Latest news with #Vaishnavites
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Time of India
Devotees gather in Mana as Pushkar Kumbh returns after 12 years
1 2 3 4 5 Dehradun: The 12-year Pushkar Kumbh began with rituals at Keshav Prayag, drawing thousands of pilgrims to Mana village near the India-China border in Chamoli on Thursday. The event, rooted in religious tradition, is held when Jupiter enters the Gemini sign and takes place at the confluence of the Alaknanda and Saraswati rivers. The festival will be observed until May 26. Primarily attended by Vaishnavites from southern India, the festival is believed to purify the soul and grant moksha. Devotees gathered at the site to bathe and offer prayers, with many citing its spiritual link to Maharishi Ved Vyas, who composed the Mahabharata while meditating at Keshav Prayag. It is also believed that South Indian scholars Ramanujacharya and Madhvacharya received divine knowledge from Goddess Saraswati at this location. The influx of pilgrims increased significantly in both Mana and nearby Badrinath. Authorities made detailed arrangements to ensure safety and smooth conduct. Unlike the larger Kumbh Melas in Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain, the Pushkar Kumbh in Mana is a more intimate affair, attracting a devoted group of pilgrims, particularly from the South. Mana, located near Badrinath Dham, is also considered the point where the Saraswati river emerges from underground and the path where the Pandavas are believed to have passed on their final journey to heaven. Chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "Pilgrimage sites are not only centres of our religious faith but also symbols of the country's unity and cultural solidarity. Pilgrims from various places gather at these sites to embody the spirit of 'One India, Great India.' In this context, the Pushkar Kumbh held in Mana village is connecting the North with the South." Chamoli district magistrate Sandeep Tiwari said the pedestrian path to Keshav Prayag had been improved for the occasion. "Signboards in various languages have been installed for the convenience of pilgrims. Additionally, police have been deployed along the pedestrian path, and SDRF personnel are stationed at the confluence site," he said. He added that the tehsil administration had been directed to monitor the arrangements regularly to ensure the event proceeds smoothly.
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Vadakalai, Thenkalai sects face off again during Brahmotsavam of Sri Varadharaja Perumal temple
Tempers flared between the Vadakalai and Thenkalai sects of Vaishnavites at the annual Brahmotsavam of the Sri Varadharaja Perumal temple, one of the 108 Divya Desams, in Kancheepuram on Monday. A source in the Vadakalai sect said devotees belonging to the Thenkalai sect chanted verses from Divya Prabandam even as representatives of the Thathachariars, who belong to the Vadakalai sect, performed Mantra Pushpam to the utsava idol of Sri Varadharaja Perumal at Gangai Kondaan Mandapam. During the Brahmotsavam, the idol is brought in a procession to the Gangai Kondaan Mandapam twice daily during which the Thathachariars perform Mantra Pushpam, a ritual of offering tulsi and flowers to the deity, along with chants in Sanskrit. 'It is the right of the Thathachariars to offer Mantra Pushpam while chanting verses from various texts, including the Vedas, the Puranas, and the Stotrapadam, during all pujas conducted daily. The Thenkalaiyars are trying to prevent them from doing so. They began this on day one of the Brahmotsavam. I wonder how eight more days of the festival will be conducted,' said a representative of the Vadakalai sect. A representative of the Thenkalai sect said the Thathachariars have the right to offer Mantra Pushpam only at the Moolasthanam (the sanctum sanctorum) and, that too, on court orders. 'When they chant, they can chant only verses from the Vedas and not from other texts. Also, there is no official order permitting them to chant at the Mandapam. If they are allowed, so can we. If they stop chanting at the Mandapam, the festival will be conducted in a smooth manner,' he said. Official sources in the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, under whose control the temple is, said they held separate meetings with both groups and secured a promise that they would ensure that the festival went on without any disturbance. 'We will ensure that the Brahmotsavam is conducted without any issue,' said an official.
Time of India
11-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Minister inaugurates granite flooring work at Suchindram temple
Madurai: Hindu Religion and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) minister P K Sekar Babu inaugurated granite flooring work at the renowned Thanumalai Swamy temple at Suchindram in Kanyakumari district on Sunday. The state govt has set aside Rs 1.29 crore to lay granite flooring and conduct minor maintenance works on the temple premises. Addressing reporters, Sekar Babu said the HR&CE department has taken up work to lay tiles in the temple hall at Rs 58 lakh. Through sponsors, it also began renovation work in the temple tower for Rs 14 lakh. The temple's rock structure is being washed, and Rs 45 lakh has allotted for maintenance work, he temple is one of the oldest temples in the region, dating back more than 1,000 years. The temple is important for both Shaivites and Vaishnavites. The temple premises cover more than two acres, with two entrances. The minister was accompanied by HR & CE commissioner P N Sridhar and Kanyakumari collector R Alagumeena. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Mother's Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
The Hindu
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
No representation for Villupuram in T.N. Cabinet following Ponmudy's resignation
With the resignation of Minister for Forests and Khadi K. Ponmudy, Villupuram district will now be deprived of ministerial representation in the State Cabinet. Mr. Ponmudy was the lone ministerial representative from Tirukkoyilur Assembly constituency in the district. The other Minister, Gingee K.S. Masthan, who was elected from Gingee and held the posts of Minorities Welfare and Non-Resident Tamils Welfare, was dropped from the Cabinet in the reshuffle held on September 29, 2024. Mr. Masthan lost his Ministership reportedly due to 'inefficiency'. In the 2021 election, the DMK won four out of the seven Assembly constituencies in the district, while two went to the AIADMK and one to the PMK. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin rewarded the voters by including Mr. Ponmudy and Mr. Masthan in the Cabinet. But four years later, both of them are out of the Cabinet and no local representatives have been chosen to replace them. There were expectations from several corners that any one of the three sitting DMK MLAs would be inducted into the Cabinet. Although it was expected that Villupuram MLA R. Lakshmanan would be the successor of Mr. Ponmudy, it did not materialise, and ultimately, the district ended up without any representation in the Cabinet. Though Mr. Ponmudy has made news in the past for his flippant statements and abusive language on public platforms, his recent derogatory speech against Saivities, Vaishnavites and women was the last straw. According to a DMK functionary in Villupuram, 'Though the party cadre are disappointed over lack of Ministerial representation, the Chief Minister's decision is final. The changes will not hamper ongoing developmental works in the district.' With no representation in the Cabinet, Villupuram is expected to get district-in charge Ministers from other districts, like Kallakurichi, which too did not get representation in the Cabinet.
The Hindu
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Two Tamil Nadu Ministers quit on strong court remarks
Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K. Ponmudy and Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Minister V. Senthilbalaji resigned on Sunday (April 27, 2025) night after courts made strong remarks against them. This is the second time Mr. Senthilbalaji stepped down as a Minister, as the Supreme Court made it clear that he had to make a choice between his ministerial post and freedom. He continued as a Minister without portfolio after his arrest in June 2023 by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case, but resigned from the Cabinet on February 12, 2024. He was reinstated after the Supreme Court granted him bail in the case on September 26, 2024. A Supreme Court Bench took objection to Mr. Senthilbalaji's induction into the Cabinet, and Justices A.S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan on April 23 said that his continuation as a Minister placed him in a position of influence with regard to witnesses, and he could derail the trial. Justice Oka remarked that the Bench would even record in its order that it had been a 'mistake' to grant him bail and observed that he had been given bail not on the merits of the case but because the court stood up for the fundamental right to personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. For Mr. Ponmudy, the Madras High Court directed its Registry to take up a suo motu writ petition for a derogatory speech by him against Saivites, Vaishnavites and women in general. Justice N. Anand Venkatesh issued the direction after observing that the Minister had prima facie misused the liberty granted to him by the Supreme Court which had stayed his conviction as well as sentence in a corruption case. Following this, the first Bench of the Madras High Court granted time till June 5 for the Tamil Nadu government as well as Mr. Ponmudy, in his individual capacity, to respond to a public interest litigation petition filed by an advocate to disqualify the Minister from holding any constitutional post due to his recent derogatory speech. A Raj Bhavan release said Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has recommended Governor R.N. Ravi to accept their resignation. The Chief Minister also recommended the induction of former Minister Mano Thangaraj into the Cabinet. The swearing-in will be held on April 28. The Hindu's Editorials The Hindu's Daily Quiz Rana Sangha was the king of which Rajput clan? Bhati Mewar Kachwaha Rathore To know the answer and to play the full quiz, click here.
