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Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Governor's comment on language hatred harming Maha is correct, says CM Fadnavis
Kolhapur: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday agreed with Governor C P Radhakrishnan's statement about the language conflict likely being a deterrent for investors in Maharashtra. Speaking in Pandharpur on Wednesday, Fadnavis said: "Whatever the Governor has said is correct. Also, it is wrong to drag him into any political debate." On Tuesday, at a book launch event, the Governor addressed the language row, questioning whether he would miraculously learn to speak in Marathi if someone assaulted him. Recently, videos have emerged depicting the alleged assaults of non-Marathi speakers by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena and Shiv Sena (UBT) workers for not using the local language. Reacting to the videos, Radhakrishnan said: "If we spread this kind of hatred, then which investor will come here? No investor will come, no industry will come. In the long run, this will harm Maharashtra." Recounting his own experience, the Governor had said that when he was an MP in Tamil Nadu, he saw a group beating up another because they were not speaking in Tamil. "I am unable to understand Hindi, and it is an obstacle for me. We must learn maximum languages, and we must also be proud of our mother tongue," he said. Reacting to the Governor's comments, Shiv Sena (UBT) MLA Aaditya Thackeray said there no linguistic hatred in the state and there was no need to make political comments. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Last days to apply - USA Green Card Lottery americ24 Undo Fadnavis was in Pandharpur on Wednesday to attend the 675th Sanjeevan Samadhi event of Sant Namdeo and other saints. He declined to make any political statement while on the premises of Pandharpur's Vitthal-Rukhmini temple. The Pandharpur Bachao Kruti Samiti, a forum of residents and traders in the temple town, placed posters around the temple urging the CM not to proceed with the temple corridor development plan costing Rs 2,000 crore. The plan necessitates the eviction of residents and traders from 600 establishments adjacent to the temple. Fadnavis said, "We don't intend to do 'Vikas by Vinash (progress by destruction)'. Crores of people visiting the temple town face inconvenience and, therefore, we are preparing the corridor development plan. I will speak to the people who will be affected, and I can guarantee they will get good compensation in return for their support to develop the temple premises." Fadnavis also unveiled virtual reality goggles to be provided to devotees, allowing them to view the live darshan of Lord Vitthal and Rukhmini. Devotees will experience the feeling of standing inside the sanctum sanctorum of the temple during the puja of Lord Vitthal. Similar virtual reality darshan initiatives have been launched in Kashi and Ujjain too, officials said. BOX Pawar, Thackeray ideological opponents, not enemies: Fadnavis Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray recently praised Fadnavis in their write-up published in a book on the chief minister. When asked whether the praises indicated a potential political alignment, Fadnavis said, "In Maharashtra, we are ideological opponents, not enemies. If someone expresses good feelings about someone on his birthday, then there is no need to draw any other conclusion. If we draw wrong conclusions from this, then people may think we support the wrong culture. On my birthday, some people brought out a book and sought reactions from Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray, which they gave. Both are tall political leaders. Drawing political conclusions out of their good wishes would be very narrow-minded." (With PTI inputs)
Time of India
08-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Over 27L warkaris visit Pandharpur for Ashadi Ekadashi
Kolhapur: Over 27 lakh devotees turned up in Pandharpur for Ashadi Ekadashi, a centuries-old pilgrimage, since Sunday, showed an analysis conducted by extrapolating the number of devotees per minute, observed via drone footage, across different time phases. The Solapur district administration deployed six AI-powered cameras mounted on drones to estimate the crowd size in Pandharpur. The drones, equipped with night vision and heat meters, flew in shifts from 4am to midnight, covering several kilometers and staying aloft for 15-30 minutes at a time. Based on the footage, the administration estimated that about 27.40 lakh devotees visited the town. Solapur collector Kumar Ashirwad said explained the preparations for the wari and said: "We studied the pattern in the last wari. We got hanger-type pandals at two places where the warkaris could comfortably wait for their turn for darshan. The hanger pandals helped us reduce the darshan time significantly. We also used heat-sensor cameras to ensure the crowded areas were controlled to the limits. Last time, we had nearly 22 lakh warkaris in the town, and since there was a good amount of rain and the farmers were done with their sowing and other agricultural operations, we expected a record turnout and accordingly the plan was made. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Искате да научите повече за новото BMW 2 Gran Coupe? BMW Научете повече Undo " The highest per-minute crowd of over 4,000 people was recorded along Chandrabhaga (Bhima passing through the town) river in the afternoon. During noon to 4pm, nearly 15 lakh people showed up. "Drone operations were disrupted because of strong winds and gusts, but the collected data was still analysed to estimate the turnout. The darshan process began at 4am, following the two-hour Mahapuja ceremony, and continued till midnight. Notably, even after Ashadi Ekadashi, hundreds of thousands of devotees visited the temple to pay their respects to Vitthal and Rukhmini on Monday and Tuesday," a district official said. The collector also received praise from chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for ensuring the safety of the warkaris using advanced technology.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Prahar Wasudeoleela School holds vibrant Ashadhi Ekadashi celebrations
1 2 3 4 5 Nagpur: Prahar Wasudeoleela Military School, marked the auspicious occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi with a vibrant and spiritually enriching celebration that blended devotion, discipline, and cultural heritage. The event commenced with a traditional Bharat Mata puja. The school organised devotional activities including bhajans and abhangas dedicated to Lord Vitthal, creating an atmosphere of spiritual reverence. These performances highlighted the students' musical talents and deepened their understanding of Maharashtra's rich devotional traditions. The celebration also featured a speech by Flt Lt Shiwalee Deshpande (retd), emphasising the significance of Ashadhi Ekadashi and the teachings of the Warkari movement. These talks aimed to educate students about the cultural and spiritual importance of the festival, fostering a sense of respect and appreciation for their heritage. The event concluded with a traditional 'Dindi', where students dressed in colorful traditional attire enthusiastically chanted 'Jai Hari Vitthal Jai Jai Vitthal' as they marched through the campus. This procession aimed to instill values of unity, devotion, and cultural pride among the Praharis. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Principal Sheetal Bageshwar expressed pride in the students' enthusiastic participation, stating, "Celebrating Ashadhi Ekadashi at our school is not just about honouring a tradition; it's about nurturing the spiritual and cultural growth of our students."
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Maharashtra deputy CM Eknath Shinde prays at Birla temple on Ashadhi Ekadashi; joins Gyan Dindi, students take part in Vitthal procession
On Ashadhi Ekadashi, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde offered prayers at the Birla Temple in Ulhasnagar KALYAN: On the occasion of Ashadhi Ekadashi, deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde offered prayers to Vitthal-Rakhumai at the renowned Birla Temple in the Shahad area of Ulhasnagar. In the presence of thousands of Warkaris from various parts of the state, referred to as 'Pratipandharpur', the deputy CM bowed at the feet of Vitthuraya. Earlier, he took part in the Gyan Dindi organised by B.K. Birla College and B.K. Birla School, where he joined the Warkaris in chanting Haripath and interacted with devotees. 'Heartiest wishes to all Warkaris on Ashadhi Ekadashi. I have recently visited Pandharpur. Since VIP darshan has been stopped there, now all the general Warkaris are getting darshan in just five hours. Everyone is happy, I have also stood in the queue and had darshan. All our party workers are following the rules. Pandharpur Temple Committee and Maharashtra Government have decided that VIP means Warkari, so every Warkari will get respect and priority. I pray at the feet of Pandurang that the people of Maharashtra enjoy happiness, prosperity and contentment in their lives,' said Shinde. Thousands of students from Birla School and College participated in traditional attire and were immersed in the name of Vitthal, dancing and singing to the rhythm of taal, mridung, and dholki. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Is Where Dealers Buy Cheap Cars vividtrendlab Undo The Dindi procession travelled from Birla College to the Vitthal Temple in Shahad. The Century Rayon family took the initiative for the event, as chants of 'Gyanoba-Tukaram, Vitthal Vitthal' echoed along the route. The procession was not just a display of religious devotion but also stood out for its discipline, cultural expression, and mass participation. The display of Vitthal devotion by the students left a deep impression on all those present.
Time of India
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
CM performs Mahapuja with warkari couple at Pandharpur temple on Ashadhi Ekadashi
Kohapur: Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and his wife, Amruta, along with Kailas Damu Ugle and his wife, Kalpana, a warkari couple from Jategaon in Nashik district, performed the Mahapuja of Lord Vitthal and Rukhmini at the Pandharpur temple on Ashadhi Ekadashi early on Sunday. According to a longstanding tradition, a selected warkari couple is given the opportunity to receive darshan and perform Mahapuja rituals alongside the chief minister on Ashadhi Ekadashi. This year, the Ugles were chosen. The warkari couple received a free state transport pass for a year from Fadnavis. More than 20 lakh warkaris, a pilgrim sect, had reached the temple town for Ashadi Ekadashi. After the Mahapuja, Fadnavis said he prayed for the welfare of farmers. When questioned about reports of left-wing extremists infiltrating the annual wari (pilgrimage), Fadnavis said participating in the wari with a wrong agenda is inappropriate. "I prayed to Lord Vitthal to help farmers achieve a bountiful yield and ensure their welfare. Also, I sought strength and righteousness to work for the development of the state," the CM said. "People participate in the wari with only one thought in mind, which is to meet Vitthal and get his darshan. If someone participates with a wrong agenda, it is wrong," he added. Fadnavis was responding to allegations by a Mahayuti MLC that left extremist-minded people and atheists have infiltrated the wari. Recently, a right-wing group demanded the cessation of the "sarkarikaran" of temples. Fadnavis said the existing law for temple management cannot be called "sarkarikaran". Regarding opposition to the Pandharpur temple corridor plan, the CM said, "The administration has extensively held talks with local shop operators and residents of Pandharpur town. In no way will the plan be taken forward without consultation with the locals. Nobody's livelihood will be destroyed." Fadnavis commended the administration's efforts to reduce darshan time by five hours and ensure a nirmal wari by thoroughly cleaning the town. Typically, it takes approximately 12-16 hours for warkaris to receive darshan. This time, the administration employed AI-enabled cameras to monitor turnout and anticipated more than 23 lakh attendees during Ashadhi Ekadashi and the following day.
