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.
Maharashtra
Collective prayer at Sunni Bilal Mosque for the oppressed of Palestine and Gaza, Syed Moinuddin Ashraf appeals to the Islamic world for unity and awareness

Mumbai: Today on Friday, after Jumme ki Namaaz, a very impressive, spiritual and faith-driven mass prayer was organized at Sunni Masjid Bilal (Do Tanki). This special prayer was read by Hazrat Allama Maulana Syed Moinuddin Ashraf Sahib, Sajjada Nashin Dargah-e-Makhdoom Ashraf Jahangir Samnani (Kachchochha Sharif) for the oppressed Muslims of Palestine, Gaza and the first Qibla of Masjid Al-Aqsa. This prayer gathering was attended by Haj Muhammad Saeed Noori (Head of Raza Academy), Hazrat Syed Nafees Ashraf, Qari Mushtaq Ahmad, Maulana Arif and other prominent scholars, Imams and social figures.
A large number of people were also present in the gathering, who expressed deep sorrow and anger at the atrocities being committed on the Palestinian people and the violation of the sanctity of Masjid Al-Aqsa. Allama Moin Ashraf said in his words: “Palestine is not just a territory but the heartbeat of the Muslim Ummah and Al-Aqsa Mosque is the first Qibla of Muslims. The atrocities happening in these places are hurting the heart of every Muslim. We have to fulfill our duty through prayer, unity, awareness and peaceful protest.” On this occasion, Al-Hajj Saeed Nouri addressed the international community and said: “If the human rights advocacy organizations and the United Nations remain silent today, this silence can lead to a major crisis tomorrow.
Raising voice against oppression is the true standard of humanity.” At the end of the gathering, a collective prayer was organized in which prayers were offered for Palestine, Gaza, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the oppressed Muslims of the whole world. Special prayers were offered for peace, security, unity of the Muslim Ummah and support for the oppressed. While this prayer gathering brought spiritual peace, a new wave of global solidarity and awareness spread among Muslims. People resolved to keep the Palestinian cause alive and raise their voice at all levels.
Maharashtra
One arrested from Dombivali with firearms

Mumbai: Mumbai Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has claimed to have seized 4 country-made pistols and 35 live cartridges worth Rs 7.5 lakh from a suspect who was coming to sell weapons. The ATS had received information that a 35-year-old man was going to sell weapons on Mahatma Gandhi Road in Dombivali, adjoining Mumbai. The ATS team laid a trap and searched him and recovered 3 country-made pistols and 35 live cartridges from his possession. A case has been registered against the accused at ATS Kala Chowki under other sections including the Arms Act. The accused was also arrested with a firearm during technical investigation. So far, the police have recovered 4 firearms, 35 live cartridges and 2 migraines, which are said to be worth Rs 7.5 lakh. Further investigation is underway.
Maharashtra
After occupying the Dargah in a village of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, what is the social boycott of Muslims doing?

Mumbai: After occupying an ancient shrine of Ramzan Ali Shah Baba in the Goha area of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra and installing an idol there, a social boycott of Muslims is now being imposed here. If any non-Muslim in the village buys, sells or transacts with the Muslims of the village, the non-Muslim mischievous elements here impose a fine on him. Such an undemocratic and immoral environment has been going on in Maharashtra under the nose of the BBJP government since 2023, and the government has remained a silent spectator.
Such an expression was expressed by Tushar Gandhi at a meeting organized by an organization called ‘Hum Bharat Ke Log’ at Mumbai’s Islam Gymkhana under the leadership of Maulana Syed Moinuddin Ashraf alias Moin Mian. Former Maharashtra Minister and Congress leader Arif Naseem Khan, former MIM MLA Waris Pathan, Nizamuddin Raein, social activist Feroz Methi Borwala, Javed Janeja, Saeed Noori and other socio-political and national figures were present at that time. Where it was decided that soon a delegation would meet the Chief Minister of Maharashtra and both Deputy Chief Ministers, besides the leaders of all political parties, on this issue.
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