Conversion hasn't erased caste. Can a census do it?
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Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Nag Panchami 2025: Is the festival on July 28 or 29? Know correct date, shubh muhurat, puja vidhi and significance
Nag Panchami 2025: Per Hindu beliefs, Shukla Paksha Panchami during the month of Sawan/Shravan is observed as Nag Panchami. Usually, Nag Panchami day falls two days after Hariyali Teej, which was observed on July 27. Nag Panchami 2025: Every year, Nag Panchami falls two days after Hariyali Teej. This year, it will be observed on July 29. (HT Photo) Also Read | This Teej, ghevar goes gourmet with modern reinventions Per the English calendar, Nag Panchami falls in the months of July and August. On this day, women devotees worship Nag Devta (serpent god) and offer milk to snakes. They also pray for the wellness of their brothers and family. Here's everything you need to know about this day. Nag Panchami 2025: Date and shubh muhurat This year, many devotees have confusion over when to mark the festival of Nag Panchami because the muhurat starts a day before. Here's everything you need to know according to Drik Panchang: This year, Nag Panchami is on Tuesday, July 29. Nag Panchami Puja Muhurat - 5:41 AM to 8:23 AM The shubh muhurat will last for 2 hours and 43 minutes. Panchami Tithi Begins - 11:24 PM on July 28 Panchami Tithi Ends - 12:46 AM on July 30 Brahma Muhurta - 4:17 AM to 4:59 AM Abhijit Muhurta - 12:00 PM to 12:55 PM Vijaya Muhurta - 2:43 PM to 3:37 PM Sunrise - 5:41 AM Sunset - 7:14 PM Moonrise - 9:50 AM Additionally, due to the ongoing Sawan celebrations, this time there is also a coincidence of Mangala Gauri Vrat on Nag Panchami. Nag Panchami 2025: Puja vidhi and significance On the auspicious occasion of Nag Panchami, devotees should wake up early and wear clean clothes. To perform the rituals, spread a red cloth on a wooden stand and place the idol of the snake god on it. Offer milk, water, turmeric, rice, flowers, roli, and sweets during worship and recite the story of Nag Panchami. Per Drik Panchang, it is believed that if devotees worship snakes on this festival, their prayers reach the serpent gods, which reduces any negative presence in their lives. Additionally, this festival is a symbol of respect for the Nag Devta and his protection. It is said that worshipping on this day brings happiness and prosperity to the house. In the Hindu calendar, some days are considered significant to worship serpent Gods and Panchami Tithi, especially during the Shravan month, is considered highly auspicious.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Grievances pour in at SC/ST meet: Bridge built far from Koraga settlement, says activist
MANGALURU: Social activist Shekhar Laila raised several concerns affecting marginalised communities in Belthangady at the SC/ST grievances redressal meeting held by Mangaluru City Police and Dakshina Kannada District Police on Sunday. He highlighted the plight of around 200 Malekudiya families living across nine villages in Kudremukh National Park who are deprived of basic amenities like electricity and road access. Laila also mentioned that six to seven Koraga families in Atrinje, Sulkeri, are forced to cross a river using a fragile wooden log during the monsoon. Although a new bridge was sanctioned, it was constructed nearly a kilometre away from their settlement, making it difficult to access—especially for school-going children. Superintendent of Police Dr Arun K assured that the matter would be verified and suitable action would be taken. Laila also reported a near-mishap at Ithilapela in Savanalu, where a two-wheeler rider and pillion were almost swept away while crossing a flooded stream, due to the absence of a proper bridge. The SP requested a list of villages requiring footbridges and assured that a proposal would be forwarded to the concerned authorities. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Brain tumor has left my son feeling miserable; please help! Donate For Health Donate Now Undo Further, he flagged concerns about 18 contract-based 'D' group staff working at Belthangady Taluk Hospital, who reportedly receive their salaries only once every three to four months and are not granted even a single day of leave. The SP promised to take the matter up with the District Health Officer. A Dalit representative also raised the issue of 13 Scheduled Caste families in Nirde and Ajakala, Balnadu in Puttur taluk, who have no proper road connectivity. 'Even pregnant women and patients struggle,' he said, adding that repeated appeals to officials, including the Deputy Commissioner, had not yielded any results. The SP assured that he would bring the issue to the notice of the DC and the District Legal Services Authority. Concerns were also raised regarding miscreants using the premises of a government school in Vamadapadavu to consume alcohol and gutka. The SP assured that a night beat point would be assigned and regular patrolling would be arranged. 'Mafia' behind sand crisis Responding to complaints about the shortage of sand and laterite stones, SP Dr Arun K said, 'There is no real shortage. There is adequate sand in the district. The problem lies with the mafia, which is trying to push for CRZ sand.' He added that sand blocks have been identified and are available for booking via the Sand Bazaar app. 'Lawful construction is not being obstructed by police, but illegal activities will not be tolerated,' he stated.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Time of India
'Return to the land': Group sets up all-white town in Arkansas; civil rights activists raise alarm
(Image credit: RTTL X handle) An extremist ethnonationalist organisation has established an exclusively white settlement in a secluded area of northeastern Arkansas's Ozarks and is reportedly considering expansion into Missouri. Return to the Land (RTTL), a self-described private membership association for people with "traditional views and European ancestry," launched its initial community in Arkansas in October 2023 and is now planning to enter Missouri, likely near Springfield, according to NBC affiliate KSNT. The organisation rejects mass immigration, multiculturalism and "forced integration" and excludes non-white, non-Christian and LGBT+ individuals, stating its members aim to distance themselves from contemporary society in favour of rural living. "You want a white nation? Build a white town?" RTTL's co-founder Eric Orwoll asks in an X video promoting the initiative. "It can be done. We're doing it." The organisation's primary settlement spans roughly 150 acres, houses 40 residents, and includes cabins, roads, wells, a community centre, and a schoolhouse. A second location opened nearby in January 2024, with plans for another Ozarks site and potential expansion into the Appalachian mountains listed on their website. In conversation with Sky News journalist Tom Cheshire, who visited RTTL's first settlement and observed activities including goat milk production, flute performances, family sports and swimming, Orwoll expressed longing for 17th-century colonial America. "I would probably feel more comfortable there because I'm white and that's the way this country was when my ancestors came there," he remarked, disregarding the indigenous population displaced by colonisation," he said. "Even if an individual has all the same values that I have, if they have an ethnic identity that other people share and care about, their children will also have that identity, and their children might not necessarily have all the same beliefs that they have," Cheshire further added. Regarding RTTL's growth plans, he said, "I would like to have more communities so that people in all parts of the U.S. have this as an option if they want. I would also like us to network and branch out internationally." Their expansion efforts include online fundraising, including a campaign offering financial incentives to parents of newborns to encourage population growth, which had reached half of its $10,000 target. Despite promoting rural living, RTTL maintains an active social media presence, sharing construction updates, nature photography, and children's book illustrations to promote their pastoral vision. Orwoll, who presents his project as a matter of First Amendment rights and private property freedom, has invested significantly in legal research. "The attorneys we've consulted believe what we're doing is legal," he told KSNT. "Americans have the right to freely associate and form intentional communities on whatever basis they choose." He believes RTTL's private membership association status exempts it from anti-discrimination laws like the Civil Rights Act and Fair Housing Act, though legal experts dispute this interpretation. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin responded, "Racial discrimination has no place in Arkansas or anywhere in a free society. These allegations raise all sorts of legal issues, including constitutional concerns. My office is reviewing the matter." Barry Jefferson, Arkansas NAACP chapter president, said: "I just truly believe that we don't need to get back to the Jim Crow era. We've been through that before. I think no one should be discriminated against because of their skin colour. "If you really look deep into the Civil Rights Act, it doesn't state that. I think they're misunderstanding what it states because there have been many organisations that tried to carve that out. That's not right," he added. The Anti-Defamation League has directly criticised RTTL, stating it attempts to resurrect "discredited and reprehensible forms of segregation." When questioned about racist elements within his organisation, including white supremacist content in its Telegram channel and his views on Adolf Hitler's "second coming," Orwoll maintained that conventional perspectives on the Nazi leader are "one-sided" and influenced by wartime propaganda. "I think all historical figures are complex, multi-dimensional," he said. "But when I say, 'you're gonna have to wait for that new Hitler to arise', I'm not saying you're going to have to wait for a new person to start a new Holocaust," Orwoll further said, adding to his statement that, "I am saying you are going to wait for a charismatic leader who is going to advocate for your interests because that's how a lot of people see Hitler."
