for safety and rescue operations, utilization of eight drones for aerial surveillance, installation of around 2,000 CCTV cameras for real-time monitoring, 10 quick response teams on 24/7 duty, over 20 motorcycle squads patrolling the roads and approximately 1,500 police personnel deployed round the clock to maintain law and order. Traffic management, including diversions and no-entry zones, has been implemented on the routes connecting to Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham from Saturday until Tuesday morning. The left lane of the Prayagraj to Kashi National Highway has been secured for kanwariyas. Adequate police forces have been deployed on the routes and in the temple for the convenience and safety of the devotees. Additionally, temporary police outposts have been established. Shrawan, the fifth month in the Hindu calendar, is considered to be the most auspicious month of the year. It is dedicated to Lord Shiva, who, according to Hindu religious beliefs, is the creator, preserver, and destroyer of this universe. This year, Shrawan began on July 11 and will conclude on Aug 9. It is the fifth month of the Hindu lunar calendar and is considered one of the holiest periods for devotees of Lord Shiv.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Dy CM asks JD(U) minister to follow alliance dharma
Patna: Senior BJP leader and deputy CM Vijay Kumar Sinha had a verbal spat with JD(U) minister Ashok Kumar Choudhary in the NDA legislators' meeting held in the central hall on Monday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The meeting was held to discuss the floor management during the rest four days of the monsoon session. Sinha targeted Choudhary for not inviting local MLA Prahlad Yadav in the official function of the rural works department at Suryagarha in Lakhisarai, the home district of Sinha, for laying the foundation stones for several development projects last week. Suryagarha comes under Munger Lok Sabha constituency, which is being represented by former JD(U) president Rajiv Ranjan alias Lalan Singh, who was also present in the function that day. Prahlad, a six-time MLA from Suryagarha, had supported the Nitish govt in the floor test after the JD(U) chief dumped RJD-Cong alliance and formed the NDA govt again with BJP in Jan 2024 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. When contacted, Prahlad justified Sinha's stand. "Hum saath diye hain aur itna alag kijiyega? Alliance dharam ka palan to karna hin chahiye na. Choudhary ji was getting upset and shouting. Vijay ji as well as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) had also opposed serving mutton among the supporters that day in the month of Shrawan. Jiski apni jameen nahi aur jo kripa par hai, uspar kya kahna," Prahlad told this newspaper after the ruckus. When asked if he apprehended not getting BJP ticket in the coming election as he had defeated JD(U) candidate Ramanand Mandal in 2020, Prahlad said, "This had always been a BJP seat before Mandal last time. BJP had won this seat thrice." Meanwhile, some of the MLAs, including BJP's Gyanendra Singh Gyanu, also opposed the global tendering for state govt projects by Choudhary, who justified it, leading to a ruckus. Gyanu said the global tendering will cause losses for the NDA in the elections. Some of the MLAs also expressed anger over the way the tap water supply scheme was implemented in the state. Sinha said not just one but all the allies will have to follow the coalition dharma. He also said Prahlad had supported in forming the NDA govt and the top leaders were already aware of it.
