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The Mainichi
3 days ago
- Climate
- The Mainichi
Japan's scorching summer heat forcing fireworks, other festivals to change schedules
TOKYO -- The extreme summer heat that has struck Japan in recent years due climate change is altering the landscape of annual fireworks and other festivals in the country, forcing the summer events to be moved to spring or autumn. Even so, there are cases where it has been difficult to reschedule the festivals due to their traditional nature. Farewell to fireworks viewing in 'yukata' summer kimonos? The Adachi Fireworks Festival, an annual summer tradition in Tokyo's Adachi Ward with a history of roughly 100 years, is set to be held May 31 this year instead of late July as had been the norm. Last summer, the festival had to be canceled shortly before its start due to an abrupt thunderstorm. By moving the festival forward this year, organizers hope to avoid the risk of cancellation due to bad weather, but "the extreme heat is more serious than just that," points out Adachi Ward Mayor Yayoi Kondo on the ward's official website. Last year, the temperature on the day of the fireworks festival had already climbed to 30 degrees Celsius by 7 a.m., and shortly after 10 a.m. it had surged above 35 C. A security guard was taken to a hospital due to heatstroke and many visitors also complained of feeling ill. As the main venue is located on the riverbed, there were few spots for sheltering from the scorching sun during preparations, taking an unusually serious toll on pyrotechnicians and city employees who were there from early in the day. While Mayor Kondo acknowledged, "Some people want to see the fireworks festival held in summer, calling it a summer tradition," she sought understanding for moving up the event schedule, saying, "The summer lately has significantly changed from what we knew as 'Japanese summer,' where people clad in 'yukata' summer kimonos admired fireworks while cooling themselves with 'uchiwa' paper fans." A representative of the Adachi Tourism Exchange Association said of the schedule change, "We're receiving positive feedback this year, such as 'I can bring my young child'" to the festival. 'Passing down tradition ...' Japan's local regions are also changing the schedules of their traditional events. Toride Jinja shrine's Kujirabune event in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture -- an event appearing on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list as one of the "Yama, Hoko, Yatai, float festivals in Japan" -- will be pushed back from Aug. 14 and 15 to Sept. 27 and 28 this year. In the festival, which dates back to the Edo period (1603-1867), people drag around floats shaped like ships to imitate whaling. Of the nearly 100 participants including staff, almost half are aged 60 or older due to the aging of the community, while elementary school students take on the role of harpooners aboard the floats. While organizers have taken every step possible to beat the heat, such as borrowing mist sprayers from the municipal government, they decided to change the date this year as "it would be too late if any emergency occurred." As the schedule change means the festival will no longer coincide with the Bon holiday season in August, the event this year will be held as part of dedication rites of the annual Gani festival that has traditionally been held at the shrine on Sept. 23. Masahiko Kato, 70, chairperson of the Tomida Kujirabune preservation society association, coordinated with locals and the Agency for Cultural Affairs regarding the date change, and strove to publicize it and secure enough personnel, calling it "a change to pass down the tradition." Event schedules changing across Japan In the Tohoku region in Japan's northeast, organizers of the Soma Nomaoi festival in the Soma region of Fukushima Prefecture, featuring costumed warriors on horseback, have since last year moved up the event from July to May to prioritize the safety of horses and people taking part, after a horse died of sunstroke during the festival in July 2023. Summer festivals in southwest Japan's Kyushu region have also seen a spate of scheduling changes this year. The Wasshoi Hyakuman Natsu Matsuri festival in Kitakyushu is being pushed back from August to September, while the Saga Castle Town Sakae no Kuni festival in the city of Saga, originally held in August, is now due to take place from May 31 to June 1. Difficult to change some festivals However, traditional seasonal celebrations like the "Tanabata" star festival, which normally takes place around July 7, are difficult to reschedule, as their significance would be lost. The Shonan Hiratsuka Tanabata Festival, featuring nearly 10-meter-tall decorations adorning the shopping streets in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, used to attract some 1.5 million visitors until 2019, but the number declined to roughly 1.1 million both in 2023 and 2024, with observers attributing it to the scorching summer heat. It is said that some children from day care centers and kindergartens forgo participating in the daytime parades while elderly people also refrain from watching the parades. "As it is a seasonal festival, we are not considering changing the schedule," said an official at the Hiratsuka Municipal Government's commerce and tourism division, adding that the city will install misting fans as a countermeasure against the summer heat. (Japanese original by Shuji Ozaki, Digital News Group)
The Hindu
23-05-2025
- The Hindu
Saraswati Pushkaralu in Kaleshwaram: when rivers meet and faith overflows
Before dawn breaks, they come wrapped in devotion, barefoot and breathless, guided not by GPS but by something far older: faith. Men with ash-smeared foreheads, women balancing brass vessels and children yawning as the air thickens with summer haze. Some arrive in SUVs, others in bullock carts, tracing old forest paths. At the heart of it lies Kaleshwaram, a temple town not merely mapped on earth, but etched in spiritual memory. Here, in this corner of Telangana where the State kisses the borders of Maharashtra, the invisible Saraswati meets the mighty Godavari and the Pranahita in a sacred embrace called Triveni Sangamam. And once in 12 years, that embrace becomes a cosmic event called Saraswati Pushkaralu, drawing pilgrims in throngs who come with an age-old belief that bathing here will cleanse their past sins and lead them closer to spiritual liberation. Nonagenarian Susheelamma, born and raised in Kaleshwaram of Jayashankar-Bhupalpally district, has witnessed this moment more times than she can count. Quoting ancient texts from memory, she speaks of the region as a Shaiva Kshetram, a sacred space of Shiva, blessed by the unseen Saraswati flowing underground. 'It is the divine will of Lord Shiva. To be born here and be able to take holy baths at Triveni again and again is my greatest blessing,' she says, eyes closed in reverence. Saraswati is no ordinary river. Unlike the mighty Godavari that thunders visibly or the expansive Pranahita that cuts through plains, Saraswati flows unseen, beneath the surface — an Antarvahini, or subterranean stream. And yet, to the devotees, her power is palpable. Just 268 km from State capital Hyderabad, Kaleshwaram may feel remote, but during Pushkaralu, it becomes the beating heart of a much larger spiritual geography. In Kaleshwaram, located about 268 km from State capital Hyderabad, ritual meets river, and myth seeps into every stone. This is the only place in South India where three rivers converge, and thus, three Pushkaralu — Godavari, Pranahita and Saraswati — are observed here in their respective cycles. For the faithful, a dip in the Triveni Sangamam is not symbolic; it is transformational. As pilgrims gather in droves for the 12-day Saraswati Pushkaralu, which began on May 15, the banks of the Sangamam have been transformed. From the air, courtesy of helicopter joyrides, the confluence looks like a sacred mandala — rings of water, rings of people, and in the centre, a yearning for moksha (salvation). The last Godavari Pushkaralu took place in 2015 and the Pranahita Pushkaralu in 2022. Twin lingas of liberation Kaleshwaram's temple complex, crowned by the Sri Kaleshwara Mukteshwara Swamy shrine, is a marvel in itself. Here, two Shivalingas — Lord Kaleshwara (Yama) and Lord Mukteshwara (Shiva) — sit on a single pedestal, a pairing rare in the annals of Hindu temple architecture. According to legend, Lord Yama performed severe penance here at the Yama Kona (a mini arch-like structure on the temple premises) to earn the grace of Shiva, and in turn, was granted a place beside him. Locals believe that those who worship the Kaleshwara lingam are freed from the torments of Yamaloka, while those who worship Mukteshwara are granted spiritual liberation. At the Kaleshwaram temple, two powerful rituals — Kalasarpadosha Nivarajana Puja and Navagraha Puja — draw the devout in hordes. For many, these are not just ceremonies, but spiritual interventions to untangle karmic knots and appease planetary forces believed to influence human destiny. The Mukteshwara Swamy lingam has a striking feature — two nostrils. No matter how much water is poured during abhishekam, not a single drop overflows. Instead, it disappears underground, believed to be the emergence point of the Saraswati river, which later merges with the other two at the Triveni Sangamam. There are also shrines dedicated to Goddess Saraswati Devi and Shubhananda Devi (Goddess Parvati), Sangameshwara, and Dattatreya within the temple complex. The temple's origins are attributed to Gangadhar, a minister of Kakatiya king Rudradeva, according to a 1171 CE inscription found at Nagunur. Until the late 1970s, bullock carts were the only way to reach Kaleshwaram. The dense forests of Mahadevpur mandal, once a hotspot of Naxalite activity, kept it secluded and sacred. The arrival of bus services in 1976 and road projects in the 1980s, spearheaded by former Karimnagar MP J. Chokka Rao, opened the gates of this Shaiva kshetram to the larger world. Former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao served on the temple renovation committee during his tenure as an MLA from Manthani. Along with him, leaders like late Speaker and three-time MLA from Manthani constituency D. Sripada Rao played key roles in shaping the town's growth without stripping away its soul. Today, National Highway 353C cuts through the region, bringing pilgrims from across Telangana, Maharashtra's Gadchiroli and Chandrapur, and Bijapur and Jagdalpur in neighbouring Chhattisgarh. Yet, even amid the trucks and tour buses, one can still find farmers from nearby villages arriving in bullock carts, honouring tradition. Faith, infrastructure and aspirations As the Pushkaralu enters its final stretch, the temple town is seeing a surge in pilgrim numbers. The district administration had ramped up efforts — doubling personnel, improving signage and deploying traffic monitors along the 17-kilometre stretch between Mahadevpur and Kaleshwaram. The aim is clear: a smooth, hassle-free passage to the sacred Triveni Sangamam, where every minute counts before the cosmic clock resets. IT and Industries Minister D. Sridhar Babu, who represents Manthani assembly constituency, earned praise from Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for his efforts in organising the mega event. The State has allocated ₹40 crore for the festival and promised an additional ₹200 crore to develop Kaleshwaram into a major spiritual tourism hub ahead of the 2027 Godavari Pushkaralu. A 17-foot statue of Saraswati, carved from a single stone by Tamil Nadu artisans, now stands at the newly developed Saraswati ghat, lending grandeur to the bathing ghats where pilgrims take their ritual dips. A 100-room choultry was also inaugurated ahead of the festival to host pilgrims. With over 3,500 police personnel deployed for the once-in-12 years fete and nearly 200 CCTV cameras and drones in place, security is tight, particularly because the region lies close to what were once Maoist-affected zones across the Telangana-Maharashtra border. The National Disaster Response Force and Singareni Collieries' rescue teams are also on standby, says a police official on bandobust duty. A helicopter joyride over Kaleshwaram is fast becoming a crowd-puller, offering a bird's eye view of the temple complex, the lush landscape and the riverine confluence that holds generations of faith. Religion, ritual and beyond The spiritual fervour is matched by cultural celebration. Every evening, Saraswati ghat comes alive with music, dance and devotional performances, showcasing Telangana's rich heritage. Pilgrims line up for the Maha Harathi, reminiscent of Varanasi's famed Ganga aarti. 'I would like to visit Kaleshwaram again with my family members on May 26, the final day of the festival, just to witness the Maha Harathi and also attend the Sri Chandi Homam at Kaleshwaram temple,' says a pilgrim from Karimnagar. But beyond the ritual and crowd control lies something deeply transformative. As pilgrims swirl around the ghats, Raj Kamal Reddy, a geologist from Karimnagar, urges a different kind of reflection. 'This is not just about a holy bath or religion. Our rivers are dying. Festivals like these must also serve to remind us of our duty — to protect the rivers that sustain us, to honour their self-purifying power, and to let them flow freely for generations to come.' Tourism enthusiasts like Radhakrishna from Mancherial echo the sentiment, suggesting eco-tourism circuits linking Wadadham Fossil Park in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district about 27 km from Kaleshwaram with Ramappa Temple and Laknavaram Island in neighbouring Mulugu district, turning Kaleshwaram into both a spiritual and ecological beacon. 'There is still a long way to go in terms of basic pilgrim facilities,' says Sampath, a devotee from Bhupalpally. 'But what Kaleshwaram lacks in infrastructure, it makes up for in spirit.' In Kaleshwaram, time bends. Ancient chants echo into modern megaphones. And between river and ritual, the faithful find something timeless. Here, where the visible and the invisible flow as one, belief isn't just practiced, it is lived. Perhaps, that is why devotees like Susheelamma return again and again, to bathe in the holy waters, to seek moksha and to touch, however briefly, something divine.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
A temple with thousands of rats — inside Rajasthan's strangest shrine
Imagine walking barefoot into a temple, only to find thousands of rats, not scurrying away, but lounging, nibbling, and being revered. Welcome to Karni Mata Temple in Deshnoke, Rajasthan — affectionately known as The Rat Temple — a place where these furry little beings aren't pests but sacred souls. Trust me when I say that this Mata Mandir in Deshnoke, Rajasthan, has over 20,000 rats. Yes, it is a fact that this temple is renowned for its rat population, and they are considered sacred and are believed to be reincarnations of Karni Mata's family. It's a marvel, a dedicated temple for Karni Mata where the line between sacred and earthly vanishes. A divine encounter with rats The factor that makes Karni Mata Mandir stand apart from other temples throughout India is that it treats rats with special veneration. The temple is home to thousands of black rats that are revered and considered sacred by pilgrims. It is said in local legend that Karni Mata's son drowned in the Kapil Sar river, and in despair, she prayed to Yama, the god of death, to revive him. Yama, touched by her devotion, consented to reincarnate her son and all her devotees as rats so that they would not die. The temple rats, known as "Kabbas," are said to be the reincarnations of these devotees and the relatives of Karni Mata. Devotees in India and overseas come to the temple, praying and offering food to the rats. Their sighting, scurrying around freely on the marble floors of the temple and even on the offerings themselves, is a positive omen. The sighting of these sacred rats is a sign of the grace of the gods and prosperity, and people typically believe that to see one white rat among the black is a very auspicious sign. The architectural beauty Although renowned for its eccentric inhabitants, Karni Mata Mandir is also popular due to its ornate architecture. The temple, which was first constructed in the 14th century by Maharaja Ganga Singh of Bikaner, features exquisite carvings and silver doors. The temple's main structure is covered with delicately carved marble stonework and refined motifs, capped by a high spire pointing towards the heavens. The temple also has a stunning silver gate and pictures of Karni Mata and her family. Within the temple compound, the devotees tend to place sweet dishes such as kheer (rice pudding) as an offering to the rats in a gesture of respect. The ritual is based on a belief that the rats, which are holy animals, serve as intermediaries between the devotees and Karni Mata, taking their prayers to the goddess. How to reach Karni Mata Mandir? Even though it is an extremely spiritual affair to go to Karni Mata Mandir, it is also an opportunity to see a tremendous cultural tradition. The temple is open throughout the year, but the most prominent celebrations are in the Navratri festival, when the temple becomes a center of worship and celebrations. Deshnok village is road-accessible, and the nearest big city is Bikaner. Pilgrims have facilities at the temple in the form of a rest house and local shops for religious paraphernalia and offerings. The holy rats, although a rare sight, speak volumes about the spiritual importance of the temple where man and animal live together in harmony to serve the divine. Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
