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The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
T.N. CM Stalin pays tributes to Raja of Panagal on his birth anniversary
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Wednesday (July 9, 2025) paid tributes to Justice Party leader Panaganti Ramarayaningar, popularly known as Raja of Panagal, on his 159th birth anniversary, and credited him for issuing the Communal G.O. and enacting the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Act. 'While we now assert with pride that reservation is our right, it was a century ago that this visionary of social justice laid the path through the Communal G.O.,' Mr. Stalin said in a post on X. The Communal G.O. sought 'to increase the proportion of posts held by non-Brahmins,' which also included Indian Christians, Muslims, and Adi-Dravidars, in the Provincial Services, including the Madras Secretariat. Mr. Stalin further said: 'If thousands of temples are being administered systematically today without falling under the control of any one particular group, it is because of the enactment of the HR&CE Act.' He also credited the Raja of Panagal for upholding the dignity of Adi Dravidars and said: 'As the successor to the Justice Party, our Dravidian model government continues to walk on the path of equality, the foundation for which was laid down by the Raja of Panagal.'
News18
03-07-2025
- General
- News18
St Thomas Day 2025: History, Tradition And Yeshu Bhakti Divas Observance In India
Last Updated: St Thomas Day 2025: St Thomas Day was originally celebrated on December 21 as it was traditionally considered the date of his death. St Thomas Day 2025: St Thomas Day is observed globally on July 3. The celebration honours Saint Thomas, who was believed to be one of the 12 Apostles of Jesus Christ. The missionary is regarded as the patron saint of India. St Thomas Day was originally celebrated on December 21 as it was traditionally considered the date of his death. However, in 1969, the Roman Catholic Church moved the observance to July 3. St Thomas Day 2025: History It is said that St Thomas had arrived in India in 52 AD. He is credited with propagating the gospel of Jesus as far as the Indian subcontinent. Even though the date of the special day commemorating his life and legacy was changed in the latter half of the 20th century, most Anglicans stuck with the original date of the observance. The Eastern Orthodox Church, on the other hand, observes the occasion on October 6. St Thomas Day 2025: Significance St Thomas was allegedly stabbed to death at the Parangimalai hillock in present-day Chennai in AD 72. The site is now known as Saint Thomas Mount. It is believed that St Thomas's initial skepticism about the resurrection of Jesus Christ was the reason why he was given the nickname 'Doubting Thomas". He supposedly landed on the coastline of Kerala, at a location in present-day Thrissur district, when he reached India. Various religious texts reckon that Saint Thomas laid the foundation of Christianity in India and evangelised the populace of Malabar Coast. St Thomas Day 2025: Traditions Legend has it that St Thomas distributed among the poor the money that he was allotted when he was commissioned by an Indian king to construct a palace. In line with this particular tale, several customs associated with St Thomas Day seek to encourage charity. Special masses and prayer services are also hosted to mark the occasion. Regions with notable presence of Syrian Christians also witness special processions on St Thomas Day. Yeshu Bhakti Divas Observance In India Indian Christians celebrate Yeshu Bhakti Divas, also known as Indian Christian, on July 3. It is a relatively new observance. Aligned with St Thomas Day, Yeshu Bhakti Divas is meant as an annual occasion for Indian Christians to celebrate the 'person and message' of Jesus Christ. About the Author Bhaswati Sengupta First Published: July 03, 2025, 06:03 IST
