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The Feast of the Queenship of Mary

*By Dr. Devan The Church, in her wisdom, has always sought to honor the saints not simply for what they accomplished but for what they represent. Among them all, no one holds as exalted a place as Mary, the Mother of Jesus. She is honored as the first disciple, the most faithful believer, and the one who bore in her womb the King of Kings. It is fitting, therefore, that the Church sets aside a special day to honor her as Queen of Heaven and Earth. This is the Feast of the Queenship of Mary, celebrated every year on August 22. This feast is not a mere liturgical formality. It is a profound reminder of who Mary is, what she has become, and what she continues to mean for the faithful. It is also a feast that speaks to our own destiny, for Mary’s crown is a foreshadowing of the glory that awaits those who walk faithfully in Christ. The Origins of the Feast The roots of Mary’s queenship lie deep within the history of salvation. In the ancient Davidic Kingdom, the mother of the king held a p...
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Allama Prabhu: A Respected Figure Among Natha and Siddha Traditions in the North, too

By M Chenna Nagaraj* Veerashaiva poet cum scholar of the Vijayanagara period, Maggeya Mayideva, is one of the most important milestones in the Veerashaiva/Lingayat literary scene, not merely in Kannada but also in the Sanskrit language, a rare feat for any literary person in the southern region. A bold attempt to take a Kannada literary work to the vast Sanskrit ocean: His importance knows no boundaries because he has ventured into something unusual but not impossible for his time. He collated Kannada vachanas of Allama Prabhu to Sanskrit literary circles through his magnum opus ‘Prabhu Gita’, a translation cum critique, which speaks volumes about his bold attempt to take a Kannada literary work to the vast Sanskrit ocean. Did it receive the attention it deserved? It is common knowledge that all translations have been from Sanskrit to Kannada, whereas Mayideva has reversed this established trend by introducing the 12th-century Vachana mystic Allama Prabhu to Sanskrit literature. A rar...

Pundit Basavaraj Rajaguru Ensured His Disciples Also Grew With Him: Pundit Suhas Vyas

Dharwad: Basavaraj Rajaguru, the late Hindustani Classical maestro, didn't grow alone. He simultaneously ensured all his disciples also grew along with him, opined Pundit Suhas Vyas. The Pune-based vocalist was speaking here after receiving the Basavaraj Rajaguru national award for lifetime achievement, presented by the Swara Samrat Pundit Basavaraj Rajaguru Memorial National Trust on the eve of the veteran classical musician's 105th birth anniversary celebrations here. Next life to be born in Dharwad! Speaking about the unique characteristics of the Dharwad region, Pundit Suhas Vyas exhorted the bundle of talents born in this state's cultural capital city. He recalled the giants of the Indian Hindustani classical music world like Dr Mallikarjun Mansur, Dr Gangubai Hangal, Pundit Puttaraj Gawai, and Pundit Panchakshari Gawai, carving a name for themselves on the global sphere. If at all there is another life, I wish to be born in the state of Karnataka, he exclaimed. Musi...

Dharwad's Arya Durga, Rukmini and Saraswati...: From Nothing to Crores and Crores...

Bengaluru: Arya Durga Kirani Stores, with Rukmini and Saraswati outlets, are household names for all those residing in and natives of Dharwad. It was a humble and austere beginning, dating back a few decades, thanks to hard work, sincerity, and trustworthy behaviour with customers, the business flourished and grew in leaps and bounds in an unimaginable proportion. Started working at the age of eight years! The owner, late Gajanan Vitthal Shetti, was primarily from Ankola in the North Canara (Karwar) district. Ankola, a coastal town, is renowned for its Salt Satyagraha during the freedom struggle movement. The financial condition of Shetti's family was too critical, making it too difficult to meet even the basic demands of day-to-day life. He began working at a ration shop while he was only eight years of age and continued working until he became 15 years old. Mahalakshmi Hotel boomerangs: Then Gajanan Vitthal Shetti came to Hubballi to do business. He came with his father, Vitth...

Pundit Basavaraj Rajaguru Memorial National Awards Presentation Tomorrow in Dharwad

Bengaluru: The Dharwad-based Swarsamrat Pundit Basavaraj Rajguru National Trust is celebrating the 105th birth anniversary in Dharwad tomorrow. In commemoration of this, the Trust is also holding the presentation of its annual National Awards, along with the Music Festival 2025. Pundit Suhas Vyas bags the National Award: This year's annual National Award for Lifetime Achievement goes to Pundit Suhas Vyas of Pune. Son of renowned Hindustani classical vocalist Padmabhushan Pundit C R Vyas, Suhas Vyas has a series of accomplishments to his credit. In touch with several top-notch artists: He was born on 26 October 1949 in Usmanabad of Maharashtra, and had the luxury of being groomed at home at a very tender age, thanks to the illustrious musician father in-house. As a child, he was lucky enough to come in touch with several top vocal Hindustani classical artists. Maybe, such contacts and connections also drove him to pursue the Hindustani classical style of singing since his early s...

Senior Citizens' Woes: Do's and Don'ts Preferred-Dr Chandrasekhar V. Shettar

Bengaluru: These days, you come across many instances involving a difficult phase for elderly people. Apart from the challenges interlinked with the advancing age, there is no dearth of incidents wherein they are taken for a ride and duped after luring them with hitherto unheard monetary returns. And, the pathetic part which continues to haunt is that many such victims happen to be well-educated people! Dr Chandrashekhar V. Shettar, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at the Karnataka Lingayat Education Society's Centenary Charitable Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Venugram, Belagavi in Karnataka, has suggested several measures keeping in consideration the problems of elder citizens. Address both their physical environment and daily habits: He suggests that to ensure safety for elderly individuals, it's crucial to address both their physical environment and daily habits. Key areas include reducing fall risks, preventing elder abuse, and promoting general well-being through pr...

Selected for the Appropriate Task Will the Concerned Teacher Appear

*By Dr. Devan There is an old saying often quoted in spiritual circles: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” Many treat this as a mystical proverb, a romantic phrase that speaks of fate and destiny. Yet, beneath the simplicity of those words lies a profound truth about life, growth, and the mysterious manner in which the universe orchestrates our journey. The statement I wish to extend is slightly broader: “Only when you are ready and selected for the appropriate task will the concerned teacher appear. That’s how the universe works.” This is not just a poetic sentiment. It is a universal law, observable in the stories of sages, scientists, leaders, and ordinary individuals who transformed when their inner ripeness met outer guidance. The teacher is not always a person; sometimes it is an experience, a failure, a heartbreak, a sudden responsibility, or even a random encounter that ignites the light of wisdom. But none of these arrive prematurely. The universe waits unti...

Enjoy Life with Your Grandchildren-That’s a Good Life

*By Dr. Devan Life is a continuum, a river that flows from the innocence of childhood to the vigor of youth, through the responsibilities of adulthood, and eventually into the serene waters of old age. Each phase demands something different from us: play in childhood, passion in youth, responsibility in adulthood, and wisdom in old age. But if one thread binds all these stages, it is the recognition that life must be lived in harmony with its seasons. At some point in our journey, it becomes not only necessary but also noble to lay down our arms—the constant striving, the endless working, the insatiable quest for control—and step into the role that nature gently prepares us for: the elder who enjoys the fruits of life with grandchildren. This, indeed, is a good life. The Futility of Endless Striving In the earlier stages of life, striving is essential. A young man or woman must fight for survival, carve out a career, build a family, and secure a place in society. This period is charact...