Latest news with #Himachal
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Why some women in the hills still marry two men
Why some women in the hills still marry two men Team TOI Plus Jul 24, 2025, 18:35 IST IST In the hills where land is scarce and labour is shared, polyandry still finds quiet legitimacy — and this wedding, with its music, rituals, and pride, made it visible again It's usually the groom who arrives in a baraat. But in this Himachal wedding, it was the bride who was brought in a procession. But that is not why the wedding is being talked about around the country. Waiting at the family home where the bride-led baraat arrived were two grooms – brothers Pradeep and Kapil Negi.
Miami Herald
7 days ago
- Science
- Miami Herald
Clawed creature with ‘bent' toes found along road in India. It's a new species
Along a narrow mountain road snaking through the Himalayas, a clawed creature with 'bent' toes moved along the ground. Its coppery eyes scanned the charred landscape, but it wasn't the only one looking around. Visiting scientists noticed the patterned animal — and discovered a new species. A team of researchers ventured into the mountains of Himachal Pradesh, India, in May 2024 to survey its reptiles and amphibians. The state sits in the western Himalayas, a 'known biodiversity hotspot' with some 'less well-investigated' areas, according to a study published July 22 in the peer-reviewed journal Zootaxa. During their surveys, researchers stopped on a road at the 'outskirts' of a village and found four unfamiliar-looking lizards, the study said. Intrigued, they took a closer look at the animals, analyzed its DNA and realized they'd identified a new species: Cyrtodactylus himachalensis, or the Himachal bent-toed gecko. Himachal bent-toed geckos are considered 'medium-sized,' reaching over 4 inches in length, the study said. They have 'slender' limbs and 'relatively short' arms. Their fingers and toes are 'short,' 'strongly flexed at (the) joints' and 'equipped with robust recurved claws.' Photos show the new species' 'vivid' pattern. The geckos vary in hue, but generally have a lighter brown body with darker brownish-black patches running down their backs and limbs. Himachal bent-toed geckos were found 'along a road' at an elevation of 4,400 feet, the study said. The area had 'recently burned, and the floor of the forest was blackened due to the fire. The density of the lizards was low, likely due to the forest degradation and construction work along the road.' Much about the lifestyle and behavior of the new species remains unknown. Researchers said they named the new species after Himachal Pradesh where it was first discovered and, so far, the only place where it has been found. This state is in northern India, bordering Tibet. Himachal bent-toed geckos were identified by their scales, pores, coloring, texture and other subtle physical features, the study said. DNA analysis found the new species had at least 4% genetic divergence from related species. The research team included Virender Bhardwaj, Jayaditya Purkayastha, H. T. Lalremsanga and Zeeshan Mirza. The team also discovered a second new species of bent-toed gecko in Jammu and Kashmir.
Indian Express
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Second Chance movie review: A confident first film of a director with strong observational skills
The gorgeous vistas of the Kullu and Lahaul valley become the backdrop for a story of loss and healing. Subhadra Mahajan's debut feature, out in a limited release after a festival run (Karlovy Vary, Trivandrum), is about a Delhi-based young woman recovering from heartbreak. Nia (Dheera Johnson) spends her time being miserable, being coaxed to eat by housekeeper Bhemi (Thakri Devi). An evening with an old flame, visiting with his wife, becomes a brief distraction, but the rest of Nia's time is spent watching Bhemi's grandson Sunny (Kanav Thakur) being a boy — getting up to mischief in school, playing cricket in the lawns, waiting for his father to return from a trip to get his birthday gift. A playful kitten shows up, and becomes part of the menage, and when furballs snuggle into your arms, it is hard to hold on to misery. To watch a pre-teen boy doing the kind of things which do not require obsessively spending time bent over screens is refreshing, and Kanav is quite a joy because he is not made into a cutesy creature. So is Thakri Devi's equally delightful Bhemi who provides siddoos (a Himachal delicacy) and succour without calling attention to herself. These are people who are paid to serve, but the director manages to arrive at a juncture where you can see self-possessed dignity through their labour, the financial transaction leading to a supportive warmth. Watch Second Chance movie trailer here Some of the most engaging parts of the 105 minutes run time is Bhemi doing things she has clearly been doing for years — climbing a steep incline the way only those who live in the mountains do, setting up a steady zig-zag rhythm, carrying heavy bundles of yarn, chatting with twinkly intimacy with a familiar who offers her compliments over her snacks which she dismisses, but only after accepting them as her due. The black and white cinematography by Swapnil S Sonawane is stunning, letting our gaze linger over the mountains, with their faraway peaks and twisty paths which have existed for centuries. Music and myths are part and parcel of the land's fabric, and the script weaves those in neatly without any exoticising. After a few initial bumps, the film does settle into an immersive groove, even if Johnson's Nia doesn't always shed her self-consciousness. This is a confident first film, giving us a director with strong observational skills. Second Chance movie cast: Dheera Johnson, Thakri Devi, Kanav Thakur, Rajesh Kumar Second Chance movie director: Subhadra Mahajan Second Chance movie rating: 2.5 stars
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
CBI registers case in license fee forgery at Jodhpur railway station
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against six contractors and unidentified public servants in connection with misappropriation of license fees under parking stand and toilet facility contracts at Jodhpur railway station. The accused named in the FIR includes six people including two contractors. (Representative file photo) The case pertains to the fraudulent handling of demand drafts, suspected collusion with railway employees, and evasion of dues, resulting in a revenue loss of over ₹ 64 lakh to the Indian Railways between 2023-2025. An official familiar with the matter said on Tuesday that the first information report (FIR) was registered following a detailed complaint by senior divisional commercial manager, North Western Railway, Jodhpur. The complaint highlights financial and criminal misconduct uncovered during reconciliation of earnings across Jodhpur division, particularly at eight locations where parking and sanitation facilities were contracted out. Also Read: Himachal Scholarship Scam: CBI rejects regular bail plea of DSP According to the complaint, six firms and individuals submitted a total of 15 demand drafts amounting to ₹ 39,43,725 as license fees. However, these demand drafts were found to be cancelled, and the funds were illegally encashed into the purchasers' personal accounts instead of being deposited in the railway's account. Moreover, the accused parties failed to pay license fees and other dues throughout the contract or quotation period, culminating in a total revenue loss of ₹ 64.42 lakh. The accused named in the FIR includes six people including two contractors. In addition, the CBI has booked unknown public servants. 'The pattern of forgery suggests a well-planned conspiracy that could not have been executed without the active or passive involvement of insiders,' said an official. The case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant), 465 and 471 (forgery and use of forged documents), along with provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Hindustan Times
06-05-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
CBI registers case in license fee misappropriation at Jodhpur railway station
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against six contractors and unidentified public servants in connection with misappropriation of license fees under parking stand and toilet facility contracts at Jodhpur railway station. The accused named in the FIR includes six people including two contractors. (Representative file photo) The case pertains to the fraudulent handling of demand drafts, suspected collusion with railway employees, and evasion of dues, resulting in a revenue loss of over ₹ 64 lakh to the Indian Railways between 2023-2025. An official familiar with the matter said on Tuesday that the first information report (FIR) was registered following a detailed complaint by senior divisional commercial manager, North Western Railway, Jodhpur. The complaint highlights financial and criminal misconduct uncovered during reconciliation of earnings across Jodhpur division, particularly at eight locations where parking and sanitation facilities were contracted out. Also Read: Himachal Scholarship Scam: CBI rejects regular bail plea of DSP According to the complaint, six firms and individuals submitted a total of 15 demand drafts amounting to ₹ 39,43,725 as license fees. However, these demand drafts were found to be cancelled, and the funds were illegally encashed into the purchasers' personal accounts instead of being deposited in the railway's account. Moreover, the accused parties failed to pay license fees and other dues throughout the contract or quotation period, culminating in a total revenue loss of ₹ 64.42 lakh. The accused named in the FIR includes six people including two contractors. In addition, the CBI has booked unknown public servants. 'The pattern of forgery suggests a well-planned conspiracy that could not have been executed without the active or passive involvement of insiders,' said an official. The case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 420 (cheating), 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant), 465 and 471 (forgery and use of forged documents), along with provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
