MNS president Raj Thackeray has alleged that Rs 18 crore is siphoned off annually from Mumbai's Siddhivinayak Temple and Rs 1,400 crore was stolen from the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. He demanded PM Modi address the issue, while the Siddhivinayak Temple Trust chairman confirmed arrests and increased income post-theft.
'Earlier, people used to hand money directly to priests after a ritual, and priests would keep it in their own pockets. We completely stopped that practice.'
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered a comprehensive probe into alleged donation irregularities at Mumbai's famous Siddhivinayak Temple. The directive follows allegations by MNS chief Raj Thackeray of Rs 18 crore being siphoned off annually, leading to the arrest of nine employees and a demand for independent inquiries. The probe will examine the temple's records from the last five years.
Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Surya Kumar Yadav offered prayers at the Shree Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai after winning the ICC Men's T20 World Cup.
Maharashtra deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said the alleged embezzlement of donations to the Ram Temple at Ayodhya has pained devotees, but stressed strict action will be taken against those found guilty in the case.
The Shree Siddhivinayak Ganapati Temple Trust (SSGTT) in Mumbai has announced a dress code for devotees, prohibiting revealing clothing from next week. The decision follows complaints about inappropriate attire causing discomfort to other worshippers. The temple, located in Prabhadevi, attracts thousands of devotees daily and the Trust emphasizes the importance of maintaining decorum and ensuring a comfortable environment for all visitors.
Siddhivinayak Temple Trust's chairman, Aadesh Bandekar, on Sunday said only 1,000 devotees will be allowed inside the temple every day in staggered time slots to be booked through a mobile phone application.
Siddhivinayak Temple has opened a demat account to accept donations in the form of 'shares and securities' from devotees.
Nationalist Congress Party leader Sunetra Pawar on Tuesday took charge as Maharshtra's deputy chief minister, a fortnight after her husband Ajit Pawar died in an air crash.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scheme to tap a pool of over 20,000 tonnes of gold held by households and temples.
The decision comes in the backdrop of the Maharashtra government appealing to people to avoid crowding and mass gatherings as part of measures to prevent spread of the viral infection.
Amid the ongoing row over Tirupati laddus, a purported video of mice on the prasad packets of the Siddhivinayak Temple in Mumbai is making rounds on social media, sparking concerns.
Temples across Maharashtra are increasingly adopting dress codes for visitors, urging devotees to wear modest and traditional attire. While temple trusts argue that these codes maintain sanctity, visitors have mixed reactions. The trend, which started with the Shree Siddhivinayak Ganpati Temple in Mumbai, has spread to other temples, including those in Pune, Ratnagiri, and Ahilyanagar. The move has been welcomed by some, who believe it promotes respect and decorum within religious spaces. However, others argue that it is unnecessary and restrictive. Right-wing organizations are advocating for similar dress codes across all temples in Maharashtra, including prominent state-run temples like the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple.
Key to Modi's plan will be the interest rates offered for gold deposits.
The reopening of the places of worship coincided with the Diwali 'Padwa', which is an important festival in the state.
Lenders feel temples still have a few apprehensions.
Whether you give stocks held for more/less than a year, benefits are nominal; donating cash is better.
The temples are concerned about the religious sentiments of the devotees who donate gold ornaments in the name of the deities
Siddhivinayak to deposit 44 kg gold ornaments with State Bank of India
The woman climbed the security barricade to the 'chauthara' (platform) where the idol is installed and offered prayers on Saturday, before disappearing in the crowd.
Speaking to media after meeting party functionaries at Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee office in Mumbai, the former diplomat also said his aim was to make Congress stronger before the 2024 polls.
Former India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has donated Rs 10 lakh towards a ventilator for the Bai Jerabai Wadia Hospital for Children in Mumbai.
The richest Hindu temple in the world could soon come to the rescue of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's plan to recycle tonnes of idle gold and cut economy-hurting imports.
The Centre on Wednesday promised to consider requests for Central Industrial Security Force security to Mohabodhi temple and other prominent religious places in the wake of Sunday's terror attack.
With a nationwide lockdown in place, it may have become harder than usual for people, especially for the migrant daily wage earners and the homless. The government has assured people that supply of essential items will continue unabated. But while governments across the country are working hard to provide food to people, there are good samaritans who are helping out fellow citizens. From providing food to sanitizers and masks, these people are nothing short of a godsend.
The bank will be responsible for taking the mixed gold to mint and getting it purified.
Fighting the coronavirus pandemic is hard, in fact it seems impossible. Doctors, nurses, carers and paramedics around the world are facing an unprecedented workload in overstretched health facilities, and with no end in sight. They are working in stressful and frightening work environments, not just because the virus is little understood, but because in most settings they are under-protected, overworked and themselves vulnerable to infection. The risk to doctors, nurses and others on the front lines has become plain: Italy has seen at least 18 doctors with coronavirus die. Spain reported that more than 3,900 health care workers have become infected. In dire times such as these, people are trying their best to show their appreciation to the frontline workers. Here are some images -- from clapping for them to singing for them.. A 'thank you' in any way goes a long way around.
Devotees across India on Thursday welcomed their most beloved and venerated deity -- Lord Ganesh -- into their homes and community pandals, kickstarting the ten-day Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations with zeal and devotion.
'She has just one objective. To win the next election. Nothing else matters.'
In this lockdown, no matter how many similarities the memory dredges up from past events and associations, there is one thing that has no precedent: The isolation that it has imposed on people, reports Arundhuti Dasgupta.
The Union health ministry officials also said India was at the second stage as there is still no 'hard evidence' to say that there has been community transmission of the fast-spreading coronavirus, remarks which may provide anxious citizens with much needed assurance and hope.
'My wife, who expresses her fears and anxieties every night when I return home after doing my duty at a COVID-19 containment zone, promptly wakes me up the next morning so that I can report for duty on time.'
