Roll out a hundred Jagannath Dhams
First, it was the Great Rasagola-Roshogolla Spat. Now it's the 'Goddamn, there's another Jagannath Dham !' tussle. The two sparring parties are the same - Odisha and West Bengal. As is wont with legacy institutions not taking kindly to upstart crows, this time, too, Odisha, where the Jagannath Temple has been standing in the coastal town of Puri since the 12th c., is miffed after Bengal's new Jagannath Temple has come up at the seaside resort of Digha since April 30, 2025. One would have thought that Odisha would have been chuffed that Bengal turned to Puri for inspiration to spread the lord's word. But it turns out now that quite like rasagola-roshogolla, the epithet of 'dham' (abode) can be applied only to four sacred places: Badrinath, Dwarka, Rameswaram and Puri. Somehow, Delhi's Akshardham missed the memo.The quarrel, of course, is over more mortal things: religious tourists. It's as if when a Wendy's outlet opens in the 'hood, legacy McDonald's is supposed to get riled up. But guys, guys, guys. Places of worship are also part of competitive capitalism. One more branch of Jagannath Dham® should be good news, no? After all, if Big J is, as divinity, omnipresent, it should stand to reason that he has many dhams. In fact, setting up a Jagannath St-Tropez and a Jagannath KwaZulu-Natal should be the next logical step in J-walking.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News18
5 hours ago
- News18
J&K LG Manoj Sinha Holds Meeting In Srinagar To Discuss Arrangements For Amaranth Yatra
Last Updated: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha urged all stakeholders to turn the yatra into a vibrant expression of spirituality, unity, and communal harmony. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday described the annual Amarnath Yatra as a true people's pilgrimage, emphasising that every resident of Jammu and Kashmir plays a vital role in the sacred journey. He urged all stakeholders to turn the yatra into a vibrant expression of spirituality, unity, and communal harmony. 'Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra stands as a powerful symbol of Jammu and Kashmir's glorious past and its promising future. It is truly a peoples' yatra. Every citizen is a key stakeholder of this holy pilgrimage which also holds profound socio-economic, spiritual, and cultural significance for every section of society,' he said. Ahead of the annual Amaranth Yatra starting on July 3, the lieutenant governor interacted with various stakeholders here to discuss arrangements for smooth pilgrimage. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah was present at the interaction at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) here in which members of the civil society, religious leaders, DDC chairpersons, members of business and trade associations, and MLAs also participated. 'I appeal to the civil society members, elected public representatives, religious, trade and business organizations to make this pilgrimage a vibrant celebration of spirituality, unity, love and communal harmony," Sinha said. The lieutenant governor welcomed the suggestions from various sections of the society and sought their active participation and cooperation in smooth conduct of the holy pilgrimage. He said the peaceful conduct of this holy yatra will send a strong message that the people of Jammu Kashmir stand united. 'Spiritual leaders, civil society members, public representatives, trade and business fraternity are respected members of J&K family and are carrying forward this thousands-of-years-old spiritual tradition with complete devotion. This year too, maintaining social harmony and social unity and ensuring peaceful and successful conduct of the holy pilgrimage is your responsibility," he said. Sinha highlighted the key initiatives by Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board, administration, J&K Police, security forces and other stakeholders for enhancing the pilgrim-centric facilities and making the yatra more secure and safer for the pilgrims. The lieutenant governor also urged the pilgrims to travel in the designated convoys. 'I have made an on-ground assessment of the facilities on the yatra tracks which were recently developed for the convenience of pilgrims. The number of pilgrims' registration have been increasing continuously and I am confident that the large number of devotees will visit the holy cave to pay their obeisance to Baba Barfani," he said. Sinha said Jammu Kashmir and its people have always rejected distinctions between sects and religions, consistently extending respect and acceptance to every faith and its unique forms of worship. 'With this very spirit, let us welcome the lakhs of devotees arriving for the Shri Amarnathji Yatra and, through our collective efforts, ensure a successful, peaceful and hassle-free pilgrimage for all the devotees," he added. The lieutenant governor said the administration has made preparations, including security-related, for comfort of the visiting pilgrims. 'Despite challenging weather conditions and tough terrain, efforts have been made to ensure better facilities for the pilgrims. Many of you are aware of this. Significant improvements have taken place," said Sinha in his address. 'I also know that people from Jammu and Kashmir, especially those involved in this yatra, have served with dedication and will continue to do so," he added. Speaking to reporters after the meeting, the lieutenant governor said the stakeholders have assured of all possible support to make the yatra a success. 'I had invited all the senior leaders and representatives of the political parties to the Raj Bhavan and requested them to make the Amarnath Yatra and Muharram successful. They assured me of support for both the yatra as well as Muharram," said Sinha. 'The members of the civil society, religious leaders, DDC chairpersons, office bearers of business and trade associations, and MLAs, were here for consultations today. Senior officers were also present. We have been doing this endeavour for the last four years," he added. The lieutenant governor said the stakeholders have assured him that the yatra belongs more to people than the administration and shrine board, and all will provide their support to make the yatra successful. 'I hope that with the blessings of Baba Amarnath, the yatra will be successful," he added. tags : Amarnath Yatra J&K manoj sinha Location : Jammu and Kashmir, India, India First Published: June 28, 2025, 23:17 IST News india J&K LG Manoj Sinha Holds Meeting In Srinagar To Discuss Arrangements For Amaranth Yatra
Indian Express
13 hours ago
- Indian Express
India's AMCA fighter jet programme: Indigenous, ambitious and in urgent need of whole-of-nation approach
Written by Sanket Kulkarni The momentum in aerospace and defence manufacturing in India has been steadily picking up pace over the last five years. The private sector's ability to deliver on critical defence projects has been well tested with programmes in the domain of drones, military transport aircraft, and artillery guns. The collaboration between the government and the private sector reached its peak with the Aeronautical Development Agency recently releasing an Expression of Interest (EOI), inviting companies to participate in the development of a fifth-generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). With China unveiling the model of J-35A fifth-generation fighter aircraft at the 55th Edition of the Paris Air Show in 2025 and reports suggesting that work on its sixth-generation fighter aircraft is underway at full speed, there is immense pressure on India to ramp up its efforts in developing indigenous capabilities in the domain of fighter aircraft. Media reports mention that the first prototype of India's AMCA is expected to be tested by 2029, and the aircraft's complete development by 2034. Predictably, the next few weeks will throw up interesting surprises on how Indian companies work out different permutations and combinations to create credible consortia involving domestic and foreign players to support their respective bids for the AMCA programme. The Defence Acquisition Procedure of 2020 has enumerated several frameworks for the procurement of defence items, including partnerships with foreign Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) possessing superior technology. This, combined with parallel initiatives, programmes, and policies to boost the overall innovation ecosystem, especially in the emerging technologies space, will complement AMCA's development. With the prospects of greater private sector involvement, the chances of adherence to timelines increase substantially. Having said this, there is a need for the concerned industry participants, end-users and the curating agency to work together in mission mode. More importantly, the successful development of the AMCA programme needs continued political mentorship and support. AMCA is not a routine programme, but a matter of national importance. This is particularly so, considering the range of national security challenges faced by India and disturbing developments in its extended neighbourhood. India, therefore, needs to become self-reliant in defence technology, especially those platforms that will win future wars and ensure our national security. While India's economic prominence and ascendancy on the global stage enable it to access advanced defence platforms, such access is always vulnerable to evolving global geopolitics. For instance, Russia's dependency on China in the last few years negates the former's ability to completely throw its weight behind India like before. The defence technology cooperation between China and Russia has significantly enhanced, encompassing air defence systems, drones, and critical minerals, etc. China is Russia's largest trading partner and has, over the years, consolidated its cooperation in the energy domain. Similarly, even though India's strategic partnership with the United States has deepened significantly, the latter has a habit of springing unpleasant surprises, especially when it comes to handling Pakistan. The European Union is preoccupied with its own economic and geopolitical woes, compelling it to keep its channels open with everyone, including China. In lieu of the above context, curating the journey of AMCA requires a whole-of-nation approach. Our experience in developing indigenous defence programmes like the light combat aircraft, UAVs, main battle tanks, and missile programmes has helped create a body of insights on what worked and what did not. The curating agency must revisit some of these projects to derive information on and guidance for AMCA's development journey. AMCA's success will depend on the ability of the curating agency and political leadership to absorb and harmonise diverse sets of challenges, and the capabilities of industry partners, end-users, innovation hubs, and line ministries to steer the programme towards intended outcomes in given timelines. From a political perspective, big-ticket defence projects have been embroiled in major political controversies, leading to inordinate delays and impacting national security. For this programme, it would serve well if political parties refrain from mudslinging against each other. As per reports, the induction of AMCA is expected to begin from 2035. During this period, it is imperative that political stakeholders demonstrate continuity in steering national efforts to ensure AMCA's success, irrespective of changes in ruling governments at the Centre and at the level of states. With respect to AMCA's development, India needs to showcase a spirit of political cooperation cutting across the ideological spectrum, similar to what we saw in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. The writer is a defence analyst based in Mumbai
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Respect India's right to defend itself against terror, China told
NEW DELHI: India has asked China to constructively work towards a "permanent solution" to the border issue under a structured roadmap to bridge trust deficit, de-escalate tensions and rejuvenate the existing mechanism to demarcate it, even as their armies continue to be forward deployed against each other along the frontier for the last five years. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Defence minister also told his Chinese counterpart, Admiral Dong Jun, on the sidelines of the SCO conclave Thursday that Beijing should understand and respect India's "principled approach" to defend itself against cross-border terror sponsored by Pakistan, officials told TOI. Rajnath: India, China should not remain stuck in the past Briefing Admiral Dong about the "heinous" Pahalgam massacre and the subsequent launched by India against terrorist networks in Pakistan, Singh said both New Delhi and Beijing should "avoid adding new complexities" to their bilateral relationship. T his came in the backdrop of Pakistan using a wide array of Chinese weapons, including J-10 fighters firing the PL-15 beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, against India during the cross-border hostilities from May 7 to 10. Under their deep military collusiveness, China is now also going to supply Pakistan with at least 40 J-35A fifth-generation stealth jets and HQ-19 long-range air defence missile systems. The hour-long meeting, however, mainly focussed on the need to maintain peace and tranquillity along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control (LAC), with Singh stressing the need for "solving the complex issues through a structured roadmap of permanent engagement and de-escalation". India's repeated use of 'permanent' represents a new push for resolving the decades-old festering border dispute. Acknowledging efforts by both sides to bring back a "semblance of normalcy" in bilateral ties, Singh also put forward a four-point plan to put the overall relationship on an upward trajectory, officials told TOI. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now This involves both sides first strictly adhering to the plan that led to troop disengagement at the two remaining face-off sites at Depsang and Demchok in eastern Ladakh last Oct, which has reduced the risk of any inadvertent escalation. They should now move forward to the next steps of de-escalation and de-induction of troops from their forward deployments along the LAC. The two countries should also accelerate efforts to achieve the goal of demarcation and delimitation of the border and register concrete progress in the existing special representatives (SR) level mechanism to achieve a fair and mutually-acceptable solution to the boundary question and other issues. The forward momentum in bilateral ties has gained ground since national security advisor Ajit Doval and Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi discussed various issues under the SR mechanism in Beijing last Dec for the first time since 2019. "Singh said India and China should not remain stuck in the past. He called for bridging the trust deficit created after the border standoff in 2020 by taking action on the ground," an official said. "The two ministers agreed to continue consultations at various levels to achieve progress on issues related to disengagement, de-escalation, border management and eventual de-limitation through existing mechanisms," he added.
