Karva Chauth / Karwa Chauth, one of many Hindu festivals, is a fasting ritual observed by all married Hindu women who seek the longevity, prosperity and well-being of their husbands. This festival is very popular amongst married Hindu women in the western and northern parts of India, primarily in Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh. During the Karwa Chauth festival, married Hindu women dedicate the day to their husbands. Normally, women who observe this festival are called “Saubhagyavati” meaning “joyous and happy status of wifehood.

The festival was emerged also as a day for celebrating autumn. Hindu married women enjoy the company and companionship of relatives and friends. As of recently, the celebration has been given a more religious touch.

Karwa Chauth is glorified and also widely solemnized by Hindus and Sikh living in the northwestern part of India. Karva means clay pot while chauth means fourth. Karwa chauth commemorates the fourth day that follows the full moon in the Kartik month of the Hindu calendar. This festival is typically celebrated immediately after the autumn harvest. This is the best time to meet friends and relatives and exchange gifts. During this festival parents send various gifts to their married daughters.

Karwa chauth is known for its extraordinary observance rate among married women in certain parts of India. Karwa chauth is celebrated in different ways depending on the region where a person lives. During this festival, jewelry, clothes and gifts are received from both the woman’s mother-in-law and mother. All married women wear wedding day outfits once again and apply mehndi.

There are many similar stories that are associated with karwa chauth from one part of India to another. During this particular day various items such as karwa, which is an earthen pot that has spout are actually collected and worshiped, is offered to the Goddess Parvati and Lord Siva. Usually the festival does not end until the moon is fully seen at night. During this festival an elderly woman is supposed to narrate a karwa chauth story before this fast is over.

Karwa chauth is a very important as well as a difficult fast that all married Hindu women observe. The festival begins just before sunrise and ends after worshiping the moon and doing prayers at night. No water or food can be consumed once the sun rises. The fast is only broken after seeing the moon and after all rituals of that particular day have been performed. When the moon has appeared, women break the fast after they have offered water to the moon.

Women dress in special clothes during this festival. A pink or red sari with a gold woven pattern is worn by many women as part their custom and is worn only in the evening. New brides will wear their wedding costumes. The karwa chauth fast sets a merry tone of frolic and fun, feasting and festivity and is amongst the biggest festivals celebrated by Hindus.

#JAMMU: Former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur who is also the Leader of the Opposition in the Himachal Pradesh Legislative Assembly arrived here today on a private visit along with his wife, paid obeisance at the heritage Raghunath Mandir.

At Jammu Airport, Thakur, was warmly received by the senior BJP leaders, including Jugal Kishore Sharma, Member Parliament, Rajinder Sharma, Mayor JMC, Baldev Billawaria, Dy Mayor, Dr Devender Manyal, Priya Sethi, Dharamveer Singh Jamwal, Ashok Singh Manhas, Surinder Singh Bunty, S. Sucha Singh, Ajay Gupta, Sanjay Gupta and others.

Thakur drove to the ancient Raghunath Mandir temple and prayed for peace and prosperity in the region and well-being of the people.

Accompanied by the senior leaders, Mr Jai Ram Thakur later visited the most thronged Balaji Tirupati Temple in the city outskirts and offered Puja.

#JAMMU: Chief Secretary Dr. Arun Kumar Mehta today released first ever school ranking and grading of teachers across Jammu & Kashmir which has been published by collecting the feedback from the students of class 6th to 12^th through digital mode of SAMIKSHA App & portal, developed by School Education Department, for assessing performance of teachers & School infrastructure.

Principal Secretary School Education Alok Kumar, along with the Project Director Samagra Shiksha Deep Raj, Director School Education Kashmir Tassaduq Hussain, Special Secretary School Education, Naseer Wani, among others were present on the occasion.

Chief Secretary said that, it is a revolutionary step taken by School Education Department and will go a long way in evaluating schools and teachers on real time basis, thus, giving Parents and administrators a real picture of the education system and will certainly enable in improving the required infrastructure in schools and also design the need specific training of teachers to enhance the learning outcomes of the students.

Dr. Mehta said Teachers in the Government sector are the best in terms of qualification and lot of impetus is being laid on training but pragmatic approach and focused attention of teachers to innovative and pedagogical method of teaching will ensure improved results, he added

Chief Secretary said that SAMIKSHA will reflect the true performance of teachers with respect to their classroom inputs/transactions and leave no space for subjectivity.

Dr. Mehta advised the School Education department to make the feedback a benchmark while analysing the teachers’ annual performance and advised that all the officers shall analyse the reports at their level and shall work on making education system more vibrant and aligned with NEP 2020.

Chief Secretary reiterated that, J&K UT is moving towards 100 % Digital & Transparent system, by introducing various online services to provide access to these services in the most effective manner, to each & every citizen, at all the locations. With these initiatives, J&K has become the first in the country, to make ranking of schools through digital platform of SAMIKSHA App. Quarterly review shall be taken and Plan will be prepared for the implementation in phased manner as per availability of resources.

He hoped that the UT should be seen as a model to be replicated by other States/UTs in the country. He underscored that J&K has the requisite capacity, capability, drive and desire to be best in the nation which has been done through various digital initiatives.

Principal Secretary Alok Kumar, informed that Samiksha provides System generated reports about the performance of Teachers and the status of schools on the basis of the Students’ inputs. Students have the facility to provide feedback in Hindi, English and Urdu languages to about 25questions based on different facilities/ schemes run for the benefit of students in schools and teaching techniques and behaviour of teacher in the classroom while teaching.

The response of the students of class 6th to 12th have been obtained through this mobile app on these parameters and depending on the score obtained in process,  ranking of the schools have been determined and grading of teachers have been made. This feedback will be obtained on a monthly basis, he informed.

Project Director, Samagra Shiksha made a brief presentation and informed that system has been developed in-house and first feedback for the month of September, 2023 was obtained as per direction of the Government to evaluate the schools and identify performers and low achievers amongst teachers.

He apprised that 642231 students from class 6th onwards have been registered in the portal and mapped with 74790 teachers imparting education to them in 9757 such schools. During the month of September ,2023,10.97 Lakh feedbacks have been received from 2.49 Lakh students for 55772 teachers of 8163 schools. Ranking of schools and grading of teachers have been defined on the basis of scores obtained by the schools and teachers on 100 point basis. During this evaluation process, 3696 schools ranked as Daksh (Efficient), 4441 as Uttkarsh (Flourishing), 1134 as AttiUttam (Very Good), 154 as Uttam (Good) and 29 as Parchestha (Striving).

Similarly, among the teachers, 1857 have been graded as excellent, 31340 as Very Good, 20836 as Good, 863 as average and 216 as below average.

#JAMMU: The J&K Sports Council held preliminary discussion with the visiting organizing committee team of Legends Cricket League headed by former international cricketer, Nikhil Chopra along with the Delhi Cricket Association’s (BCCI) pitch curator, Ankit Dutta.

Briefing about the venture, Secretary Youth Services and Sports (YSS ), Sarmad Hafeez, said that a meeting of the organizing committee and Sports Council team was held in Jammu to work out modalities for conduct of some of the matches of renowned Legends Cricket League in November at Moulana Azad Cricket Stadium, Jammu.

Secretary said that the matches are expected to feature former renowned cricketers like Chris Gayle, Virender Sehwag, Aron Finch, Irfan Pathan, Yusuf Pathan, and Harbhajan Singh besides others.

Divulging further on the details, Sarmad Hafeez informed that following the preliminary discussion the Legends Cricket league team had a tour of the stadium. They assessed the existing facilities at the venue and expressed satisfaction over the arrangements put in place with a suggestion to make certain minor amends, wherever required.

Earlier, the visiting team was received by J&K Sports Council including Ranjit Kalra, Member Sports Council; Mohammad Hanief, Chief Sports Officer Sports Council; Baljinder Pal Singh, in charge of Divisional Sports Officer (J), and Manager M. A Stadium, Naveen Sharma along with other officials.

During the preliminary interaction, Ranjeet Kalra briefed the organizing committee about the history of sports in J&K. He elaborated how the administration has gone the extra yard in successful conduct of National and International events during past few years.

The team inspected the turf wicket and requested that the venue may be handed over to them as early as possible enabling them to prepare the wicket properly as many former international players are participating in the event.

The floodlights were also switched on to check the intensity and the LUX power for any possible gradation, if required, for proper focusing of light during the hours of play.

The team also visited the player’s dressing rooms, VIP lounge, third umpire rooms and commentator’s box and took stock of the minor changes and repairs required for the mega event including shower area, steam bath and ice bath chambers.

Nikhil Chopra, while speaking on the occasion, said that the chief curator shall visit the venue again at the end of this week to estimate the exact time required for preparation of the wickets and outfield. He also requested that during the preparatory time, the premises may not be allotted for any other activity keeping in view the magnitude of the event and the associated works required to make ground fully fit for the international event.

Secretary Sports Council, Nuzhat Gull, said the checklist for smooth conduct of the event is being prepared and if all goes well, the M A Stadium may become a regular feature for international and national cricket events in future, she added.

#KATRA: The President of India, Droupadi Murmu today visited the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji and paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum. She prayed for the prosperity and well-being of fellow citizens.

She was accompanied by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. This is the first visit of  Droupadi Murmu as President to the Holy Shrine. On arrival at the Panchhi Helipad, the President was received by Anshul Garg, Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board.

The President inaugurated various state-of-the-art pilgrim-centric facilities at Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine. These included 250-meter long and 2.5 mtr. wide Skywalk project at an elevation of 20 feet above the existing track which has been constructed in record 14 months time at a cost of Rs 15.69 crore with an aim to overcome the problem of multidirectional flow of yatra. The Skywalk is laced with most modernized facilities like the wooden flooring as a preventive measure for devotees’ comfort in harsh weather conditions, a waiting hall, seating arrangements for about 150 pilgrims, LED screens, resting rooms and two emergency exits.

The pedestrian flyover (Skywalk) has an aesthetically designed entrance with an artistically embellished portray of Nav Durga to give an enriched experience for devotees. After its commencement, now entry and exit routes leading to the sanctum sanctorum have been separated to ensure systematic and smooth movement of yatra.

Besides, the President inaugurated Remodeled Parvati Bhawan which included 1,500 digital lockers, waiting lounge, washrooms and toilets for the devotees. The aim of consolidating multiple facilities under one roof is to curtail the crisscross movement of devotees seeking locker facilities and bathing spaces in the Bhawan area and channelize the devotees towards the Skywalk. The retrofitted Parvati Bhawan is a free-of-cost facility that shall able to facilitate around 10,000 pilgrims per day. The inaugural ceremonies commenced with hawan and pooja rituals.

The President complimented the efforts being initiated by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board under the Chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha towards facilitating the journey and holy Darshans of the pilgrims.

While on return, the President also visited the Bhairon Temple via Passenger Ropeway and paid obeisance.

Meanwhile, the Lt Governor, who is also the Chairman of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board apprised the President about the initiatives being taken by the Shrine Board for upgrading and expansion of the infrastructure to facilitate pilgrims to the Holy Shrine. These initiatives are aimed at making the yatra more convenient and memorable for pilgrims which is a testament to the dedication and commitment of the Board.

#SAMBA: In a significant step towards providing housing to the landless, District Development Council Chairman, Keshav Dutt Sharma and Deputy Commissioner (DC) Abhishek Sharma today handed over land allotment orders to 11 landless beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana- Gramin (PMAY-G).

This step follows the decision taken by the Administrative Council headed by Lieutenant Governor (LG) and consequent order issued by the Revenue Department, paving the way for the allotment of five marla (125 square yards) of state land to the eligible beneficiaries on lease basis.

The event took place at the DC office complex in Samba and was attended by DDC Vice Chairperson Balwan Singh, DDC members, ADDC, Rajinder Singh; ADC, Suresh Sharma; ACD Siddharth Dhiman; SDM Vijaypur, Rajesh Kumar, SDM Ghagwal Sunaina Saini besides others.

The allocation of land is part of the government’s efforts to address housing needs of the landless population. The selection of the beneficiaries has been done from the Permanent Wait List of 2018-19.

The chairperson extended his gratitude to all the officers involved in the process of allotment and acknowledged the positive impact it will have on the lives of the beneficiaries.