Kolkata’s super football team Mohun Bagan is again on top of the world, at least in India. Recently, ATK Mohun Bagan won the 2022-23 Indian Super League, defeating Bengaluru FC on penalties (4-3), after the game ended 2-2 after extra time. Bruno Ramires and Pablo Perez missed the decisive penalties for BFC, with Dimi Petratos, Sunil Chhetri and Roy Krishna finding the net in normal time.

This is the first ISL title for the ATK Mohun Bagan in their new guise, with ATK and Atletico de Kolkata winning three titles together. Sanjiv Goenka also announced that the club would be known as Mohun Bagan Super Giants going forward.

Bengaluru FC’s final started off with an ill-omen as Sivasakthi Narayanan went off injured, replaced by Sunil Chhetri in the fourth minute. As both teams adjusted to the change in personnel, there were a couple of half-chances made at either end.

Simon Grayson’s night went from bad to worse after Roy Krishna handled in the box while challenging Ashique Kuruniyan for a header, with the referee pointing to the spot. Dimi Petratos stepped up, and despite Gurpreet Singh Sandhu diving the right way, the penalty was struck too well, giving ATK Mohun Bagan the lead in the 14th minute.

In extra time, Udanta Singh and Rohit failed to hit the target with their respective chances, while Manvir missed from a few yards out for ATKMB. Towards the end of extra time, Sandhu spilt Petratos’ long-range strike, but it bounced out for a corner that led to nothing before the game headed into penalties.

In the nervy penalty shoot-out, Golden Glove winner Kaith stepped up for his team for the second game in a row, while no one missed from the spot in a game dictated by penalties throughout. As the winners, ATKMB took home prize money of Rs 6 crore, while runners-up Bengaluru FC were awarded Rs 2.5 crore.

Final score: ATK Mohun Bagan 2 (Petratos 14’-p, 85’-p) Bengaluru FC 2 (Chhetri 45+5’-p, Krishna 78’).

The post ATK Mohun Bagan snaps up ISL crown appeared first on Views On News.

The party’s national executive will be held in Kolkata after a gap of 11 years. Samajwadi Party founder, the late Mulayam Singh Yadav had flown down to the city to chair the previous meeting in the eastern metropolis.

“Our party president Akhilesh Yadavji will come to Kolkata on March 17 and address workers who meet here. From March 18, our two-day national executive will be held. We will discuss the party’s strategies for the upcoming elections later this year in Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, and then the Lok Sabha polls in 2024,” Nanda, the party’s national vice-president said.

When asked about any possibility of a meeting between Akhilesh and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he said nothing has been fixed yet. “As of now, nothing has been fixed. If she is in town, then obviously, both the leaders will meet,” he said.

Indian Navy gets first-ever privately made Indian anti-sub rocket

In what is being seen as a major success for the “Make in India” initiative in the defence sector, the Indian Navy has received a fully indigenised fuse for an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) underwater rocket, manufactured for the first time by a private Indian industry.

“In order to provide a major boost to Aatmanirbharta in armament and ammunition, the Indian Navy received for the first time a fully indigenised fuse YDB-60 for underwater anti-submarine warfare (ASW) rocket RGB-60 used from major warships, through a private manufacturer, Economic Explosives Limited (EEL), Nagpur,” Indian Navy has said in a statement.

It is a rocket used to hit submarines. It is 212 mm in diameter and 1830 mm in length. The range of RGB-60 is 300m to 5,500m. It operates with a two-stage motor. It is charged with Torpex. Torpex is a mixture of RDX, aluminium, and TNT. Torpex is mainly used in underwater firings.

ISRO successfully tests cryogenic engine of its rocket for the moon mission

The Indian space agency has successfully conducted a hot test of its CE-20 Cryogenic Engine for the soon-to-be third mission to Moon, Chandrayaan-3. The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is in the midst of carrying out some of the most crucial tests for the upcoming lunar mission.  

It is designed by the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, in collaboration with Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, ISRO Propulsion Complex and Satish Dhawan Space Centre. The tanks can carry over 27,000 kg of fuel and fire for at least 720 seconds. 

Cryogenic engines are highly efficient rocket propulsion systems and suitable for the upper stages of a rocket since they have a higher specific impulse (a measure of the efficiency or thrust) which enhances its payload capacity. 

Major components of a cryogenic rocket engine include an igniter, combustion chamber (thrust chamber), fuel cryo pumps, fuel injector, oxidiser cryo pumps, gas turbine, cryo valves, regulators, fuel tanks and a rocket engine nozzle.

India is one of the only six countries including the US, France (European Space Agency), Russia, China, and Japan which have developed their own cryogenic engines. However, the Indian journey to become a part of this exclusive group was marked by global politics and decades of hard work spearheaded by ISRO. 

In the early 1990s, the erstwhile Soviet Union Space Agency had agreed to transfer the cryogenic technology held by the five aforementioned countries except for India. But the US, Japan, Europe and China were against it. It was seen as an aspect of Cold War politics prevalent at the time.

Mukesh Ambani to relaunch iconic 1970s Indian Coca-Cola rival Campa Cola

Asia’s richest man Mukesh Ambani, has announced plans to relaunch an iconic 1970s soft drink brand that once rivalled Coca-Cola and Pepsi, prompting a wave of nostalgia on social media among the millions of Indians who grew up drinking the beverage.

Ambani’s Reliance Group said it would reintroduce Campa Cola to India’s multibillion-dollar non-alcoholic drinks market this summer in three flavours: cola, lemon, and orange.

The brand filled a void in the south Asian country at a time when its more famous American rival Coca-Cola was not available. The news of its return has prompted a flurry of interest from middle-aged Indians who remember drinking it in their youth.

Shailesh Desai, 60, from Mumbai, told CNN he remembered how drinking Campa Cola “would drown the apprehension” when he needed to tell his father about a bad grade on his report card, and provide a boost of confidence when he wanted to ask a girl on a date.

Sukant Khurana wrote on Twitter that he could remember pestering his grandfather to buy him the drink. “So many childhood memories… If it tastes anything like it did, Campa Cola will sell on nostalgia,” he wrote.

While Coca-Cola was introduced in India in the 1950s it withdrew from the market just over two decades later when the Indian government introduced a regulation that would have required it to reveal its formula.

In its absence, the Indian alternative Campa Cola became immensely popular and soon grew to lead the country’s soft drink market.

The post The executive meeting of Samajwadi Party in Kolkata appeared first on Views On News.

The interim Indian Coast Guard was originally established on February 1, 1977, to prevent the sea-borne smuggling of goods that hampered India’s domestic economy.

On August 18, 1978, the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) Day was officially established by the Parliament to be celebrated on February 1.

Since its inception, the Indian Coast Guard has saved thousands of lives and apprehended miscreants. Since its establishment, the ICG has also confiscated drugs, contraband and illicit goods worth thousands of crores.

Currently, the Indian Coast Guard is ranked as the fourth largest Coast Guard in the world.

The work of the Indian Coast Guard varies for multiple fields in collaboration with the Indian Navy, the Customs Department and the Police. The guard is allotted to different regions including the North-West region situated in Gandhinagar, Gujrat, the East region in Chennai, and the North East region in Kolkata and Andaman and Nicobar regions.

The post Today is Indian Coast Guard Day appeared first on Views On News.

“Mother left us this morning,” her daughter Srabani Sen said in a Facebook post.

Both her daughters – Srabani and Indrani – are popular Rabindra Sangeet singers. Her family said she caught a cold in mid-December and her condition turned serious due to her advancing age.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condoled the death of the eminent singer. “I am deeply saddened by the sudden demise of Sumitra Sen, who had enthralled the audience for decades. I had a close relationship with her for a long time,” she tweeted. The West Bengal government had awarded her ‘Sangeet Mahasamman’ in 2012.

“Her passing away is an irreparable loss to the music world. My sincere condolences to Sumitradi‘s daughters Indrani and Srabani, and her fans,” Banerjee added.

Songs sung by her such as ‘megh bolechhe jabo jabo‘, ‘tomari jharnatalar nirjone‘, ‘sakhi bhabona kahare bole‘, ‘achhe dukho achhe mrityu‘ were among the hundreds of tracks that regaled Rabindra Sangeet lovers for over four decades.

She stayed in Ballygunge and had many students and followers, who would regularly visit her. She was very active till a few years back.

The post Rabindra Sangeet singer Sumitra Sen dies in Kolkata appeared first on Views On News.

His wife Dominique Conchon-Lapierre has been quoted in the newspaper Var-Matin, saying: “At 91, he died of old age at peace and serene since Dominique is no longer suffering.”

Even though Lapierre was from France, he was passionate about India, something that was reflected in his 1985-work City of Joy — based on the hardships of a rickshaw puller in Kolkata — that turned out to be a massive success. It was also adapted for a movie in 1992 which starred Patrick Swayze and was directed by Roland Joffe.

The author contributed his earnings for patients suffering from tuberculosis and leprosy. In one of his interviews in 2005, he recollected that his earnings and contributions from readers made it “possible to cure a million tuberculosis patients in 24 years (and) to care for 9,000 children with leprosy.”

Born on July 30, 1931 in Chatelaillon, Lapierre’s works, in collaboration with the American writer Larry Collins, became bestsellers such that they sold about 50 million copies of the six books he wrote.

His most popular work was Is Paris Burning? that was published in 1965 and traced the events leading up to 1944’s time period when Nazi Germany seized their control of Paris. It eventually was adapted for the big screen by Francis Ford Coppola and Gore Vidal. Other works by the duo included Or I’ll Dress You in Mourning (1968), O Jerusalem (1972),  The Fifth Horseman (1980), and Is New York Burning?

He also co-authored Five Past Midnight in Bhopal, a historical account of the Bhopal gas tragedy told through multiple witness accounts which he researched by living in the city for three years in the 1990s. Part of the book’s royalties went to fund a clinic in Bhopal that treated victims for free, and he helped fund a primary school in one of the settlements described in the work.

The author was awarded the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award, in 2008.

The post Dominique Lapierre passes away at 91 appeared first on Views On News.

Institutions grow as slow as trees, but not as surely. Of all the renown that an institution gathers around its age, there are sacrifices and more emotions than any owner of  the institution can imagine. A media house is like that; The Statesman of Kolkata is like that. The magnificent Statesman House in the city of the Raj is becoming a mall, we hear, and it hurts. Media houses are repositories of history, of our past of our pains, happy times. Newspapers have, for ages, chronicled each and every move of humanity, of governments, of the people. In short, it encapsulates the history of a nation, even a city. Destroying that history is a criminal act. Whoever is responsible of breaking down this repository of history should be called as such.

The Statesman has been one of those great houses of our country. To quote Laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore, it was where “The mind is (was) without fear and the head is (was) held high…” Alas, no more, it seems.

There has to be a mechanism of preserving such places. Just a heritage tag on the external structure is a sham. The mall-builders, whoever these shady people are, will not be able to destroy the facade, but everything inside will be torn down. Just like the Metro cinema hall, in that same city was done in, resulting in just another of those dime a dozen malls. The hall represented Metro Goldwyn Mayer in that city. It was a part of heritage. The external facade stays, while inside it is a hollow shopping mall.

The Statesman’s ownership of thousands upon thousands of rare photographs seems to have been lost. That is criminal too. Isn’t the government responsible for preserving our history? That is the question.

The post The death mall of an institution appeared first on Views On News.

However, the mall rumour had been there earlier as well, when it was said that Ravindra Kumar, the editor and owner of this great institution, had signed a deal with Emaar of West Asia to build an international mall. Considering the low-key Kolkata market, that did not fructify. Now this new rumour and the name of a very shady Kolkata promoter group are being bandied about in this regard.

We will have to see what happens, but social media is agog and there have been ruminations, especially from all who have been in any way associated with The Statesman at any point of their lives, saying what a good daily it was. The problem is that The Statesman is still being published. It is not dead, not yet. It has been shod of all its glory, all its mannerisms and aura, the building has been denuded from inside – even the extraordinary wood panels have been stripped off and sold – and every ounce of the magnificent spirit of this culturally opulent institution has been sucked out and destroyed in a completely shameless manner. And everybody knows who is responsible: definitely not the markets and not The Telegraph either.

In fact, when the infant The Telegraph reached the circulation of The Statesman, its movers – owner Aveek Sarkar and editor MJ Akbar – had hired a huge hoarding just opposite the magnificent facade of The Statesman and had one line in it: Salaam Statesman. Frankly, as Akbar told his wards at The Telegraph, it was an honour and a privilege. It was also because The Statesman was busy doing slow hara-kiri or it simply would not have been possible for The Telegraph to take over the mantle, in a city that breathes and lives in its past.

So, the story within the story is that The Statesman is still alive; on its last legs, but alive. Sometimes you see it on the stands in Kolkata, some people still read it. The standards have slipped, the news is pungent, the English itself is pathetic – Calcuttans, those days, grew up with The Statesman’s English; the daily taught more syllables and usages than any school the city could – and the presentation is less than pedestrian. But it is there. What happens after an obscene mall comes up around those haloed corridors nobody can say, but as of now, there is time left, yet, for the obituary of the country’s greatest English language newspaper to be written.

Let’s hope such evil does not happen.

The post The Statesman is not dead; not yet appeared first on Views On News.

This is the time of year when a visit to West Bengal and , especially, its capital Kolkata, becomes completely magical. The city becomes a place from fairytales, of a place where dreams come true. This is the time of Durga Puja, the biggest festival in the state, celebrated on a scale unmatched by any festival anywhere in the country and, possibly in only a few celebrations around the world.

It is not just the time when the people celebrate togetherness and the incessant joys of life with friends, family and even people they do not know. It is also a time for travel, for reviving old friendships and relationships, of great food and, for some, for just being happily lazy.

This year it is a bit special with UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage having inscribed ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This is great news for the city.

Be warned, that if you are wanting to visit the city at this time, the fun fiesta apart, it will be difficult to find a place to stay. So book early. Kolkata is connected to all places in India and most places across the globe. That is one reason why a host of tourists reach Kolkata, to take in a very special time of their lives.

The cultural capital of India
Located in eastern India along the Hoogly river, Kolkata is often referred to as the cultural capital of India. With the grand colonial architecture, rich traditions, beautiful music, art and food, this city has a unique character. As a home to esteemed personalities, such as poet Laureate Rabindranath Tagore and Satyajit Ray, among others, the people of this city have a special appreciation for literature as well as cinema. The city also provides an unparalleled religious and cultural experience of Durga puja each year.

“Dugga Dugga” echo the united voices of all the ladies in the household as they move towards the pandals for pujo, wishing for a safe journey ahead in life. The sound of intense beats coming from the dhak (local, traditional drums) mixed with the aroma of the dhunuchi (incense-burner used during arati of idol) lit in every house, park or corner fills the streets of Kolkata.

Clad in the most beautiful attire, adorning the heaviest of jewels and thickest of bangles with sindoor and bindis on their temples, the women seem to walk a step ahead of the men today. After all, Durga pujo is the day the evil perished. Nothing but colour and festivity flow through the lanes in the five to seven days that Maa Durga stays in her basha (house) with her four children, only to be united with her husband Shiva on the tenth day, (also known as Vijaya Dashami).

The legend of Durga
The legends speak of Goddess Durga as a creation of the three most powerful Devas (gods) in the Hindu Pantheon – Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver) and Shiva (the destroyer). The story of Durga’s birth is narrated in the Devi Bhagavatam.

According to this sacred text, once a son called Mahishasura was born to an Asura (demon). Born as an Asura, he saw the victory of Devas over Asuras in every fight. Annoyed by the constant defeat of the Asuras, Mahishasura decided to perform a tapasaya (a long penance) to please the Devas. Years went by. Impressed by Mahishasura’s dedication, Lord Brahma decided to grant him a boon.

Elated at such an opportunity, Mahishasura asked Brahma to bless him such that neither any man nor any God could kill him. Thus, his death would lie only in the hands of a woman – which in his mind was impossible.

Taking advantage of the boon, Mahishasura, along with his troop of Asuras, invaded the Earth. He looted and killed with impunity. Soon, raging with power, he decided to take over heaven believing he could be the ruler of all the three realms.

The battle between the Asuras and the Devas was ferocious. Mashishasura finally defeated the army of Indra in Amravati. Humiliated, the Devas met with the Tridevas, hoping to find a solution.

Frustrated and angry at the defeat of the Devas, the Tridevas started to think. “Only a woman can kill Mahishasura” said Lord Brahma, thinking about the boon he had given the Asura. But which woman in the three realms was strong enough to take on the battle? The Tridevas put their minds together and using their powers created energy that took the form of Devi Durga.

Each of the Devas gave their weapon to the Devi to help her kill Mahishasura. Himavat, the God of Himalaya, gave the Devi a Lion to mount on.

Initially, when Durga approached Amravati, Mahishasura laughed at the thought of fighting a woman. But as the war raged, Mahishasura realised that he was no match for the supreme powers embodied within the Devi. In the ten days of battle, the Asura kept changing forms to confuse her, but the Devi never missed her aim. As soon as the Asura changed to his original form, a buffalo, Durga swiftly beheaded him, thus freeing heaven and earth of the tyrant.

Thereafter, Durga came to be known as Mahishasura Mardini (the destroyer of Mahishasura). This last scene is replicated in many of the idols of the Devi worshipped in the Durga puja. In some idols the stance of Maa Durga while killing the Asura is similar to that of Shiva during Tandava.

History of puja in Bengal
Celebrated in the month of Ashvin (September – October), Durga puja (fondly referred to as Pujo) is one of the most awaited festivals in India, especially in West Bengal. Even though the weather starts becoming cooler, the air is thick with the warmth radiated by the devotees.

The origins of the Devi as a deity are lost in the mists of time. Over time, we find mentions of the Goddess in various texts from the Vedic era and also in the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Even much later, Krittivas’ rendition of Ramayana, composed in the 15th century, speaks of Durga being worshipped with 108 blue lotuses and 108 sacred lamps by Lord Rama before his battle with Ravana. The day that Lord Rama defeated Ravana is celebrated as Dussehra which falls on the tenth day (Dashami) of the Durga puja.

In literature from around the 16th century we find the first mentions of the grand celebration of Durga puja by zamindars (landlords) in West Bengal. Different scripts point to different rajas (kings) and zamindars who celebrated and financed the Durga puja for the whole village.

The boinedi barir pujo (Puja in the house of zamindars and people of stature in society) still remains a custom in Bengal. The bigger households place the idol in their courtyards of their houses – in the puja courtyard, known as thakur dalan – for  people to come and pray.

Puja at Belur Math
One of the most famous institutions that celebrates Durga Puja is Belur Math, situated just across the Hooghly. The headquarters of Ramakrishna Math and Mission, Belur Math was founded by Swami Vivekananda. Established on the western bank of the Hoogly river, this Math hosts a very popular Durga puja.

The first Durga puja here was held in 1901 by Swami Vivekananda himself. Initially celebrated inside a small pandal, the Durga puja at Belur Math now attracts thousands of people every year.

Durga Puja Dates in 2022
 DATE                                        FESTIVAL                                   
October 1 (Saturday) Maha Shashthi
October 2 (Sunday)                  Maha Saptami
October 3 (Monday)                 Maha Ashtami
October 4 (Tuesday)                 Maha Navami
October 5 (Wednesday)            Bijoya Dashami/Dussehra

Durga Puja on UNESCO Representative List
UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage inscribed ‘Durga Puja in Kolkata’ on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

As a ten-day celebration, Durga Puja represents the collective worship of the Hindu Goddess Durga. During this time, masterfully designed clay models of the Goddess are worshipped in “pandals” or pavilions where communities get together and celebrate. Several folk music, culinary, craft, and performing arts traditions add to the dynamism of this celebration.

“I would like to offer warm congratulations to India, its people and especially all those who worked on the nomination dossier. I am confident that this inscription will offer encouragement to the local communities that celebrate Durga Puja, including all the traditional craftspeople, designers, artists, and organizers of large-scale cultural events, as well as tourists and visitors who partake in the inclusive festivity that is Durga Puja,” Eric Falt, Director of UNESCO, New Delhi, has been quoted as stating.

The 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage promotes the protection of knowledge and skills necessary for traditional artisanship and cultural practices transmitted from generation to generation, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals and festive events, and knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe.

Symbols and their meanings
Goddess Durga is known to be the most powerful deity as she has been bestowed with united powers of many Gods to eliminate all the demons on earth. The ten arms of the Goddess signify the protection of her devotees from all directions, which are the eight corners and from the sky and the earth. In fact, the great powers of the goddess are depicted with her ten hands holding different weapons of various significance.

Trishul (Trident)
The Trishul, which is gifted by Lord Shiva, has three sharp edges that symbolise the three qualities – Tanmas (serenity, inactivity and lethargic tendency), satva (salvation, positivity and purity) and rajas (peace, hyperactivity and desires). The balance of all three qualities must be perfect in order to attain peace and salvation. When the trident pierces the demons to death, the compassion of Mother Durga will perceive all the qualities to defeat and emerge as victorious.

Conch
The sound of the conch shell symbolizes the purest and sacred sound called ‘Om’ from which the entire creation of the universe emerged. It was gifted by Lord Varuna.

Sudarshan Chakra or discus
The Chakra is a gift from Lord Vishnu which symbolises that the world is controlled by Durga, who is the centre of the creation and the universe revolves around her. It also symbolises righteousness or dharma as it spins on the index finger of the goddess. This weapon is used to destroy all evil and protect the righteous ones.

Lotus
The lotus is the symbol of Lord Brahma which represents wisdom. The half bloom lotus also symbolises the awakening of spiritual consciousness in the minds even in the darkest times as also the lotus grows in the mud.

Bow and arrow
The bow and arrow are gifted by Lord Vayu and Lord Surya which symbolise energies. The bow represents potential energy whereas the arrow stands for kinetic energy. It also symbolises that Goddess Durga is the one that controls all the sources of energy in the universe.

Thunderbolt
Lord Indra’s gift symbolises firmness of spirit, determination, and supreme power. Goddess Durga empowers her devotee with unshaken confidence and will.

Sword
The Sword gifted by Lord Ganesh symbolises knowledge and intellect. It represents the sharpness of intellect and the shining power of the sword represents knowledge.

Spear
The spear symbolizes auspiciousness which is gifted by Lord Agni. It also represents pure, fiery power. This symbolises the quality possessed to know the difference between what is wrong and what is right and to act accordingly.

Axe
Goddess Durga received an axe and an armour from Lord Vishwakarma which signifies no fear of consequences when fighting evil.

Snake
The snake of Lord Shiva symbolises consciousness and masculine energy. It also represents the change from the lower state of consciousness to the higher state with an urge to experience new things.

Famous Durga Puja Pandals in India:
In Kolkata
Bagbazar
The Bagbazar Durga puja is one of the oldest pujas in Kolkata that is more than a century old. The Bagbazar Durga puja remains crowded all through the days of puja and is even more famous for the Durga idol. Apart from the striking idols and pandals, the carnival rides and stalls on the ground add more fun to the place.

On the last day of Durga puja, which is Dashami, married women perform a very special ritual, Sindoor Khela. People from across the city visit the pandal on this specific day to witness the ritual.

How to reach: Near the Bagbazar Launch Ghat and Bagbazar Kolkata Circular Railway Station. The Metro railway station nearby is Shyambazar.

Santosh Mitra Square Durga Puja Pandal
Hosting Durga Puja for more than 80 years, Santosh Mitra Square is definitely a popular name when it comes to the best Durga Puja pandals in Kolkata.

If you remember, in 2017 this pandal became extremely popular by choosing the London Theme. In which Goddess Durga was seen in a Buckingham Palace like setting.

This year too, the committee has decided to do something that can pull a huge crowd despite the darkness spread by Covid 19. Durga idol artist Mintu Pal confirmed that this year the idol of Durga is going to be traditional. Due to the pandemic, they are not experimenting so much but the festive mood and enthusiasm will be the same as before.

In Mumbai
The celebration of this festival in Mumbai started by Bengalis who stayed in Mumbai. Since the Bengalis could not get to their home for a nine-day celebration, they started their own celebration in the foreign land. Soon, Mumbai became one of the top places to celebrate Durga Pooja.

Lokhandwala Durgotsav: Lokhandwala puja was first started by the local Bengali families around the locality in 1996. The primary aim of establishing this puja was to keep their Bengali traditions alive. Nowadays, Lokhandwala Durga Puja’s main leader is Abhijeet Bhattacharya. Hence, local people called this puja ‘Abhijeet Durga puja.’

DURGA PUJA BEYOND BOUNDARIES
There is a common saying that when three Bengalis are assembled, a Durga Puja will not be far behind. The festival has crossed the oceans to all those continents wherever we Indians have made our presence felt. With the gaining popularity, the festival is being celebrated at more than 150 places across 36 countries beside India and Bangladesh, in all five continents. In America, Europe and Africa, Durga Puja was initiated nearly half a century ago.

The USA
Durga Puja is not an unknown festivity in the US where there is a good number of Indians especially Bengalis. The trend of organizing the five-day festival began in the early 1970s and by now, puja is celebrated in all 50 states of the country. There are several associations across the country that organize a five-day festival with full dedication and energy. Enjoy Durga Puja Celebrations in the United States!

United Kingdom
Nearly half of the puja of the UK is conducted in London where several organizers import Goddess Durga idols and offer puja in the most authentic Bengali manner. The associations also conduct activities for all age groups in order to keep them engaged and busy. Recently, the immersion of the Durga idol has been permitted in the Thames river for the celebration held in London.

Australia
Durga Puja was initiated in the early 70’s by 12 families in New South Wales but currently the festival is celebrated in all the major cities of Australia. Thousands of Indian immigrants gather to render a warm welcome to Goddess Durga wherein the clay idols of the Goddess and her divine family are sculpted & painted and established inside the colorful sites. Celebrate Durga Puja 2022 in Australia.

Asia
In Nepal, Durga Puja also called ‘Dashain’ is celebrated as a ten day festival. Predominantly being a Hindu nation, the country observes the same date as India and follows the similar pattern for the celebration. Bangladesh, the home for the second-largest group of Hindu Bengalis worldwide celebrates Durga Puja in the most flourishing manner. Enjoy Digital Durga Puja 2022.

The importance of Pitri Paksh and Devi Paksh
Pitri Paksh
Pitru (or Pitri) Paksha, also known as Shradh, is a lot more than just not eating non-veg, no shopping, no celebrations. This is a paksh kaal (a fortnight, between two stages of the moon), mostly though a 16-day period, of prayers and homage to our ancestors who have departed from this materialistic world. The period is marked by offering prayers, food, and daan to the needy and the priests in the temple.

As per ancient folklore, when Karna, Kunti’s first son from Mahabharata died, he went to heaven and was offered gold and precious jewels, to which Karna asked Indra that he wish to have food and water, and not these precious jewels. Hearing that Indra replied to Karna that he only donated gold and jewels to people all his life and never offered food and water in the name of his ancestors.

To this, Karna told Indra that he didn’t know about his ancestors because he was blessed by Surya deva, the lord of light and day, to his mother, and he has no clue of his ancestors. After this Karna was sent to earth for a period of 15 days so that he could perform shradh for his ancestors and donate food and water. Since then, this period of 15 days is regarded as pitru paksha.

As documented in the Garuda Purana Shradh holds major significance in the first year of death. As per the ancient scriptures, it is believed that the soul starts travelling to Yamapuri on the 14th day after death and reaches there in 17 days. They again travel for 11 months to reach the court of Yamaraj. It is said that till the time the soul reaches the court, it has no access to food, water, and clothes. The daan, tarpan, and offerings that we perform during Pitru paksha reach these souls and satisfy their hunger and thirst.

The shradh puja is performed by a male member, mostly the eldest male member of the family, or the eldest son. The shradh requires the participation of a Karta (the doer) and a pandit (the priest). The puja begins when a pandit comes home to perform a havan, after the havan, rice is offered to the departed souls, which is followed by offering food to the pandit.

Devi Paksh
Mahalaya proclaims the descent of Mother Durga to bestow Her blessings during Durga Puja. It marks the end of Pitru Paksha and the beginning of Devi Paksha. It is a belief that during this time the Gods are awake in heaven. During Mahalaya Amavasya, people offer prayers to their ancestors at early dawn. The ritual is called Shraddh or Tarpan.

Devi Paksha falls in the Ashwin month (September-October) when the moon is waxing, according to the traditional Hindu lunar calendar. It is believed that Mother Durga begins Her journey to the earth on Devi Paksha. It is to be noted that Mother Durga’s (Durga statue) eyes are drawn on the Mahalaya, which is called ‘Chakshu Daan’. Mahalaya and Devi Paksha set the fervent mood for Durga Puja. It is the day when people roll up their sleeves to take up the preparatory measures necessary for Durga Puja.

The post Durga, of power and peace appeared first on Views On News.

The basic idea of the newspaper was not to just present a smart layout and brilliant pictures. It was embellished with breaking news and tons of expose, as well as with thought-invoking features and more. It was a sledgehammer blow on the way news had been disseminated in the country for ages, emulating the way of the Raj, barely reaching down to hoi polloi. News in English, it seemed, had been the sole privilege of a favoured few.

That boring monolith was broken and new era of journalism was unleashed on the people, on the Establishment and even the journalistic world. That the times will never be the same was made clear.

Reportage was made the primary endeavour – even The Indian Express, a reporter’s paper, did not have so many exclusives – and while The Hindu remained among those who somewhat maintained its old stance as well as circulation, the rest withered.

The Telegraph created a model for all to follow. Forty years after inception, the daily still holds sway over all of eastern India and its intellectual activism is still on the boil.

The post The Telegraph is 40 appeared first on Views On News.

The shocking death was, later reported, to be because of huge blockages in his heart, things that had got aggravated with the singing and dancing in the heat – the air conditioning was either not working or off at the venue, the Nazrul Manch in the southern part of Kolkata – and he collapsed after reaching the hotel. He had performed for over an hour.

He was 53, and is survived by his wife and two sons.

He was performing at the auditorium for a function organised by a college and the organisers had packed in around 7,000 in a hall that could accommodate 3,000. The overcrowding apart, the air conditioning was not working properly in the auditorium and ventilation was poor.

KK had a complained a couple of times about this during his show and had even asked some of the heat generating lights to be turned off. However, this had come to no avail.

As he reached the hotel he said he was “feeling heavy”, and soon collapsed. He was rushed to a nearby private hospital where doctors declared him brought dead. The hospital said: “KK was brought to the hospital around 10 pm. It’s unfortunate that we could not treat him.”

The doctors at the hospital said that they suspected a cardiac arrest to be the cause of his death. A senior officer of the Kolkata Police said a post-mortem was conducted on Wednesday to ascertain the exact reason for the death. The post mortem confirmed the blockages in the heart.

The telltale signs were there too. He was seen sweating profusely and wiping off sweat with a towel. He was complaining to people ion stage that the air conditioning was not working properly.

“KK was constantly requesting to switch off the spotlights and at intervals he was going backstage to take rest. However, not even once he expressed his desire to quit the show in between”, said one person.

A staffer of Nazrul Mancha described the situation during KK’s concert. “It was complete chaos. Bottles were thrown from behind. 8,000 people gathered while the capacity was 2,482. Because of this, the AC wasn’t functioning properly.”

Singer KK’s preliminary autopsy report has revealed he might have had underlying heart conditions.

The report said the iconic singer died of a likely heart attack, and also mentioned “myocardial infarction”, which could have caused the pumping of blood to Krishnakumar Kunnath’s heart to stop, sources said. If a person has latent heart disease for a long time, there is a possibility of myocardial infarction, sources say quoting the preliminary report.

“He had a major blockage in the left main coronary artery and small blockages in various other arteries and sub-arteries. Excessive excitement during the live show caused a stoppage of blood flow leading to cardiac arrest that claimed his life,” a doctor who performed the autopsy told a news agency.

“The vocalist had 80 percent blockage in the left main coronary artery and small blockages in various other arteries and sub-arteries. None of the blockades was 100 per cent.During Tuesday’s performance, the singer was walking around and at times dancing with the crowd which created excessive excitement that caused a stoppage of blood flow leading to cardiac arrest,” the doctor said.

Condolences
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that KK will always be remembered through his songs. “Saddened by the untimely demise of noted singer Krishnakumar Kunnath popularly known as KK. His songs reflected a wide range of emotions and struck a chord with people of all age groups. We will always remember him through his songs. Condolences to his family and fans. Om Shanti,” Modi tweeted.

As an independent artist, his popular albums Pal and Humsafar stand the test of time and are a walk down memory lane for the millennials who are now all grown up today. One of the early hits of KK was the song Yaaron Dosti from the 1999 coming-of-age film “Rockford”, which is one of the best odes to friendship in the modern era.

KK was known for songs like ‘Pal’ and ‘Yaaron’, which went on to become big hits among teens in the late 1990s, often heard during school and college farewells and teen cultural events.

He gave Bollywood some of its chartbusters like Tadap Tadap (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam), Dus Bahane (Dus), Tune Maari Entriyaan (Gunday), “Gori Gori” (Main Hoon Na), “Tu Jo Mila” (Bajrangi Bhaijaan), Kya Mujhe Pyaar Hai (Woh Lamhe) and many others. KK song in Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali and Malayalam, among many other languages.

The post KK’s sudden death appeared first on Views On News.