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Maharashtra

Mumbai’s famed ‘dabbawalas’ mourn the demise of Queen Elizabeth

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The famed ‘dabbawala’ (tiffin-carrier) community of Mumbai mourned the passing away of Great Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II at 96 after a brief illness, here on Friday.

The Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Association Charitable Trust Chairman Ulhas Muke said the Mumbai dabbawalas shared a close association with Britain’s royal family.

“We are extremely sad to hear about the passing of Queen Elizabeth II… There was a wave of shock and disbelief among the dabbawalas community last night when they heard the devastating news. We all pray that her soul rests in peace,” said Muke in a statement.

As a token tribute, the dabbawalas paid homage to the Queen at the Borivali railway station in north Mumbai, since Friday is a public holiday, NMTBSACT spokesperson Ritesh Shantaram Andre told IANS.

Maharashtra and Mumbai are currently immersed in the immersion ceremonies of gigantic, big, medium and small idols of Lord Ganesh on the occasion of Anant Chaturdashi, marking the curtains on the 10-day long Ganeshotsav festival.

The dabbawalas enjoyed a close rapport with the British royalty ever since the Prince of Wales — now King Charles — visited and interacted with them first in 2003.

Highly impressed by their work and sheer dedication, later the British royal family had invited the dabbawalas’ leaders to Prince Charles and Camilla’s wedding in April 2005.

Two dabbawalas’ representatives — Raghunath Medge and Sopan Mare — attended the royal wedding, rubbing shoulders with other VVIPs from across the globe.

At the wedding, the dabbawalas had gifted a kurta set to Prince Charles and a sari to his wife Camilla, plus one trademark ‘dabba’ (tiffin).

In April 2016, during the first visit of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Mumbai dabbawalas had welcomed them as warmly as they would welcome a ‘mulga’ (son) and ‘suon’ (daughter-in-law).

At that time, the dabbawalas presented the Duchess with a coveted Paithani sari, considered an auspicious gift for a Maharashtrian bride, and a ‘pheta’ (headgear), a picture and statuettes of Lord Vithoba and his consort Rukmini.

Lord Vithoba and his consort are the presiding deities of the state as also the dabbawalas, whose main temple is in the pilgrimage centre of Pandharpur in Solapur district.

Later, in May 2018, during the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the dabbawalas sent a gift of a traditional ‘pheta’ (turban) for the groom and a special kurta-lehenga for his bride.

In May 2019, another body, the Mumbai Dabbawalas Association had presented a special set of silver jewellery to Prince Archie — the son of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

At that time, MDA spokesperson Subhash Talekar had excitedly told IANS: “We feel as if we have all become ‘Ajoba’ (grandpa). We have presented them with a silver ‘kamarpatta’, ‘toda’ and ‘wala’ (waist-band, wrist-band and anklets), gifted to a grandson.”

The dabbawalas are grateful that it was owing to the respect given to them and their humble trade by King Charles two decades ago that their 132-year-old tribe attained global fame and accolades.

Instantly recognized in their simple but iconic attire — a white kurta, loose pyjama and a cap — since 1890, the 5,000 dabbawalas deliver over 2,00,000 lunch tiffin boxes to hungary government or private companies’ staffers and even students daily all over the city, and post-Coronavirus pandemic, diversified into other related service sectors.

Maharashtra

Coldplay Fake Tickets Case: BookMyShow COO Anil Makhija Arrives At Mumbai Police’s EOW Office Instead Of CEO Ashish Hemrajani

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Mumbai: The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of the Mumbai Police had issued second summons to Ashish Hemrajani, CEO of Big Tree Entertainment, the parent company of BookMyShow, and the company’s technical head on Monday to appear for interrogation about the purported black marketing of tickets for Coldplay concert. However, the CEO chose to not appear before the police, and instead the COO of the firm Anil Makhija arrived at the EOW office on Monday evening.

At the time of filing this copy, the CEO Hemrajani had not reached the Mumbai Police’s EOW office. As per initial information, it is not clear yet if Hemrajani has replied to the police summons online or through his lawyer for an extension of time.

When the media asked Makhija questions about the black marketing of Coldplay concert tickets, the BookMyShow COO chose to not answer.

Hemrajani and the technical head of the firm were issued a second summons on Sunday and were instructed to appear before the investigating officer today (Monday, September 30) to record their statements. The first summons was issued on September 27 to both the BookMyShow CEO and technical head to appear before the investigating officer on Saturday, September 28. However, they have ignored both the summons.

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Maharashtra

BEST Bus Catches Fire In Mumbai’s Ghatkopar, Slows Traffic On LBS Road

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Mumbai: A massive fire erupted in a BEST bus on LBS Road, in Ghatkopar on Monday. The incident occurred around 1:30 pm near the Ghandhi Nagar bridge on LBS Road. No injuries have been reported and the fire was doused at 2.10 pm, authorities informed.

Witnesses captured dramatic footage showing thick smoke and flames engulfing the vehicle, prompting an immediate response from the fire brigade. According to officials, the fire was reported at 1:24 pm to Traffic Police and was extinguished by approximately 2:10 pm.

Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the cause of the fire, as several vehicles were passing through the area at the time of the incident. The Traffic Police have informed that vehicular movement at LBS Road is moving slow.

The BEST bus was Route 303 operated between Bandra station (East) to Mulund station (West). The bus went for short trip to Gandhi Nagar from Bandra station (East). The bus pertains to Dharavi depot and was operated by Matershwari.

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Maharashtra

Maharashtra: Maratha Quota Activist Jarange Plans Show Of Unity At Dussehra Rally In Beed

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Maharashtra: Maratha Quota Activist Jarange Plans Show Of Unity At Dussehra Rally In Beed

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Sep 30: Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange on Monday appealed to the people, including the poor and needy, to converge in a show of unity at the Dussehra rally to be held at Narayangad in Maharashtra’s Beed district.

Dussehra will be celebrated on October 12 this year.

Jarange also said he will speak at the rally, which would be attended by the Maratha community people and farmers, but there will no politics at the event. He was speaking to reporters at a private hospital in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar where he is currently undergoing treatment after ending his fast over the demand for OBC quota for the Maratha community.

Jarange sat on a hunger strike on September 17, his sixth in a year, to demand reservation to the Maratha community under the Other Backward Classes (OBC) category. He called it off on September 25, citing pleas from members of the Maratha community to withdraw his protest.

In February this year, the Maharashtra legislature unanimously passed a bill providing 10 per cent reservation for the Marathas in education and government jobs under a separate category. Jarange, however, stuck to his demand for a quota for the community under the OBC head.

“A Dussehra rally will take place in Narayangad where I will go as a devotee and remain present for the programme. I will seek blessings of my community’s people who come to Narayangad. Those from Beed and Marathwada and those staying out of station for work purpose should come to Narayangad on Dussehra,” Jarange said.

“It’s time to show our unity. People from all over the state should come to Narayangad,” he added. Jarange said he will speak at the rally, but there would not be anything political at the event.

“It is a chance to show our unity. There will be no connection to caste and politics there (at the rally). There has to be a right time to show our unity. It is the right time for the poor and needy people to show their unity. So, the Maratha community people, farmers will come to Narayangad,” he said.

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