Michael Lured Us to Pop

I was born and brought up in Nanded, which seems rustic today to my eyes habituated to the glamour of metros for more than decade. But even living in small countryside city twenty years ago did not bar us from being lured into pop music. And I, with people from my generation who are in their thirty something now, could easily pinpoint the one phenomenal reason for this inclination towards this 'un-Indian' music. It was named Michael Jackson.It was...

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The History In the Arguing

Historians Refuse to be Part of ControversyThe existing controversy between Brahmin-Maratha castes as taken a new turn with a hilarious exchange of statements today. A group which appears to be affiliated with the Sambhaji Brigade claimed that a major discussion on the history of Maharashtra will take place on Saturday, June 27. the statement issued by the organisation involved some big names like Gajanan Mehendale, who is credited with the most...

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Rain God Still Away

We Need the Rains BadlyFinally, Indian Meteorological Department has modifies its prediction regarding the rainfall in the country. The department has now said that the rainfall will be below normal for the month of July. Minister of state for Science and technology Prithviraj Chavan today announced this in the capital New Delhi. In the first prediction given by the department, the rainfall in July was expected to be 96 percent.Agriculture Secretaries...

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leopard 013

leopard 013, originally uploaded by deshpande.devidas.The leopards taken into custody by forest department of Maharashtra are put at Manikdoh near Junnar. I visited the place on June 23 for one of my stories. It was a thrilling experience. I got to know so much within that half an hour. And I was thrilled to no limits. I plan to write more on this subject because I am totally in love with this animal.The story I did was funny indeed. Which is available...

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If the government is really serious, Pune might have affordable homes in near future. The government is doing a survey in the city to check the possibility of affordable housing. Besides Pune, the survey is being undertaken in Mumbai, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad and Amaravati also.PTI has given this story without naming any official. It points to a source in the housing ministry which informs that this is the pilot project started by the Government in the major cities of the state to know the actual need of the people for housing and then plan...

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New Spells of Rain

But Where is Monsoon Pune witnessed new spell of rains in the season on Saturday. It comes on the background of a 20 percent cut in the water supply of the city. Still, this rain is not sufficient for fulfilling the needs of the city. Officials say that at least 10 days of rainfall will be needed for the water supply to resume at original level. Meanwhile, the meteorological department clarified that the rains on Saturday were not that of monsoon...

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The Magic of Wari

It is the same ritual for over three centuries, repeated year by year with same vigor and enthusiasm. Even the rising concern for security and growing attraction for materialism does not deter the warkaris from thronging the streets of Pune in search of Viththal, their beloved god. For the warkaris, Pune happens to be only a stage in their quest for this eternal deity rising above the caste and religious limits. A magic among the living species,...

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'CorruptionRaj' Guru!

The over two centuries old wada in Rajgurunagar in Khed, where the freedom fighter was born and lived for 10 years afterwards, is in controversy. I was yesterday at the site of this old wada where one of the illustrious martyrs of India was born. It is unimaginable that it was used for misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 70 lakh. This is the inside view of the birthroom of Shiram Hari Rajguru, who along with Shahid Bhagat Singh and Sukhdev...

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Sanskrit and Marathi

A Tale of Two Languages Sanskrit and Marathi, as anybody with a primary knowledge of languages is aware, are sister languages from the Indo-Germanic languages. In Maharashtra where the Marathi is the primary languages, both the languages shared a vibrant and cordial relation for centuries. Most of the vocabulary in Marathi is sourced from this ancient language. The scriptures from Sanskrit inspired a plethora of similar texts in the native language. Just as the Ramayana inspired Kamb Ramayanam in Tamil, the Bhagwat inspired Nath Bhagwat...

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Another Censor in Maharashtra

We Should Welcome ItAnother censor board is in the offing in the Maharashtra. The state government is contemplating on creating a monitoring body for the content beamed on satellite channels. Rana Jagjitsinh Patil, minister of State for Cultural Affairs told the state legislative council that the Government is planning a comprehensive policy to check violence and indecency in television programmes."A meeting would be called to dwell on issues like setting up a censor board at the state level to monitor television programmes," he said.Speaking on...

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If You Want Entertainment, Look No Further

All YOU HAVE TO DO IS WATCH NEWS CHANNELS India is a country rich with history. Many people have inhabited here living their lives full or void of any action. I wonder how they passed their time when there was no television or to be specific, news channels. What sort of entertainment exactly filled their existence surpassing other forms of pastimes. Being born in an era when even tape recorders, forget the idiot boxes, were hard to be found, one can easily ask for the details to this creature. But that was far away in the locked doors...

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A New Low For Maharashra

It is one of the worst cases of criminalisation of politics in Maharashtra. A powerful leader with decades of experience behind him has been arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigating (CBI) on the charges of murder. This is one of the most unbelievable, if not most, development after the formation of separate state in 1950.Newly elected member of parliament Padmasinh Patil, who also happens to be a close relative of Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar is arrested by CBI sleuths last night. He is charged with the murder of his cousin...

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