Lord Ganesha Making Inroads in Kali’s City
Far away from India’s commercial Capital Mumbai, where Lord Ganesha rules, the elephant-headed God’s puja is becoming popular in Kolkata where mother Goddesses Kali and Durga have really mattered. Ganesha Puja was started in public spaces in a big way by freedom fighter Lokmanya Tilak in the then Bombay Province on the lines of Bengal’s Durga Puja. Now Ganesha Puja is picking up popularity in Kolkata and its outskirts every year. Last two years saw low-key celebrations due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Ganesha Puja this year was organised in a grand manner in Kolkata. This time some artisans of the city’s clay modellers’ hub, Kumartuli, had to turn down last-minute Ganesha idols orders. “I generally make only Durga idols,” master artisan Sanatan Palinformed, “but this time I had to take several orders for Ganesha murtis.” Abhishek Das, a member of a Ganesha puja committee, at Muraripukur in central Kolkata, told The Sunday Guardian that some friends had come together 15 years ago to start Ganesha Chathurthi celebrations and artisans used to make only three idols.” He added that now they are making about 40 idols of Lord Ganesha. Amites Mukhopadhyay, Professor of Sociology at Jadavpur University, said that rising unemployment is a major reason for many people “to engage in the business of religion and to diversify into new Pujas”. According to Mukhopadhyay, Bengalis are no longer associated just with white collar jobs. It is a welcome trend because clay modellers across the city, including those at Kumartuli, are getting more work. Dr Angshuman Sarkar, Professor of Sociology at Government Girls General Degree College in the Ekbalpur area of the city, said: “More and more people in various localities have started organising Jagadhatri Puja too.”
Portugal Minister quits after Pregnant Indian Woman’s Death
This kind of thing can’t happen in India. On Tuesday, Portugal’s Health Minister Marta Temido resigned after widespread criticism of her decision to temporarily close emergency obstetric services and the death of an Indian tourist pregnant woman during transfer between hospitals. Temido said that she “no longer has the conditions to exercise the position.” The PM accepted her resignation. Pregnant Indian woman died after being transferred from Hospital de Santa Maria to Hospital Sao Francisco Xavier, due to a lack of vacancies in the neonatology service.
New role for Rajesh Malhotra
Energetic, highly professional, always cooperative and soft-spoken Rajesh Malhotra assumed the charge as Principal Director General, Press Relations and Information Division in Ministry of Finance on Thursday. An MBA, Media Laws expert (NALSAR, Hyderabad), and Election issues authority, Malhotra is senior, versatile public management executive from the Indian Information Service (Batch 1989). He has also been a part of the course on Public Policy Analysis from University of California, Media Management and Strategies at Thomson Foundation, UK. He is a fellow member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India. Malhotra has over 32 years of ‘operational experience’ in planning and implementation of Media and Communication strategies for various Central Government Ministries/Departments. As a Spokesperson, Malhotra has the experience of successfully establishing ‘two-way’ communication channels between the Government, on one hand, and the media, on the other.
Prasar Bharati writes to Indian Railways
Prasar Bharati has written to the Indian Railways, asking it to screen a new 75-episode mega serial on India’s freedom struggle at railway stations across the country. The serial is about India’s freedom struggle right from 15th Century—Swaraj: Bharat Ke Swatantrata Sangram Ki Samagra Gatha. It is another government’s event to commemorate 75 years of Independence. Prasar Bharati says that the aim is to “enhance the participation of every Indian in this national movement”. In its letter, the Prasar Bharati has described the serial as “educative, inspiring and a “must watch, particularly by the new generation”.
King Cobra Travels In Car
A10-foot-long king cobra travelled in a car for over 200 km and lived in its engine bay for a week before being finally rescued by wildlife personnel from a home in Kerala on Wednesday. The incident was reported from Arpookara in Kottayam. The deadly snake was rescued by the forest officials from the compound of a resident. The venomous reptile was believed to have crawled into the car of Sujith, a resident of Arpookara, from Malappuram when he went there some time ago. Some persons had told Sujith that the snake was seen getting into his car when it was parked near a check-post at Vazhikadavu there. As he could not find it, he moved on. But he panicked when his family saw a snake skin that was found hanging out of the car. Again a thorough check of the car could not find the creepy crawler. Finally, it was found a few days ago in the compound of a house, 500 km away from his house.