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Navaratri 2022: Rituals and festivities performed during Shardiya Navaratri

Another important component of the festival is the Durga Aarti which is the prayer performed twice a day to honour the goddess Durga.

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Navaratri 2022

The auspicious occasion of Navratri is a biannual festival celebrated by Devotees from all over the world. The first Navratri, known as Chaitra Navaratri, is usually performed from March to April. whereas, the second which is the primary Navaratri, Shardiya Navaratri, falls from September to October.

Navaratri is celebrated in honor of the nine avatars of the goddess Durga that she manifested during her 9-day-long battle with Demon Mahishasura, which ended with Goddess Durga defeating and killing Mahishasura on the tenth day, also known and celebrated as the day of Vijayadashami. During the nine-day-long span of the festival, the devotees and followers indulge themselves in rituals and festivities in devotion to Goddess Durga’s nine forms.

Rituals followed during Navaratri are as follows:

Ghat Sthapna Puja:

On the morning of the first day of Shardiya Navaratri, the ritual of Ghat Sthapna Puja is performed. In the ceremony, the devotee has to place a Durga idol or photograph at a place where it can’t be moved during the span of the festival. The ceremony also imposes the devotees to put a pitcher filled with mango leaves and coconut near a location and plant sorghum seeds around it. The devotees, who are expected to carry out the various tasks usually assemble and put everything in the morning and ask goddess Durga to bless them with wealth and knowledge.

Durga Aarti

Another important component of the festival is the Durga Aarti which is the prayer performed to honour the goddess Durga twice a day. Devotees usually perform the prayer early morning and late in the evening because that allows them to carry out different preparations during their free time. The devotees usually recite the prayer every day throughout the festival of Navaratri.

Durga Saptshati Path

Durga Saptashati Path is a sacred text or poem that imparts the teachings and beliefs of the goddess Durga in her own words. The devotees read the text or the poems to honour and absorb the knowledge the goddess has departed in the text.

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Kanya Pujan

In this ritual, the devotees prepare the Goddess Durga’s favorite food which is Halva, Puri, and Chane to offer to the girls from the neighborhood, who are invited and welcomed to feast during the time. The devotees also touch the feet as a sign of respect and to seek blessings from them. The girls are also given gifts after their feasts.

Navratri fast

Devotees usually practice fasting according to their convenience and health measures, Usually many devotees begin their fasting from the first day of Sharidiye Navratri and go on to fast for all nine days of the festival. Whereas, some only fast on the commencement and concluding days.

Dandiya Dance or Garba Raas

One of the most loved and iconic days of the festival is the day of Garba and Dandiya Raas, where devotees indulge themselves in the act of dancing with the help of two Bamboo sticks. The dance symbolizes the battle between goddess Durga and Demon Mahishasura. The dance is also known as the sword dance.

Navratri Jawar Visarjan

On the ninth day of the celebration, devotees while worshiping the goddess and take the grown Jawar, which was planted around the pitcher on the commencement day, is taken for immersion into the rivers, or sometimes, the followers even place them under Peepal trees.

Duga Visarjan

Much like its name, Durga Visarjan, or immersion of goddess Durga into the rivers, ponds, and lakes is also carried out by devotees. Many places that organize pandals with huge Durga idols get to immerse big idols of goddess Durga.

These are some of the rituals that one can witness during the festivities of Shardiya Navaratri. Shardiya Navaratri, this year, will commence on 26th September and end on 5th October.

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India hits back at Shehbaz Sharif at UN, says terror will have consequences

India hit back at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s UN speech, with New Delhi warning that terrorism will have consequences.

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India has responded to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s remarks at the United Nations, delivering a strong message on terrorism and warning that such actions will have consequences.

The response came after Mr Sharif addressed the UN and raised issues concerning India and Pakistan. New Delhi rejected the narrative presented by the Pakistani prime minister and highlighted the issue of terrorism.

India’s message was delivered by Petal Gehlot, who represented New Delhi in the response to Pakistan.

India warns Pakistan over terrorism

India’s response focused on Pakistan’s record and its approach towards terrorism. New Delhi made clear that terrorism cannot be separated from its consequences and that those responsible cannot expect such actions to go unanswered.

The Indian side also pushed back against the claims and allegations made by Mr Sharif during his UN speech.

The exchange comes amid continuing tensions between India and Pakistan, with terrorism remaining a major point of disagreement between the two countries.

Shehbaz Sharif’s UN remarks

In his address, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif spoke about India-Pakistan relations and raised several issues concerning New Delhi.

India subsequently exercised its right of reply to respond to Pakistan’s statements at the United Nations.

New Delhi’s response underlined its position that terrorism remains a serious issue in the relationship and that there would be consequences for terrorist actions.

The latest exchange at the UN adds to the continuing diplomatic confrontation between the two neighbouring countries.

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Veeramani POCSO case: Vijay questions Stalin over earlier probe

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has questioned MK Stalin over the handling of the Veeramani POCSO case, while Stalin has rejected allegations that the previous DMK government protected anyone.

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Actor Vijay

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president C Joseph Vijay has questioned DMK president MK Stalin over the handling of the POCSO case involving Gem Granites founder R Veeramani. The political exchange follows renewed investigation into allegations involving minor girls.

Vijay’s remarks came as the ruling TVK stepped up its questions about how the case was handled during the previous DMK government. The party’s IT wing has alleged that the earlier investigation was weakened and questioned why a final report was filed.

The allegations have been rejected by the DMK. Stalin has said that no order was issued by the DMK government to protect anyone in the case and has called the allegations false and defamatory.

What did Vijay say about the Veeramani case?

Vijay questioned Stalin over the handling of the case and demanded an explanation from the former chief minister.

The TVK has specifically questioned why action was not taken against Veeramani during the previous administration and why the earlier investigation resulted in a closure report.

The party has also raised questions about the role of officials involved in the earlier investigation. These are political allegations made by the TVK and have not been established as facts.

What is the Veeramani POCSO case?

The case concerns allegations of sexual abuse of minors involving R Veeramani, the founder of Gem Granites.

The case came under renewed scrutiny after a special POCSO court rejected an earlier closure report and ordered further investigation. The expanded probe has subsequently identified additional alleged survivors who were minors at the time of the alleged offences, according to current reporting.

The investigation is also examining the circumstances surrounding the earlier probe and whether there were any lapses in how the case was handled.

What has MK Stalin said?

Stalin has rejected allegations that the previous DMK government protected Veeramani.

He has said that no order was issued by the DMK government to shield anyone in the case. Stalin has also said that everyone responsible for the alleged offences, including anyone who aided or attempted to protect the accused, should face the law.

The DMK president has further said that the focus should remain on securing justice for the affected girls rather than making political allegations.

Why has the case become a political issue?

The Veeramani case has become the subject of a political dispute between the ruling TVK and the DMK over the handling of the earlier investigation.

The TVK is questioning the previous government’s handling of the case, while the DMK has denied that it intervened to protect the accused.

At this stage, claims about political interference or deliberate weakening of the earlier investigation should be treated as allegations unless established by the ongoing investigation or judicial proceedings.

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Women wrestlers challenge Brij Bhushan’s acquittal in sexual harassment case

Four women wrestlers have challenged the acquittal of former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and co-accused Vinod Tomar in a sexual harassment case.

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Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

Four women wrestlers have approached a Delhi court challenging the acquittal of former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP leader Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in a sexual harassment case.

The wrestlers have also challenged the acquittal of co-accused Vinod Tomar. The matter is scheduled to be heard by a Special Judge at the Rouse Avenue Courts.

The appeal challenges the order passed by an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate on August 3, 2026, when Brij Bhushan and Tomar were acquitted in the case.

Wrestlers challenge court’s reasoning

In their appeal, the wrestlers have argued that the acquittal order is legally unsustainable and that the evidence was not assessed appropriately.

They have also alleged that the order relied on assumptions about how victims of sexual assault and harassment were expected to behave instead of assessing the evidence and circumstances of the complainants.

The challenge seeks judicial scrutiny of the findings that resulted in the acquittal of Brij Bhushan and Tomar.

Brij Bhushan was acquitted in August

The Rouse Avenue court acquitted Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh on August 3 in the sexual harassment case involving women wrestlers. The court’s decision followed consideration of the evidence and statements presented during the proceedings.

The case had emerged after several women wrestlers accused the former WFI chief of sexual harassment. The allegations had led to a major protest by wrestlers in 2023.

The latest appeal means the acquittal is now being challenged before a higher court.

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