Latest news with #Vaishnavite
The Hindu
19 hours ago
- General
- The Hindu
10 traits of Nammazhwar
Falling on June 9 this year, the Tamil star of Visakam in the Tamil month of Vaikasi is indeed a special one. It is the day on which Nammazhwar, the great Vaishnavite saint, was born in Tirukurugur in Tirunelveli, rendering Vaikasi Visakam as an extremely auspicious one, said Tirukkudanthai Dr. Venkatesh. Nammazhwar commands an exalted state among the azhwars, the Vaishnavite saints. There are many reasons to celebrate Nammazhwar, but it is worth looking at 10 of them, which set him apart. First, he is considered to be an aspect of Vishvaksena, Lord Narayana's lieutenant, and he had no earthly attachment since at his birth he cut the cord of sadavayu (an aspect that binds us all to earthly matters) and hence his devotion to the Lord is purity personified. Second, he presented Tiruvaimozhi, an unparalleled work comprising 1,102 verses and hailed as Dravida Veda. Thirdly, although he lived for 35 years in this world, he was so consumed by bhakti that he did not care for food, preferring to relish on the attributes of Lord Krishna. Fourth, he is considered to be a veritable sun, since his verses throw light on one's inner darkness and dispels ignorance. The lines, Mayar vara Madhi nalam arulinavan evan avan, encapsulate his knowledge and how he came by it: Perumal Himself gifted it to him, marking his fifth trait. His sixth trait is the most celebrated one of his: he distilled the essence of all the four Vedas in his Tamil works: Rig Veda is contained in Tiruviruttam, Yajur Veda in Tiruvasiriyam; Sama Veda in Tiruvaimozhi and Atharvana Veda in Periya Tiruvandhadi. He is identified as the head of the Vasihnavaite Azhwars, with the rest of them forming the various parts of his physique. Next, he is considered to be greater than everyone, even God: Once, Nammazhwar asked God who is the greatest. 'I am the greatest,' said Perumal, 'I bear the universe.' Nammazhwar gave the famous rejoinder, depicting his devotion, 'I bear You in my heart, therefore, I am the greatest.' Nammazhwar is symbolised by the paduka of Perumal, which is placed on the head of devotees in temples as a benediction. Finally, his works in Tamil have put the Vedas and Upanishads within the reach of the ordinary people. Praying to him would guide a devotee on the way to reach God.
New Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
16 arrested in Assam for illegal cattle slaughter during Eid; CM Himanta vows 'strict action'
He said in five instances, cattle parts were found from places including near Cotton University in Guwahati, Dhubri, Hojai and Sribhumi districts. 'We are committed to preserving communal harmony, but not at the cost of lawlessness or cruelty. Please be clear that strict action will be taken against all violators — irrespective of faith or background,' he further wrote. Consumption of beef is not illegal in the state, but the Assam Cattle Preservation Act, 2021, bans cattle slaughter and sale of beef in localities where Hindus, Jains and Sikhs are in the majority and in areas within a five-km radius of a temple or satra (Vaishnavite monastery). On Sunday, a huge number of people from the Hindu and Muslim communities came out in Hojai to hold protests separately, and they blocked roads and clashed with the police, the officer said. "While the Hindus blocked roads at Barpukhuri area, where suspected cattle meat pieces were found at three places on Saturday. Following that, Muslims also came out and blocked a road at Bhuyanpatty as a countermeasure," he said. A section of the mob at Bhuyanpatty clashed with the police personnel who resorted to "mild lathi-charge" to disperse the protesters, the officer said. "The situation is now under control, and we have deployed additional forces from central paramilitary agencies. We are closely monitoring the development," he said. The protest in Barpukhuri area is still underway, and the administration is talking to the agitators to clear the blockade.
The Hindu
31-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Hindu
Poor condition of Thiruneermalai Road, coupled with heavy traffic congestion, cause inconveniences to the motorists
The Thiruneermalai Main Road is a major road linking several residential localities of Tambaram Corporation and the industrial units located in Pammal and Thirumudivakkam. The road branching off from the arterial GST Road is congested with heavy traffic during morning and evening rush hours with vehicles lined up on the road for several meters at the Thiruneermalai Road-GST Road junction. Moreover the presence of several leather units on the road leads to heavy vehicles movement on the stretch daily. While the traffic police of the Tambaram Police Commissionerate has taken steps of regulating traffic by putting in temporary medians to prevent lane jumping, and cutting off the right turn for vehicles coming from Thiruneermalai Road towards GST Road, it still has not helped much and motorists continue to battle traffic congestion at the junction. Adding to the woes of the motorists is the poor condition of the road caused by the digging up of the road for underground drainage (UGD) project being executed in Pammal and Anakaputhur by the Tambaram corporation. B. Saravanan, a resident of Lakshmi Nagar in Thiruneermalai, said the road is choked with heavy traffic during evening hours when heavy vehicles and buses transporting employees from the industrial units of Thirumudivakkam and Pammal line up at a stetch completely clogging both sides of the road, making it impossible for commuters to move ahead. The road is also the link road to several stone quarries in Kundrathur and home to a few temples attracting hundreds of devotees during weekends. S. Aravamudhan, a devotee who visits the Vaishnavite temple in Thiruneermalai, wanted the State Highways department to widen the road to ease the traffic congestion. A senior official of the Tambaram Corporation said the UGD work was in the final stages of completion and once it is completed the road would be paved by the State Highways department. Sources in the Highways Department said that the Tambaram corporation had taken up UGD work on the Thiruneermalai Road and of the 3 km length, they had completed around 1.5 km. 'Even as the work is progressing, they keep adding cuts in various places to add netwroks for houses and buildings. They have already deposited the amount meant for restoration of the road cuts. We will take up rectification as soon as they provide us with the completion certificate,' said an official.
Indian Express
15-05-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Uttarakhand: Pushkar Kumbh begins at Keshav Prayag after 12 yrs
The Pushkar Kumbh has begun at Keshav Prayag, located in the border village of Mana in Chamoli district, after 12 years. According to authorities, there has been a significant increase in the movement of pilgrims to both Badrinath Dham and Mana village. District Magistrate Sandeep Tiwari said the pedestrian route to Keshav Prayag in Mana village has been improved in view of the Pushkar Kumbh. Signboards in multiple languages have been installed for the convenience of devotees along the route. He said the tehsil administration has been instructed to conduct regular monitoring to ensure smooth management of the event. The Pushkar Kumbh is being organised in Mana, the border village of Chamoli district, after 12 years. According to religious tradition, when the planet Jupiter enters the Gemini sign once in 12 years, the Pushkar Kumbh is held at Keshav Prayag, the confluence of the Alaknanda and Saraswati rivers in Mana village. This event is primarily attended by devotees of the Vaishnavite tradition from South India.
Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Tamil Nadu ministers Senthil Balaji, K Ponmudy resign: What's behind the DMK shake-up?
In a reshuffle carried out amid legal scrutiny and political turbulence within the DMK, senior Tamil Nadu government ministers V Senthil Balaji and K Ponmudy resigned on Sunday, with Governor R N Ravi accepting their resignations after acting upon the recommendations of Chief Minister M K Stalin. The reshuffle, meant to project the DMK government's efforts to project stability amid mounting controversies and judicial scrutiny, had been anticipated following a week of speculation. It comes after the Supreme Court directed Balaji to choose between retaining his Cabinet post and safeguarding his bail in an ongoing money laundering case. Ponmudy, meanwhile, was under sustained fire from the Madras High Court and within the DMK as well as outside over derogatory remarks about religious symbols and women, a controversy that escalated into a political problem for the Stalin administration. Balaji returned to the Cabinet almost immediately after the Supreme Court released him on bail last September, following 15 months in prison in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam case during his tenure as Transport Minister in the previous AIADMK government. Balaji got back his old portfolios of Electricity and Excise after returning to the Cabinet. Though Balaji was credited as a key electoral strategist, especially in the DMK's 2022 urban local body sweep, his continued presence in the Cabinet became untenable after the top court's directive on April 24. The resignation of Ponmudy, the Forest Minister who was once considered to hold the sixth position in the Cabinet hierarchy, marks a major change. While his resignation was expected in party circles, Balaji's resignation couldn't have been avoided if his bail had to be continued. Top DMK sources said Balaji might now be tasked with strengthening the DMK's campaign machinery in the state's politically crucial western region ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, where the party has long faced stiff competition. 'Ponmudy's speech making derogatory references to Shaivite and Vaishnavite symbols was a huge embarrassment. He was immediately removed from the party deputy general secretary post and the leadership has decided to remove him from the Cabinet too. Balaji's resignation follows a strong warning from the SC to resign or face the possibility of having his bail revoked in the ongoing money laundering case and the 'cash-for-jobs scam',' said a senior DMK leader. In the interim reshuffle, Transport Minister S S Sivasankar has been assigned additional charge of Electricity, while Housing and Urban Development Minister S Muthusamy will handle Prohibition and Excise. Milk and Dairy Development Minister R S Rajakannappan has been redesignated as Minister for Forests and Khadi, a move widely seen as a strategic placement of a leader known for administrative competence. Adding a fresh face to the cabinet, former Minister T Mano Thangaraj will be sworn in on Monday at Raj Bhavan. He will take charge of the Milk and Dairy Development portfolio. The appointment of Thangaraj, from the northern region, is expected to help the DMK consolidate support in that area. The reshuffle also reflects the DMK's efforts to retain control of sensitive portfolios at a time when the state-run liquor retailer, TASMAC, is under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate. With Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu declining to take up the Electricity portfolio again, citing workload, the reallocation highlights the challenges facing the government as it navigates legal probes, public controversies, and the perennial balancing act of regional representation.
