Vinod Chandrashekhar Dixit Ram Navami&nbsp;is a spring Hindu festival that celebrates the birthday of the Hindu God Lord Rama. Ramayana, as we all know, is one of the greatest Sanskrit epics of Hindu mythology. Lord Ram himself is believed to be the supreme Hindu god and has a very special place in the hearts of people across the world. No festival in India can be complete without food and Ram Navami is no different. Ram Navami, is looked upon as an important Hindu Festival, and a celebration to honor the birth of Lord Ram, the seventh avatar of Lord Vishnu.The festival of Ram Navami is celebrated all over India as the birthday of Lord Rama. It is one of the major festivals of India. It is believed that on this day Lord Rama was born in&nbsp;Ayodhya . On the day of Ram Navami, devotees of Shri Rama worship them and on this day people go to temples and worship Rama-Sita and Hanuman Ji. This festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and vigour in Ayodhya. Lord Rama is called Maryada Purushottam because he presented the best example of a decent life in spite of suffering many problems during his lifetime. He did not renounce his ideals even in adverse circumstances and lived his life in dignity. Therefore, he has been given the position of the best man. According to legend, Lord Rama is considered the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu as he was born to King Dashratha and Queen Kaushalya in Ayodhya in the Tretha Yug.&nbsp;According to the Hindu calendar, this festival falls in the Shukla Paksha (brighter half) of the Chaitra month. Most devotees observe a fast on this day. Not just Lord Ram, but Lord Lakshman, Lord Hanuman and Goddess Sita are worshipped, owing to their important connection with the Ramayana. Ram Navami is recorded in Rama recitals, especially in Ramayana, considered one of the two great Sanskrit epics of the Hindu religion. The story of Ram Navami is also called the Vratha Katha. The three queens to King Dashratha, Kaushalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi were unable to bear an heir to the kingdom of Ayodhya for a long period of time. The sacred ritual called Putra Kamesti Yagna was thus performed by the queens, as suggested by the great Sage Vashishth. The ceremony saw King Dashratha distribute payasam (a preparation of milk and rice) to his three wives. And, then on the ninth day of the Hindu month, Chitra, queen Kaushalya gave birth to Lord Ram, and the other queens gave birth to Lakshmana and Bharat. It is believed that all the evils in the life of a person who worships Ramnavami are eradicated. That is why Ram Navami has special significance in the Hindu religion, on this day people go to the temple and offer prayers and pray for Prosperous. On this day many people offer&nbsp;Ramcharitmanas&nbsp;in their homes. Taking bath in holy rivers on this day gives great benefits. Rama means ‘bliss’ signifying the happiness that Lord Ram bestows on all those who remember and worship him. Lord Sri Ram was said to be born on earth to instill the lost glory in humanity, annihilate the evil, and protect the innocent. Let us also learn more from history, about humanity, apply them in real life, try and follow Ram’s footsteps.—The Hawk Features

Ram Navami is a spring Hindu festival that celebrates the birthday of the Hindu God Lord Rama. Ramayana, as we all know, is one of the greatest Sanskrit epics of Hindu mythology. 

Why We Celebrate Ram Navami?

Lucknow: Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Thursday junked Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's remark suggesting that the Bharatiya Janata Party could make her the country's President, signalling that she would prefer to become the prime minister someday to realise her goals for the downtrodden.Reacting to Yadav's dig at her on Wednesday, Mayawati said she has never aspired to become the President and the Samajwadi Party leader was dreaming about it to clear his path to become the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. "I can only dream of becoming the chief minister of UP and prime minister of the country in the days to come but can never dream of becoming the president," she told reporters."I have not spent my life in comfort and have struggled to work on the path shown by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram to ensure that their followers and the downtrodden stand on their feet. All know that this work can be done not by becoming the president but by becoming the CM of UP and PM of the country," she said. If Dalits, Adivasis, backwards, Muslims and the poor from the upper castes join forces with the BSP, then not only can they make its leader the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh again but also the prime minister in the time to come, she added.The SP dreaming of making her the president for its 'selfish political motives' is futile, said the former chief minister whose party bagged only one seat in the recent state assembly polls."The reality is that the SP is dreaming of making me the president in order to clear the path (for Akhilesh Yadav) to become the CM of UP, which is not possible," Mayawati said."Despite striking alliances with different parties, the SP has not been able to form the government," she said.Media reports had suggested that the BSP's votes were transferred to the BJP in the February-March state Assembly polls. A report sent by the Uttar Pradesh BJP to the central party leadership on the election also highlighted the shift of the BSP's votes to the saffron party which helped it win with a comfortable margin. Even during the elections, Yadav had pointed towards a 'nexus' between the BJP and the BSP as part of the deal to appoint Mayawati to a higher constitutional post.Mayawati claimed Yadav has realised that the SP will not return to power in Uttar Pradesh in future and is looking to 'flee to a foreign country' where he has already made all the arrangements. This is being openly discussed, she said.She further alleged the SP and the BJP worked together to give the recent elections 'Hindu-Muslim colour' and this brought the saffron party back in power."The weaker sections and especially Muslims are facing continued atrocities and the SP chief is responsible for this. He is still not desisting from spreading rumours. He should give up his childish and disgusting politics," she added.Interestingly, the BSP and the SP had contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections as alliance partners but parted ways later and have been regularly attacking each other. The SP won 111 seats in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls this year.—PTI

: Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Thursday junked Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's remark suggesting that the Bharatiya Janata Party could make her the country's President, signalling that she would prefer to become the prime minister someday to realise her goals for the downtrodden. Reacting to Yadav's dig at her on Wednesday, Mayawati said she has never aspired to become the President and the Samajwadi Party leader was dreaming about it to clear his path to become the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. 

Mayawati Tells Akhilesh She Wants To Be PM, Not Prez

 Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Thursday junked Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav's remark suggesting that the Bharatiya Janata Party could make her the country's President, signalling that she would prefer to become the prime minister someday to realise her goals for the downtrodden.
Reacting to Yadav's dig at her on Wednesday, Mayawati said she has never aspired to become the President and the Samajwadi Party leader was dreaming about it to clear his path to become the Uttar Pradesh chief minister. 


Lucknow: Hours after Mayawati said she would “rather become prime minister”, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said he also wanted that to happen for which he tied up with the BSP in 2019.Had the alliance continued, the BSP and the followers of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar could have seen who would have become the prime minister, he said.Mayawati’s remark had come following Yadav’s comment suggesting that the BJP could make her the President.Asked to comment on Mayawati’s “prime minister” remark, Yadav told reporters on Thursday, “I am happy with it. I also wanted that. Last time (during 2019 Lok Sabha polls) the alliance was forged for this.” “Had the alliance continued, the people of ‘Bahujan Samaj’, BSP and those who follow principles of Bhim Rao Ambedkar would have seen who would become the prime minister,” the Samawajwadi chief said following an Iftar party.Earlier in the day Mayawati said, “I can only dream of becoming the chief minister of UP and the prime minister of the country in the days to come but can never dream of becoming the President.” About demolition of structures by bulldozers, Yadav alleged that action was being taken seeing “caste and religion”.“If they demolish the house of BJP men, they will compensate. In Gorakhpur, shops and structures within 700 metres were razed and later compensation was given. I have heard that compensation was not Rs 100-150 crore but it was about Rs 200 crores,” he alleged. “If CM can be given compensation, why not poor, who are living (on the land) for over 40-50 years,” he said.&nbsp;In Gorakhpur, structures were razed for road widening.—PTI&nbsp;

Hours after Mayawati said she would “rather become prime minister”, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said he also wanted that to happen for which he tied up with the BSP in 2019. Had the alliance continued, the BSP and the followers of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar could have seen who would have become the prime minister, he said. Mayawati’s remark had come following Yadav’s comment suggesting that the BJP could make her the President.

Maya, Akhilesh Spar Over 'Want To Become PM' Remark

Hours after Mayawati said she would “rather become prime minister”, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said he also wanted that to happen for which he tied up with the BSP in 2019.
Had the alliance continued, the BSP and the followers of Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar could have seen who would have become the prime minister, he said. Mayawati’s remark had come following Yadav’s comment suggesting that the BJP could make her the President.





The occasion of May Day remained momentous for young archers across India as they performed their best at the Khelo India Zonal Archery Tournament on Sunday. The tournament, organized by the Archery Association of India (AAI), saw participation from 600 archers across 4 Zones. The venues were Sports Authority of India National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs) in Sonepat, Imphal, Kolkata, Guwahati and Aurangabad.

Khelo India Zonal Archery tournament held successfully across 5 SAI NCOEs on May Day

The occasion of May Day remained momentous for young archers across India as they performed their best at the Khelo India Zonal Archery Tournament on Sunday. The tournament, organized by the Archery Association of India (AAI), saw participation from 600 archers across 4 Zones. The venues were Sports Authority of India National Centres of Excellence (NCOEs) in Sonepat, Imphal, Kolkata, Guwahati and Aurangabad.



Chennai: Heavy overnight rains lashed Chennai and its neighbourhoods on Tuesday, bringing respite to citizens from the scorching May temperatures.Sharp showers that started in the wee hours of Tuesday continued in the morning here, impacting office-goers, even as some low-lying areas suffered due to water stagnation.Heavy rains lashed other parts of the state including Chengalpet, Kancheepuram and Erode districts.—PTI

Heavy overnight rains lashed Chennai and its neighbourhoods on Tuesday, bringing respite to citizens from the scorching May temperatures.

Summer rains bring respite to people in TN

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to Lumbini in Nepal on May 16 on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.Modi is visiting the neighbouring country at the invitation of Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.It will be Prime Minister Modi's fifth visit to Nepal since 2014."At Lumbini, the prime minister will visit the sacred Mayadevi temple to offer prayers. The prime minister will also deliver an address at a Buddha Jayanti event organised by the Lumbini Development Trust under the aegis of the Government of Nepal," the MEA said.Separately, the prime minister will participate in the "shilanyas" (foundation stone laying) ceremony of a centre for Buddhist culture and heritage in a plot belonging to the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), New Delhi within the Lumbini Monastic Zone, it said.Both the prime ministers will hold a bilateral meeting."Prime Minister Modi's visit continues the tradition of regular high-level exchanges between India and Nepal in furtherance of our Neighbourhood First policy," the MEA said."It underscores the shared civilisational heritage of the people of both countries," it said in a statement.—PTI

 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to Lumbini in Nepal on May 16 on the occasion of Buddha Purnima, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

PM Modi to visit Lumbini in Nepal on May 16

Varanasi: A district court in&nbsp;Varanasi on Thursday rejected the plea to change the court-appointed advocate commissioner for conducting a video survey of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex and appointed two additional advocate commissioners to assist him.The court also directed for completion of the survey by May 17 and submission of its report, Abhay Nath Yadav, who is representing the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, said.The court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) Ravi Kumar Diwakar, which had also heard the matter relating to the opening of the two basements located inside the mosque complex for videography, delivered the verdict after hearing the arguments of both the sides.The Gyanvapi mosque management committee had filed an application seeking a replacement of court official Ajay Kumar Mishra, who was assigned to do the survey, claiming he was not impartial.—PTI

A district court in Varanasi on Thursday rejected the plea to change the court-appointed advocate commissioner for conducting a video survey of the Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri complex and appointed two additional advocate commissioners to assist him.

Complete Gyanvapi mosque survey by May 17, orders court

New Delhi: The Southwest monsoon is set to arrive early with the Andaman and Nicobar Islands expected to receive first seasonal showers on May 15, the weather office said on Thursday."Southwest Monsoon is likely to advance into South Andaman Sea &amp; adjoining Southeast Bay of Bengal around 15th May, 2022," the India meteorological department said in a statement in New Delhi."Normally, monsoon advances over Nicobar Islands on May 15 and covers Mayabunder, the extreme north point in the Andaman islands by May 22," India meteorological department director general Mrutyunjay Mohapatra&nbsp;He said the weather office has forecast rainfall over the Andaman &amp; Nicobar Islands over the next five days and fairly widespread rainfall with thunderstorms, gusty winds and lightning over Kerala-Mahe and Lakshadweep over the next five days."India meteorological department extended range forecasts have consistently suggested favourable conditions for an early monsoon onset over Kerala and its northward movement," Madhavan Rajeevan, former secretary, ministry of earth sciences and an avid monsoon researcher, said on Twitter.The IMD is scheduled to issue an update to its monsoon forecast over the weekend.While the onset of monsoon over the Andaman and Nicobar islands signals the arrival of the four-month rainy season, the arrival of rains over Kerala is the most-watched event for weather watchers.The normal date for onset of monsoon over Kerala is June 1.The weather office said fairly widespread to widespread light/moderate rainfall is very likely over the Andaman and Nicobar Islands during the next five days.The archipelago is very likely to experience isolated heavy falls over the region from May 14 to May 16. It said squally weather with wind speed reaching 40-50 kmph to 60 kmph was also likely over South Andaman Sea on May 15 and May 16.Meanwhile, most parts of north India experienced scorching summers with maximum temperatures touching 48 degrees Celsius in Barmer in Rajasthan on Thursday.At least 29 cities across Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra reported temperatures in excess of 44 degrees Celsius.Barmer was the hottest with a maximum temperature of 48.1 degrees, followed by Ganganagar (47.3), Bikaner and Jaisalmer (47.2), Churu (46.9), Kota (46.7), Khargone (46.4), Rajgarh and Jodhpur (46).The weather office has said that no significant change in maximum temperatures was very likely over Northwest India during the next three days and the mercury could fall by 2-3 degrees Celsius thereafter.—PTI

The Southwest monsoon is set to arrive early with the Andaman and Nicobar Islands expected to receive first seasonal showers on May 15, the weather office said on Thursday.

Southwest monsoon to hit Andaman on May 15, early onset over Kerala likely

New Delhi:&nbsp;Home Minister Amit Shah will be the chief guest at the Delhi University's three-day international seminar commencing from May 19.The varsity officials confirmed Shah's participation at the seminar titled 'Revisiting The Ideas of India From Swaraj to New India', organised by the Department of Politics Science.Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, too, is likely to attend the event, which will discuss the ideas developed both before and after India's Independence, along with those who propounded its ideas."In this proposed international seminar, an effort will be made to understand the journey of India through ideas that blossomed in the modern times spanning the last 150 years. Undoubtedly, during this period, Mahatma Gandhi awakened not just the Indian consciousness but that of the whole world by enthusing his set of ideas in the first half of 20th century," the concept note read."If Swami Vivekananda unveiled India and its ideas at the world stage, Mahatma Gandhi established India at the global level. The proposed seminar will provide a platform to discuss ideas such as Swadeshi, Vande Mataram, Swaraj, Nationalism and Socialism among others that took shape before Gandhi but further bloomed under the leadership of Mahatma and others. This seminar will, therefore, discuss the ideas developed both before and after the Independence of India along with those who propounded such ideas," the note further stated.—PTI

Home Minister Amit Shah will be the chief guest at the Delhi University's three-day international seminar commencing from May 19.

Amit Shah to be chief guest at DU seminar on Swaraj

India vs Indonesia, Thomas Cup final, on Sunday, May 15, 2022, from 11.30am IST onwards.Bangkok: Brimming with confidence, India will again look to punch above their weight when they run into 14-time winners Indonesia in the final of Thomas Cup in Bangkok on Sunday, seeking to create history one more time.Given their formidable record, defending champions Indonesia have been the team to beat in the competition, but the Indian men's team has shown its mettle by bringing down mighty Malaysia and Denmark to make its first-ever final at the prestigious tournament.It was a historic moment for the unheralded Indian team as, despite the odds, it never lacked in self-belief and displayed exemplarily mental fortitude to recover twice from initial reversals and come on top of their opponents.Going into the final, India will look to prove that it has the wherewithal to pull the rug from under the feet of their fancied rivals.While Indonesia have been relentless with an unbeaten record, India have lost just one match -- against Chinese Taipei in the group stage -- in the competition.If Indonesia disposed off China and Japan in the knockout stage, India went past five-time former champions Malaysia and 2016 winners Denmark.The poster boys of Indian men's badminton -- Kidambi Srikanth and HS Prannoy -- have shouldered the responsibility with an invincible record of five wins, while the country's best doubles pairing of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty put their hands up whenever the chips were down.The young combination of Krishna Prasad Garaga and Vishnuvardhan Goud Panjala have proved to be a weak link but they gave a good account of themselves during their losses against Malaysia and Denmark.The Indian think-tank is likely to bring back MR Arjun and Dhruv Kapila as the second doubles pair for the final.The duo played two matches in round-robin and had one win and a loss.World number 9 Lakshya Sen, who was laid low by food poisoning at the start of the tournament, has played well in patches but couldn't provide a positive start in the last two outings.On Sunday, Sen is likely to go up against world number 4 Anthony Sinisuka Ginting and the Indian will take inspiration from his last performance against the Indonesian, whom he easily dismantled in straight games at German Open in March.Srikanth is expected to face world number 8 Jonatan Christie, who has been in red-hot form with title win at Swiss Open and runners-up finishes at Korea Open and Badminton Asia Championships.The Indian has a 4-5 record against Christie but he comes into the match after suffering losses in two close matches against the Indonesian this year and would be itching to set the record straight this time.If the match goes down to the wires then Prannoy, who had battled pain after twisting his ankle to take the team home, will again be summoned and he is likely to cross swords with world number 24 Shesar Hiren Rhustavito.Prannoy, currently ranked 23rd in the world, has a 2-0 record against the Indonesian but he hasn't played the youngster in the last five years."We have quite a balanced team, the doubles are contributing immensely. All the players have played exceptionally well and pulled out matches from close situations. So I feel we have a 50-50 chance against Indonesia," said former India coach Vimal Kumar, who is with the team."The playing conditions are very different here, there is a lot of drift in the hall, so players who adjust well will have a better chance of getting success. That is the key."Also there is added pressure on Indonesia, which is an advantage for us as we have nothing to loss. We are not under pressure like the Chinese, Indonesians or Danish and that helps," he added.Indonesia have some of the best doubles shuttlers with three players of the world's top two pairs -- Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo, Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan -- in their ranks in this competition.They also have the world number 7 combination of Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto and it will be an uphill task for India to take the doubles matches.Chirag and Satwik, however, had beaten Sukamuljo and Ahsan at the 2018 Asia Team Championships and with Danish legend Mathias Boe by their side, they will fancy their chances."Indonesia have a lot of choices in doubles with many players of similar levels, so they can try out different combinations. They are all experienced guys and have done well but I am hopeful," Vimal said.—PTI

India vs Indonesia, Thomas Cup final, on Sunday, May 15, 2022, from 11.30am IST onwards.

Can India upset mighty Indonesia in Thomas Cup final?

Mumbai: A court in Thane in Maharashtra on Sunday remanded Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale in police custody till May 18 following her arrest over allegedly sharing an objectionable post on social media about Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, an official said.Chitale, 29, a film and TV actress, was arrested by the Thane police on Saturday over a post she allegedly shared on her Facebook page.She was on Sunday produced before a holiday court which remanded her in the police custody till May 18, a senior police official said.Chitale and 23-year-old pharmacy student Nikhil Bhamre were arrested on Saturday for allegedly sharing objectionable social media posts about Pawar.While Chitale was arrested by the Thane police, Bhamre was arrested in Nashik for allegedly making an objectionable comment on Twitter against Pawar, whose party shares power with the Shiv Sena and Congress in Maharashtra.The post shared by Chitale, which was in verse form, was purportedly written by someone else.It contained phrases like 'hell is waiting' and 'you hate Brahmins', allegedly referring to the NCP president.Chitale was booked under Indian Penal Code Sections 500 (defamation), 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory), 505 (2) (making, publishing or circulating any statement, rumour or report promoting enmity, hatred or ill will between classes) and 153 A (spreading disharmony among people).—PTI

A court in Thane in Maharashtra on Sunday remanded Marathi actor Ketaki Chitale in police custody till May 18 following her arrest over allegedly sharing an objectionable post on social media about Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar, an official said.

Marathi actor remanded till May 18 for posts against Sharad Pawar

New Delhi (The Hawk): To celebrate International Museum Day, the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi is organizing a host of educational activities and programs under the theme of ‘Power of Museums’ as mentioned by International Council of Museums (ICOM). Every year since 1977, ICOM has been organizing an International Museum Day (IMD), which represents a unique event for the international museum community. The objective of this day is to raise awareness of the role that museums play as an ‘important means of cultural exchange, enrichment of cultures and development of mutual understanding, cooperation and peace among peoples.’The National Gallery of Modern Art will present weeklong celebrations with the above-mentioned theme from 16th – 20th May 2022. Two seminal exhibitions focusing on the modern masters of Indian art titled, Hastantaran and Kshetragya will be inaugurated on 18th May by Shri G. Kishan ReddyMinister of Culture, Minister of Tourism &amp; Minister of Development of North- Eastern region as chief guest in the presence of Shri Govind Mohan, Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Ms. Lily Pandeya, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture.While the exhibition Hastantaran invites the viewer to the artistic and spiritual journey of the Nandalal Bose (1882- 1966) traversing through different mediums, murals to lithographs and panel paintings done for Haripura session of Congress; Kshetragya celebrates the Navratnas of India’s National Art Treasures, with a special focus on the artistic interventions of Benode Behari Mukherjee and Ramkinkar Baij.A series of guided walkthroughs and art workshops based on the art of Jamini Roy and Amrita Sher-Gil will form the core of the interdisciplinary program. Night at the Museum will be organized for underprivileged children during the extended visiting hours of the museum in the evening with 3D projection mapping.Under the auspices of the cultural exchange program between India and Brazil, the exhibition titled, Brasilia and the construction of Modern Brazil will be inaugurated on 16th May 2022 in the gracious presence of Shri Hardeep Singh Puri Union Minister for Housing &amp; Urban Affairs &amp; Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas as the chief guest and Smt Meenakshi Lekhi, Minister of State for Culture as guest of honour.Apart from these events, there is an interesting lineup of cultural performances, photo booths for those keen on selfies to name a few. The museum will remain open for extended hours and there will be no entry fee charged from the visitors from 16th- 20th May 2022.&nbsp;For more information, please write to: National Gallery of Modern Art, Jaipur House, India Gate- 110003, Email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dgngma@gmail.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;">dgngma@gmail.com</a>

To celebrate International Museum Day, the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi is organizing a host of educational activities and programs under the theme of ‘Power of Museums’ as mentioned by International Council of Museums (ICOM). 

National Gallery of Modern Art to organize a host of educational activities & programs May 16-20

New Delhi (The Hawk): Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will participate in the "Shilanyas” ceremony for the construction of a unique&nbsp;centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage within the Lumbini Monastic Zoneduring his&nbsp;official visit to Lumbini on 16 May 2022 on the occasion of VaishakhaBuddha Purnima.At Lumbini, Prime Minister will visit the sacred Mayadevi temple to offer prayers. Prime Minister will also deliver an address at a Buddha Jayanti event organized by the Lumbini Development Trust under the aegis of the Government of Nepal.The construction of the&nbsp;unique&nbsp;‘India International Centre for Buddhist Culture &amp; Heritage’ with&nbsp;a universal appeal will be undertaken by the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), India under the auspices of the Lumbini Development Trust with the financial support of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.International Buddhist Confederation, is a grantee body under the Ministry of Culture . The Buddhist Centre will be the first ‘Net Zero Emission’ building in Nepal .Also, on the occasion,the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the International Buddhist Confederation (IBC)is hosting a colourful programme for the Vaishakha Buddha Purnima Divas celebrations in New Delhi.The highlight will be the screening of a film on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foundation- stone laying ceremony, earlier in the day for the Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage at Lumbini, Nepal.The event will start at 2:00 pm with Chanting from various Buddhist sites played on the screen.The Chief Guest, for the event will be Shri KirenRijiju, Minister of&nbsp;Law and Justice, Government of India, while the&nbsp;Guest of Honourwill be Shri&nbsp;G. Kishan Reddy,&nbsp;Minister for Culture, Tourism and DoNER,&nbsp;Government of India with&nbsp;Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, Minister of State for Culture as special guest.The significance of the timing of Prime Minister’s visit to Nepal is to coincide the inauguration of&nbsp;LumbiniBuddhist Centre with the Holy Vaishakha Buddha Purnima Divas. The day is recognized as the thrice blessed day that marks the Birth, Enlightenment and Mahaparinirvana of Lord Buddha. While Buddha was born in Lumbiniin Nepal, he attained enlightenment in Bodhgaya in Bihar, preached his first sermon at Sarnath and attained Nirvana in Kushinagar, in Uttar Pradesh.Lumbini is the holy place where according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mahamayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama at around 623 B.C. Lord Buddha, was born in the famous gardens of Lumbini, which soon became a place of pilgrimage.Among the pilgrims was the Indian emperor Ashoka, who erected one of his commemorative pillars there. The site is now being developed as a Buddhist pilgrimage centre, where the archaeological remains associated with the birth of the Lord Buddha form a central feature.Some of the other Viharas and Monasteries in the area are the Myanmar’s Golden Temple, Tara Foundation Temple, The Sri Lanka Monastery, the Korean Temple (Dae Sung Shakya), the Cambodian Monastery and the Vietnamese Phat QuocTu Temple.Lumbini is one of the holiest and most important places in Nepal as a result of which it was included in the list of World Heritage areas by UNESCO.The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC), India- with its headquarters in New Delhi, was formed in 2013 as an international Buddhist umbrella body to serve as a common platform for Buddhists worldwide. It has the honour of being instituted under the patronage of the Supreme Buddhist religious hierarchy. The aim is to create a platform for various Buddhist organisations and traditions worldwide to preserve, propagate and promote shared Buddhist values and principles. The objective is also to find shared solutions to global problems.The IBC has been actively involved in engaging Buddhist organisations in Nepal and has a strong relationship with several senior Buddhist monks. The Prime Minister’s visit and the building of an Indian Centre within the LumbiniMonastic complex will further strengthen the bonds through a shared Buddhist heritage and legacy.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi will participate in the "Shilanyas” ceremony for the construction of a unique centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage within the Lumbini Monastic Zoneduring his official visit to Lumbini on 16 May 2022 on the occasion of VaishakhaBuddha Purnima.

PM to participate in the 'Shilanyas' ceremony for the construction of a unique centre for Buddhist Culture & Heritage in Lumbini May 16

New Delhi (The Hawk): Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited the Mayadevi Temple in Lumbini, Nepal on May 16, 2022 as the first stop of his one-day visit to Lumbini. Prime Minister was accompanied by the Prime Minister of Nepal Rt. Hon'ble Sher Bahadur Deuba and his spouse Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba.2. The Leaders paid their respects at the Marker Stone inside the temple premises, which pinpoints the exact birth spot of Lord Buddha. They attended the pooja conducted as per Buddhist rituals.3. The two Prime Ministers also lit lamps near the Ashoka Pillar located adjacent to the temple. The pillar, which was erected by Emperor Ashoka in 249 BC, bears the first epigraphic evidence of Lumbini being the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Thereafter, the two Prime Ministers watered the Bodhi tree sapling from Bodh Gaya which was gifted by PM Modi to Lumbini in 2014 and also signed the temple's visitor’s book.

Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi visited the Mayadevi Temple in Lumbini, Nepal on May 16, 2022 as the first stop of his one-day visit to Lumbini. Prime Minister was accompanied by the Prime Minister of Nepal Rt. Hon'ble Sher Bahadur Deuba and his spouse Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba.

PM visits  Mayadevi Temple in Lumbini, Nepal

New Delhi (The Hawk): Union Minister for Social Justice &amp; Empowerment Dr.Virendra Kumar will inaugurate the services of Composite Regional Centre (CRC) for Skill Development, Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) at Shillong, Meghalaya on 17 May 2022, tomorrow.Union Minister of State for Social Justice &amp; Empowerment Km.Pratima Bhoumik along with Shri Kyrmen Shylla, Minister of Social Welfare, Govt. of Meghalaya, ShriVincent H Pala, M.P., Meghalaya, Smt.Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh, MLA, East Khasi Hills District, Shillong will be present on the occasion.Smt. Anjali Bhawra (IAS), Secretary, DEPwD, MSJ&amp;E, GOI,&nbsp;Smt.S.B.Marak (MCS) Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities, Govt.of Meghalaya, Shri Sampath Kumar, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Social Welfare, Govt. of Meghalaya, Shri Nachiketa Rout, Director, NIEPMD, Chennai, Dr.Roshan Bijlee, Director &amp; Nodal Officer of CRC(Kozhikode &amp; Shillong) and other senior officerswill also attend the function.CRC- Shillong is situated around 10 acres of land given by Govt. of Meghalayaat Monfort Building, Dhankheti, Shillong and functioning under the administrative control of National Institute for Empowerment of Person with Multiple Disabilities (NIEPMD), Chennai, under the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan), Ministry of Social Justice &amp; Empowerment (MSJE), Govt. of India with an aim of creating resources and services required for Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) in the State of Meghalaya. The Government of India has set up CRCs in different parts of India, especially in the North Eastern States. The CRC at Shillong is the 20th such institution and has become functional since July 19th 2021. CRC-Shillong provides the clinical services to Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) like Special Education, Physiotherapy, Vocational Rehabilitation, Clinical Psychology, Orientation and Mobility training, Occupational Therapy, Speech &amp; Hearing Services, Prosthetic &amp; Orthotic services, Sensory Integration therapy, Guidance &amp; Counseling and community-based rehabilitation services in Meghalaya.CRC Shillong also provides Aids &amp; Appliances to the Persons with Disabilities (PwDs) under ADIP Scheme by organizing ADIP assessment and distribution camp.Apart from providing clinical services, this organization is involved in creating awareness, developing resource materials, conducting outreach programs and implementing schemes of Ministry of Social Justice &amp; Empowerment, GOI.

 Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment Dr.Virendra Kumar will inaugurate the services of Composite Regional Centre (CRC) for Skill Development, Rehabilitation and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (Divyangjan) at Shillong, Meghalaya on 17 May 2022, tomorrow.

Dr Virendra to inaugurate services of CRC-Shillong for skill development, rehabilitation & empowerment of PwDs May 17

Mumbai: Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant was happy that his team could finally buck the trend of winning one and losing the next game in the IPL while a dejected Punjab Kings leader Mayank Agarwal wanted to forget his team's inept batting show in a hurry.Delhi Capitals&nbsp;<a href="https://imsports.rediff.com/score/in_asa_1082166.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(71, 123, 196);">beat</a>&nbsp;Punjab Kings by 17 runs to move to fourth place in the points table with a superior net run-rate compared to Royal Challengers Bangalore, who also have 14 points, while Punjab remained in the IPL play-offs hunt only in theory. "Playing throughout the tournament, we have been losing one game and winning one game. That's something we wanted to change as a team and we got it," Pant said after the match.His opposite number Agarwal was grim and was trying hard to control his anger which was writ large on his face."We need to speak about the way we went about things with the bat, but that's about it. It's a game to forget," Aagrwal stated."We didn't bat well. Between overs 5 and 10, we lost too many wickets and that's where we lost the game. I thought it was definitely chaseable for the batting we have and the wicket wasn't as bad as it seemed. "We just lost too many wickets between the 5th and 10th over and lost the game there," the Punjab Kings skipper added.From his body language, it was evident that Agarwal was not at all convinced that his team has an iota of chance of qualifying in play-offs. "I think we haven't yet played our best cricket yet and we look forward to doing that in the last game," he further said. Winning captain Pant said the plan was to bat deep on a track where Punjab spinners Liam Livingstone and Harpreet Brar did bowl well. "The only thought process was to take it deep. We saw the spinners bowling well in the wicket. The wicket was slow." Pant also said that Prithvi Shaw remains a highly doubtful starter for the next game though he has been discharged from the hospital after recovering from typhoid.—PTI

Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant was happy that his team could finally buck the trend of winning one and losing the next game in the IPL while a dejected Punjab Kings leader Mayank Agarwal wanted to forget his team's inept batting show in a hurry.

Mayank wants to 'forget' match against DC

New Delhi: The three municipal corporations of Delhi will be formally merged on May 22, the central government announced on Wednesday. According to a notification issued by the Union home ministry, the Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2022 will come into effect from May 22.The legislation was approved by Lok Sabha on March 30 and by Rajya Sabha on April 5. President Ram Nath Kovind had given his assent on April 18. 'In exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (1) of section 3 of the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2022 (10 of 2022), the Central Government hereby appoints the 22nd day of May 2022 on which the Municipal Corporation of Delhi shall be constituted,' another notification said. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi was trifurcated in 2011 when Sheila Dikshit was the chief minister of Delhi and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance was in power at the Centre. According to the legislation, the unification of the municipal corporations in Delhi will ensure synergised and strategic planning and optimal utilisation of resources. Several opposition parties, including the AAP, had opposed the legislation to reunify the MCDs in Parliament. Replying to the debates, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said the move was necessitated due to the 'step-motherly treatment' meted out to the civic bodies by the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi. "This bill is in accordance with the Constitution. The Centre has the power to enact laws in the Union Territory of Delhi... This bill, from no angle, is an attack on the federal structure," the Union home minister had said, allaying the concerns raised by some opposition members. Delhi is only a Union Territory and not a full state, he had said, adding that Parliament has the competence to frame laws for Delhi. According to the legislation, the total number of seats of councillors and the number of seats reserved for the members of the Scheduled Caste (SC) communities in the corporation, shall, at the time of the establishment of the corporation, be as determined by the Centre and in no case, be more than 250. Upon the completion of each census after the establishment of the corporation, the number of seats shall be on the basis of the city's population as ascertained at that census and shall be determined by the Centre. The number of seats to be reserved for the members of the SC communities shall bear the same ratio to the total number of seats as the population of SCs bears to the total population of Delhi. All properties, movable and immovable, of or belonging to the erstwhile corporations shall vest in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. All the rights and liabilities of the erstwhile corporations shall be transferred to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. Any pending proceedings, including disciplinary, arbitration, appeal or other legal proceedings, of whatever nature, by or against the erstwhile corporations shall be continued or enforced by or against the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The legislation was introduced in Lok Sabha weeks before the polls to the three civic bodies of Delhi -- South, North and East -- were scheduled to be held. The polls, which were to be held in April, were deferred by the Delhi State Election Commission in March, citing a communication from the lieutenant governor which informed that the Centre was contemplating to reunify the three MCDs.—PTI

The three municipal corporations of Delhi will be formally merged on May 22, the central government announced on Wednesday.

Delhi municipalities to be formally merged on May 22

Kerala: A Kerala court on Monday convicted the husband of Vismaya, an Ayurveda medical student who hanged herself in her marital home in June last year, for dowry death and abetting her suicide. Additional District and Sessions Judge-1 Sujith K N also convicted the husband for the offence of dowry related harassment under the IPC and various provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act, Special Public Prosecutor G Mohanraj told reporters outside the court.The SPP said that the court is expected to pronounce the sentence on Tuesday after hearing arguments on behalf of the prosecution and the convict.He said that the prosecution would be seeking the maximum possible punishment for the convict -- S Kiran Kumar."This is a verdict against a social evil and not just against one person," the SPP said. The offence of dowry death under section 304B of IPC carries a minimum sentence of seven years and a maximum of life imprisonment.The offences of dowry harassment under Section 498A of IPC and abetment to suicide under Section 306 of IPC carry a maximum punishment of three years and 10 years jail term, respectively.Vismaya's father spoke to reporters outside the court and said that his daughter has got justice.He said he did not have words to express his gratitude for the efforts of the prosecution and the investigating team.Prior to leaving for the court, he had told reporters at his residence that the government appointed a very good investigating team to probe the case and a very good prosecutor.Just before the verdict was delivered, state Transport Minister Antony Raju told reporters that irrespective of the court's decision in the criminal case, there will be no change in the state government's decision to dismiss Kumar from service.Kumar, who was an assistant motor vehicle inspector, was out on bail which was granted to him by the Supreme Court.However, with his conviction, the bail granted to him stands rescinded and police took him into custody from the court.He was taken to the district jail and will arrive in court on Tuesday from there.While being taken away by the police from the court, Kumar did not answer the repeated queries by reporters on what he had to say regarding the verdict.Vismaya's brother and mother too welcomed the verdict.The teary-eyed mother, who was watching the news from home, told reporters that her daughter has got justice.She also expressed hope that Kumar would get the maximum possible punishment.Vismaya's brother too spoke on similar lines.Talking to a news channel from his workplace, he said that while it would not bring back his sister back, the verdict would hopefully act as a deterrent and may help countless others like his sister avoid a fate like that of Vismaya.IG Harshitha Attaluri, who was overseeing the probe in the case, also welcomed the verdict and told reporters that it would act as a deterrent against dowry practices in society.She said that dowry was the reason behind the harassment and cruelty suffered by the victim which led her to take the extreme step.The court had on May 17 reserved its verdict in the case.Kerala Police in its over 500-page charge sheet had said that Vismaya committed suicide due to dowry harassment.Vismaya, 22, was found dead in the house of her husband at Sasthamkotta in Kollam district on June 21, 2021.A day before the incident, Vismaya had sent WhatsApp messages to her relatives over the alleged harassment by Kumar over dowry, as well as photos of wounds and marks of beatings on her body. Her father had said that 100 sovereigns of gold (one sovereign is equal to 8 grams gold) and over one acre land, besides a car worth Rs 10 lakh was given as dowry to Kumar during the wedding in 2020.But Kumar did not like the car and wanted Rs 10 lakh in cash. As he was told it was not possible, he used to torture her, the father had said.—PTI

A Kerala court on Monday convicted the husband of Vismaya, an Ayurveda medical student who hanged herself in her marital home in June last year, for dowry death and abetting her suicide.

Kerala court convicts husband guilty in Vismaya dowry death case

Bhopal:&nbsp;President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Madhya Pradesh from May 27 to 29 during which he will lay the foundation stone of some health institutions and address a conference, a state official said on Tuesday. Kovind will arrive in Bhopal on May 27. The next day, he would take part in the foundation stone laying ceremony of some new health institutions in the state capital, he said.On May 29, the president will go to Ujjain to address participants of the All-India Ayurveda Conference at the Kalidas Academy there, the official said. Kovind will also offer prayers at the famous Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain and will later leave for Delhi via Indore, he said. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday reviewed the preparations for President Kovind's visit, the official said. Senior state officials, including Chief Secretary Iqbal Singh Bains, Director General of Police Sudhir Saxena, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Dr Rajesh Rajora and ACS (Health) Mohammed Suleiman, were present in the review meeting.—PTI

President Ram Nath Kovind will visit Madhya Pradesh from May 27 to 29 during which he will lay the foundation stone of some health institutions and address a conference, a state official said on Tuesday.

President Kovind to visit MP from May 27 to 29

Kerala: A Kerala court on Tuesday sentenced to 10 years in jail the husband of Vismaya, an Ayurveda medical student who hanged herself in her marital home in June last year, for dowry death.Additional district and sessions judge-1 Sujith K N also sentenced S Kiran Kumar to six years and two years imprisonment respectively for the offences of abetment to suicide and dowry harassment under the IPC, special public prosecutor G Mohanraj told reporters. Kumar was also sentenced to six years for the offence of taking dowry and one year for demanding dowry under the Dowry Prohibition Act.The court said the sentences would run concurrently, the SPP told reporters after the sentence was pronounced.A total fine of Rs 12,55,000 was also imposed on Kumar, he said, adding that out of that amount Rs 2 lakh has been directed to be paid to the parents of the victim.The SPP said he was satisfied with the sentence awarded to the convict.However, the victim's mother, who appeared disheartened, said she was not happy with the outcome as she had expected the convict would get life term. Addressing media at her residence, she said the family would appeal against the sentencing and that she does not believe her daughter got justice.She also said that they would be continuing their efforts for action against the others who were allegedly responsible for Vismaya's suicide.Vismaya's father, on the other hand, told reporters outside the court that he was happy with the punishment given to Kumar.He said he as well as his daughter have got justice and that the punishment was also a message to society.He also said he had not expected that life term would be given to Kumar.Whether to appeal or not would be decided after discussing it with the SPP.The court order came after hearing arguments on behalf of the prosecution and the convict on the quantum of sentence.Special public prosecutor G Mohanraj, in his arguments, sought the maximum possible punishment for the convict so that it acts as a deterrent in society.The convict's lawyers sought a compassionate view from the court claiming that he is the sole earner in the family and that his parents were suffering from various ailments.Earlier in the day, Vismaya's father left for court in the car which was given as dowry.He told scribes outside his home that his daughter loved the car and he believes her soul is there with him in the vehicle.The court on Monday had convicted Kumar for the offences of dowry death (section 304B), abetment of suicide (section 306) and dowry related harassment (section 498A) under the IPC and various provisions of the Dowry Prohibition Act.The offence of dowry death under section 304B of IPC carries a minimum sentence of seven years and a maximum of life imprisonment.The offences of dowry harassment under Section 498A of IPC and abetment to suicide under Section 306 of IPC carry a maximum punishment of three years and 10 years jail term, respectively.Kumar, who was an assistant motor vehicle inspector, was dismissed from service after his arrest in the case and state Transport Minister Antony Raju on Monday had said that there will be no change in that irrespective of whether the court convicts him or not.However, with his conviction, the bail granted to him by the Supreme Court was automatically rescinded and the police had taken him into custody from the court.The court had on May 17 reserved its verdict in the case.The Kerala police in its over 500-page charge sheet had said that Vismaya committed suicide due to dowry harassment.Vismaya, 22, was found dead in the house of her husband at Sasthamkotta in Kollam district on June 21, 2021.A day before the incident, Vismaya had sent WhatsApp messages to her relatives over the alleged harassment by Kumar over dowry, as well as photos of wounds and marks of beatings on her body. Her father had said that 100 sovereigns of gold (one sovereign is equal to 8 grams gold) and over one acre land, besides a car worth Rs 10 lakh was given as dowry to Kumar during the wedding in 2020.But Kumar did not like the car and wanted Rs 10 lakh in cash. As he was told it was not possible, he used to torture her, the father had said.—PTI

A Kerala court on Tuesday sentenced to 10 years in jail the husband of Vismaya, an Ayurveda medical student who hanged herself in her marital home in June last year, for dowry death.

The Hawk

Tag : May

Why We Celebrate Ram Navami?

Sunil Aswal

Tag : May

Why We Celebrate Ram Navami?

Sunil Aswal

More about May