Saraswati Puja will be allowed in temples without the participation of devotees, and in schools with a limited number of students, complying with COVID-19 protocols, it said.
19 Feb:
We woke up to another fine sunny day, with the temperatures gradually soaring. Today we were off to Satapada to view the backwaters of the Chilika Lake. We took NH316, and its just one straight road after exiting the city. It’s a two lane road, but mostly smooth with speed breakers around settlements. Hence the drive is quite good, barring some incidents (about which
Samba da had warned me). After crossing Brahmagiri bikers started chasing our car, honking and knocking windows to allow them to take them to “Chilika and nice restaurants”. It was quite the menace and it was getting risky to drive with one or two bikes within a 1 foot radius of the car. At one point, father got angry and shouted at them from his window, and some of them backed out. I drove non stop and entered the OTDC compound so that these urchins would not stop us. I told them about the incident, and they just nodded in annoyance. While still on the road we could already see one end of the Chilika, a
(Image source from: Navbharattimes.indiatimes.com)
Ratha Saptami 2021: Significance and a Message:- February 19th this year is celebrated as Ratha Saptami which is dedicated to Lord Surya. The festival falls on Saptami tithi of Shukla Paksha in the month of Magha which changes every year as per the tithi. Ratha Saptami is also popularly known as Magha Saptami. Here are some of the auspicious timings for the day:
Snan Muhurat on Ratha Saptami - 05:14 AM to 06:56 AM
Saptami Tithi Begins - 08:17 AM on Feb 18, 2021
Saptami Tithi Ends - 10:58 AM on Feb 19, 2021
Significance of Ratha Saptami:
All the Hindus believe that the sun god or Lord Surya enlightens the entire world on the auspicious day of Ratha Saptami. This is also celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Surya because of which it is celebrated in a wide manner. For Dan and Punya activities, Ratha Saptami is considered as Surya Grahan. There are seven types of sins done by humans: knowingly, unknowingly, by words, by bo