Facets of Mahatma Gandhi's life depicted in 22 tableaux take centre stage at Rajpath

Agencies
January 26, 2019

New Delhi, Jan 26: Various facets of Mahatma Gandhi's life journey were displayed by the 22 tableaux that rolled down the Rajpath during the 70th Republic Day Parade to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the father of the nation.

While 16 tableaux were from states and union territories, six were from various central ministries and departments - agriculture, power, drinking water and sanitation, Indian Railways, CISF and CPWD.

The Uttarakhand tableau featured Kausani's Anasakti Ashram where Mahatma Gandhi had stayed in 1929. The tableau showed Gandhi writing his book 'Anasakti Yoga' at the ashram in the backdrop of mountains and deodar trees.

The tableau of Uttar Pradesh had "commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi" as its theme, with Gandhi at the Kashi Vidyapith.

"Gandhi's ray of hope - our composite culture" was Jammu and Kashmir's tableau theme this year. The tableau showcased Gandhi along with his charkha and ethnic diversity of the Valley.

"Peace Within"-themed Arunachal Pradesh's tableau shows a tribal Monpa placing flowers at Gandhi's feet. It also shows the dancing Monpa tribe stressing on peace and cleanliness.

The Delhi tableau showcased a theme of "Mahatma Gandhi and Delhi" and displayed his association with the national capital and the Birla House which is now known as Gandhi Smriti.

The tableau of West Bengal depicted two phases in Mahatma Gandhi's life - his stay in Kolkata during India's Independence and association with Rabindranath Tagore.

The Railways ministry, whose tableau made a come back at the Republic Day parade after three years, depicted the "transformation of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi to Mahatma Gandhi" and highlighted the yet-to-be-launched bullet train and Train 18.

The tableau highlighted the incident in 1893, when the young Mohandas was thrown out of a "European only" compartment at Pietermaritzburg railway station in South Africa which acted as a catalyst for him to practice ''Satyagrah''.

The front portion of tableau showcased a steam engine on whose top was perched a bust of Mahatma Gandhi which is similar to the bust installed in June 2018 at the Pietermaritzburg railway station of South Africa.

Incidentally, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa was the chief guest at the Republic Day parade. He became the second South African president to be invited to the event as the chief guest. Former South African president Nelson Mandela was the chief guest for the prestigious event in 1995.

The theme for Andaman and Nicobar's tableau was "Role of Gandhiji on inmates of Cellular Jail in Andaman". The tableau showcased the effect that Mahatma Gandhi had amongst the inmates of the historic jail.

Gujarat with the "historical Dandi March" theme depicted the great movement which shook the foundation of the British Empire by lifting a handful of salt.

Similarly, the theme for Karnataka tableau was the "Gandhiji and the Belagavi Congress session", whereas the theme for Maharashtra was the Quit India movement.

The theme for Goa's tableau was "Unity in Diversity", while for Tripura it was "empowerment rural economy in Gandhian Way".

The tableau of Tamil Nadu will have "transformation of dress code of Mahatma Gandhi" as theme.

While the Punjab tableau had "Jallianwala Bagh" theme, Sikkim had "agricultural and environmental non-violence" theme.

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) tableau showcased the non-violent struggle by Gandhi, which led to freedom of India. The tableau was crafted in natural flowers. The front part of the tableau showed Gandhi, the middle part showed his non-violent followers while the rear portion depicted the message given by him for world peace and unity.

The tableau by the ministry of Power represented the flagship scheme "Saubhagya" with the front portion showing Gandhi's Talisman of serving poorest and weakest sections of society as the inspiration behind the Saubhagya scheme.

The four-year old journey of the "Swachh Bharat Mission" was demonstrated by the ministry of drinking water and sanitation with the front part of the tableau paying a tribute to Gandhi, who was the first champion of sanitation in India.

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Agencies
July 29,2020

Dubai, Jul 29: Muslim pilgrims on Wednesday begin the annual Haj, downsized this year as the Saudi hosts strive to prevent a coronavirus outbreak during the five-day pilgrimage.

The Haj, one of the five pillars of Islam and a must for able-bodied Muslims at least once in their lifetime, is usually one of the world's largest religious gatherings.

But this year only up to 10,000 people already residing in the Kingdom will participate in the ritual, a tiny fraction of the 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world that attended last year.

"There are no security-related concerns in this pilgrimage, but (downsizing) is to protect pilgrims from the danger of the pandemic," said Khalid bin Qarar Al Harbi, Saudi Arabia's director of public security.

Pilgrims will be required to wear masks and observe social distancing during a series of religious rites that are completed over five days in the holy city of Makkah and its surroundings in western Saudi Arabia.

Those selected to take part in the Haj were subject to temperature checks and placed in quarantine as they began trickling into Makkah at the weekend.

State media showed health workers sanitising their luggage, and some pilgrims reported being given electronic wristbands to allow authorities to monitor their whereabouts.

Workers, clutching brooms and disinfectant, were seen cleaning the area around the Kaaba, the structure at the centre of the Grand Mosque draped in gold-embroidered cloth towards which Muslims around the world pray.

Haj authorities have cordoned off the Holy Kaaba this year, saying pilgrims will not be allowed to touch it, to limit the chances of infection.

They also reported setting up multiple health facilities, mobile clinics and ambulances to cater to the pilgrims.

Saudi authorities said only around 1,000 pilgrims residing in the Kingdom would be permitted for the Haj. Some 70 per cent of the pilgrims are foreigners residing in the Kingdom, while the rest will be Saudi citizens, authorities said.

All worshippers were required to be tested for coronavirus before arriving in the holy city of Makkah and will also have to quarantine after the pilgrimage as the number of cases in the Kingdom nears 270,000.

They were given elaborate amenity kits that include sterilised pebbles for a stoning ritual, disinfectants, masks, a prayer rug and the Ihram, a seamless white garment worn by pilgrims, according to a Haj ministry programme document.

"I did not expect, among millions of Muslims, to be blessed with approval," Emirati pilgrim Abdullah Al Kathiri said in a video released by the Saudi media ministry.

"It is an indescribable feeling... especially since it is my first pilgrimage."

The Haj ministry said non-Saudi residents of the Kingdom from around 160 countries competed in the online selection process but it did not say how many people applied.

Despite the pandemic, many pilgrims consider it safer to participate in this year's ritual without the usual colossal crowds cramming into tiny religious sites, which make it a logistical nightmare and a health hazard.

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News Network
June 27,2020

New Delhi, Jun 27: India on Saturday crossed 5 lakh-mark with record highest spike of 18,552 cases of coronavirus reported in the country in the past 24 hours.

India has added more than 3.18 lakh COVID-19 cases since June 1.

According to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, this was the highest single-day spike of COVID-19 positive cases. Also, with 384 fatalities in the past 24 hours, the total deaths inched closer to the 16000 mark.

With this, the total number of active cases are 1,97,387 while a total of 2,95,880 people have been cured or discharged from hospitals. The death toll stands at 15685 with one person migrated outside India, according to the health ministry update at 8 am today.

Maharashtra continues to top the countrywide list with a total number of COVID-19 positive cases at 1,52,765.

Delhi has so far reported 77,240 confirmed cases while Tamil Nadu has reported 74622 cases till now, as per the MoHFW. Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai are the worst-hit cities in the country

According to the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the total number of samples tested up to June 26 is 79,96,707; the number of samples tested on June 26, Friday stands at 2,20,479.

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News Network
June 9,2020

New Delhi, Jun 9: A record rise in COVID-19 cases in India for the seventh consecutive day has pushed the tally to over 2.6 lakh on Tuesday, with the daily nationwide spike in coronavirus cases inching close to 10,000.

The rise in cases comes at a time when the country has stepped out of a 75-day coronavirus lockdown with malls, religious places and offices opening in several parts of the country under strict conditions.

Since the onset of June, the country has also been witnessing over 200 COVID-19 fatalities each day that has taken the country's death toll to 7,466.

India is the fifth worst-hit nation by the COVID-19 pandemic after the US, Brazil, Russia and the UK, according to the Johns Hopkins University data.

Several states like Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Assam, Haryana, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Tripura among others have been showing a spurt in cases.

A total 266 new COVID-19 fatalities and 9,987 cases have been reported in the last 24 hours till Tuesday 8 am, according to the Union Health Ministry data.

The country has registered over 9,000 coronavirus infection cases for the sixth day in a row taking the country tally to 2,66,598.

The number of active novel coronavirus cases stands at 1,29,917, while 1,29,214 people have recovered and one patient has migrated, according to the Health Ministry data updated till 8 am.

"Thus, 48.47 per cent patients have recovered so far," a ministry official said.

According to the ICMR, a total of 49,16,116 samples have been tested as on 9 am, Tuesday, with 1,41,682 samples been tested in the last 24 hours.

Out of the total 7,466 fatalities reported till Tuesday 8 am, Maharashtra tops the tally with 3,169 deaths followed by Gujarat with 1,280 deaths, Delhi with 874, Madhya Pradesh with 414, West Bengal with 405, Tamil Nadu with 286, Uttar Pradesh with 283, Rajasthan with 246 and Telangana with 137 deaths.

The death toll reached 75 in Andhra Pradesh, 64 in Karnataka and 53 in Punjab.

Jammu and Kashmir has reported 45 fatalities due to the coronavirus disease, while 39 deaths have been reported from Haryana, 31 from Bihar, 16 from Kerala, 13 from Uttarakhand, nine from Odisha and seven from Jharkhand.

Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh have registered five COVID-19 fatalities each and Assam and Chhattisgarh have recorded four deaths each so far.

Meghalaya and Ladakh have reported one COVID-19 fatality each, according to ministry data.

More than 70 per cent of the deaths are due to comorbidities, the ministry's website stated

The highest number of confirmed cases in the country are from Maharashtra at 88,528 followed by Tamil Nadu at 33,229, Delhi at 29,943, Gujarat at 20,545, Uttar Pradesh at 10,947, Rajasthan at 10,763 and Madhya Pradesh at 9,638, according to the Health Ministry's data updated in the morning.

The number of COVID-19 cases has climbed to 8,613 in West Bengal, 5,760 in Karnataka, 5,202 in Bihar and 4,854 in Haryana.

It has risen to 4,851 in Andhra Pradesh, 4,285 in Jammu and Kashmir, 3,650 in Telangana and 2,994 in Odisha.

Punjab has reported 2,663 novel coronavirus cases so far, while Assam has 2,776 cases. A total of 2,005 people have been infected by the virus in Kerala and 1,411 in Uttarakhand.

Jharkhand has registered 1,256 cases, while 1,160 cases have been reported from Chhattisgarh, 838 from Tripura, 421 from Himachal Pradesh, 330 from Goa and 317 from Chandigarh.

Manipur has 272 cases, Puducherry has 127 and Nagaland has reported 123 cases till now.

Ladakh has 103 COVID-19 cases, Arunachal Pradesh has 51, Mizoram has 42, Meghalaya 36 while Andaman and Nicobar Islands has registered 33 infections so far.

Dadar and Nagar Haveli has 22 cases, while Sikkim has reported seven cases till now.

The ministry's website said that 8,803 cases are being reassigned to states and "our figures are being reconciled with the ICMR".

State-wise distribution is subject to further verification and reconciliation, it said.

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