General
Pongal 2024: Mumbai Celebrates Harvest Festival Reflecting Rich Tamil Culture
Nearly 2000 people participated in Pongal festivities in and around Antop Hill on Monday. Mass Pongal celebration was carried out across various locations of the Sion Koliwada constituency and was facilitated by MLA Captain R Tamil Selvan who continues to organise these events embracing the harvest season and Tamil culture for more than a decade now.
In a beautiful display of cultural richness, locals dressed in traditional attires prepared Pongal reciting folk songs, raising the festival mood. The event saw them setting up their Pongal pots in the midst of sugarcane, flowers, and rangolis. The celebration was notably marked at the Antop Hill Cement Ground with about a thousand people lifting the festival spirit on the auspicious day. Other areas that observed Pongal on a grand scale included New 90 Feet Road, Kamaraj Nagar, Vijay Nagar, and the Malai Mariamman temple in Naik Nagar among a few others.
Captain Selvan was seen visiting the spots and joining the public in the celebration. “Pongal is associated with agriculture. Tamilians of various religious beliefs celebrate this festival together without any discrimination. This is the significance of Pongal,” he said while extending Pongal greetings.
The event was not confined to only the Tamil-speaking people celebrating the occasion as it saw women from diverse cultural backgrounds mark the festival. While Tamilians gathered there to celebrate Pongal, others enjoyed the Makar Sankranti festivities in the region with similar rituals involving boiling water and preparing food in their pots.
“Pongalo Pongal” chants were heard during the celebration as women prayed to seek prosperity for their families while boiling and expecting their pots to overflow with the Pongal preparation.
Throwing more light on the harvest festival, the MLA acknowledged that the first dam built in the world was built by Karikala, a Tamilian. “Tamilians introduced the concept of building dams to stop running (river) water and distribute it for agricultural usage. Karikala from the Chola Dynasty constructed the Kallanai Dam over the Kaveri River running in Trichy.”
Several people admire the Tamil language and its treasurable culture, including PM Narendra Modi who recently inaugurated the Kashi Tamil Sangamam at Namo Ghat in Varanasi and mentioned about Pongal and remembered prominent Tamil personalities like Subramania Bharathiyar, Bharathidasan, and Thiruvalluvar.
Mumbai Press Exclusive News
The 612th Urs of Mahim Makhdoom Faqih Ali Mahimi will begin on November 28, and the festival will be held from December 5: Sohail Khandwani

Mumbai: Mumbai The 612th Urs of Hazrat Makhdoom Faqih Ali Mahimi (may Allah have mercy on him) will be celebrated with utmost devotion and respect at Astana Makhdoom on November 28. A grand service will be held on November 28. The next day, on November 29, the eighth night and sandal will be presented. Along with this, a flag hoisting ceremony, a gathering of listeners and Quran recitation will also be held. The Dargah Committee has completed preparations for this. The Dargah has been decorated like a bride. In view of the Urs and the fair, the police have also made necessary security arrangements. Sohail Khandwani, Managing Trustee of the Dargah Committee, said that in the backdrop of the Urs and fair, the Dargah administration has made necessary arrangements. A grand service will be held at Astana Makhdoom on November 28 and a grand night flag hoisting ceremony, a gathering of listeners and Quran recitation will be held on November 29. The pilgrims are appealed to attend Astana Makhdoom with due respect. He said that the police and the Dargah administration jointly make security arrangements. Along with this, the annual fair will also be held on December 5. The first sandal will be presented by the police and the festival will continue till December 14. In view of this, the traffic police has also shifted the traffic route. Food stalls and entertainment are also available in the festival. The police perform 24-hour services and duties for the festival. Along with this, volunteers of the dargah are also assigned with the police. Police are also deployed on the premises of the dargah including traffic control. Sohail Khandwani has appealed to the sandal committee to take care of Sharia matters during the sandal presentation and not to violate noise and noise pollution and to present sandal at the dargah with courtesy and respect. The annual festival of Mumbai Police will start from December 5. The police is also ready for this. Sohail Khandwani said that the police have a lot of devotion to Baba, therefore they make the arrangements of the dargah with dedication and the police manage it well even in the face of a crowd.
Maharashtra
Shiv Sena wave in North Maharashtra, Dr. Shrikant Shinde takes charge of election campaign

Mumbai Nandurbar: Shiv Sena is on a wave in North Maharashtra. A large number of “Ladli Bheenas” and youth are participating in the rallies of Shiv Sena youth leader Dr. Shrikant Shinde. Dr. Shinde launched his election campaign in North Maharashtra today. Addressing the gathering, he said that the Mahayoti government has taken strong steps to empower women and youth, which is why Maharashtra’s Ladli Behna Yojana is becoming self-reliant. Attacking the opposition, he said that many opposition leaders were opposing the “Ladli Behna Yojana” but under the leadership of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, this scheme was implemented and it will not be stopped under any circumstances. The opposition is only spreading confusion, Ladli Behna will respond with their votes. Dr. Shrikant Shinde explained that in the last three years, Shiv Sena has reached every corner of Maharashtra under the leadership of Eknath Shinde. Shinde Sahib is empowering his workers by holding eight meetings every day. He has an Urban Development Department, which has resulted in record-breaking funding for the backward villages of Maharashtra, paving the way for strong rural development.
Dr. Shrikant Shinde criticized UBT and said that some people are experts in criticizing, but they have never done any concrete work for the people. That is why today Mahayoti candidates are seen everywhere. The people are well aware of the state of the opposition.
Maharashtra
Kalyan College Namaz Controversy: SIO Demands Action Against Perpetrators

Mumbai: SIO has demanded strict action against the hooliganism of Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad on offering prayers in Mumbai’s Kalyan College. Here, State Secretary SIO Aziz Ahmed said that
The incident that took place at Ideal College of Pharmacy and Research in Kalyan is highly condemnable and unacceptable, where hooligans belonging to Bajrang Dal entered the college campus, threatened and harassed Muslim students for offering prayers and even tried to make them sit in front of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. This incident is a direct attack on religious freedom and the sanctity of the educational campus.
SIO strongly condemns this incident and expresses complete solidarity with the affected students. We demand that strict action be taken against the accused at the earliest, the college administration ensure the safety of the students and take concrete steps to prevent such incidents in the future.
We appeal to the entire student community to maintain religious harmony and remain united against such sectarian attitudes and demonstrate strong solidarity.
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