ANNOUNCEMENT OF  NORTH BOMBAY SARBOJANIN DURGA PUJA SAMITI 2018

The oldest Durga Puja in Mumbai, popularly known as North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja Samiti is all set to change its venue from Tulip Star, Juhu to Golden Tobacco Limited, Tobacco House, S.V. Road, Vile Parle (West), Mumbai, Maharashtra 400056

The announcement saw the presence of Debu Mukherjee, Krishna Mukherjee, Raja Mukherjee, Sumona Chakravarti, Samrat Mukherjee, Sharbani Mukherjee  .

Veteran actor & organiser of Debu Mukherjee & Krishna Mukherjee says “Durga Puja is one of the most important festivals of Bengali.  It's an occasion where the family comes together and celebrates the festival. We have an AC pandal which is one of the largest pandal in Mumbai. We welcome each & everyone with open heart to seek the blessings of Maa".

Durga Puja is celebrated from Shasti to Bijoya Dashimi.

MAHASHASHTI: On this day,  Maa is welcomed with much fan fare. In the evening ,the Kulo is decorated with Paan, Sindur, Alta, Sheela (stone) , Dhaan etc..and amidst the beats of Dhaak and sound of Shaankh, Maa is welcomed...  This is called Amontron and Adhivas -Maa's Bodhon...Maa is being welcomed.

MAHASAPTAMI: On  this  day  the   Kalash (Earthen Pot) is  placed  with  a  green Coconut  and  Mango  Leaves .  This is surrounded on all sides by a red thread and tied. This is called KALASH STHAPAN. The Kalash is an earthen Pot because Maa's Murti is made of Ganga clay and Maa's PRAAN (or life) is concentrated in the Pot. So the Pot is the symbol of Maa.  The  Puja  starts  with  praying  to  Ganapati  ,  followed  by  prayers  to  Maa.  Another name of Maa Durga is NABA PATRIKA, which means nine trees i.e.Banana tree, Kochu tree, Haldi tree, Jayanti tree, Branch of Bel tree, Dalim tree ( pomegranate) are tied together. The double Bel fruit is tied to the Banana tree. This is then taken to a river bank or sea and given a bath. When it is brought back it is drapped in a white and red sari with sindur and it now looks like a married lady with her head covered. This is called KOLA BAHU. Many have a misconception that KOLA BAHU is wife of Ganapati but actually she is MaaDurga or Naba Patrika.. Ganapati's mother 

MAHA SNAN: On this day Maa Durga is given a bath. First a vessel is  placed  in front of the Murti; a mirror is kept in the vessel, so that the reflection of Maa is seen in the mirror. The   Priest applies Haldi and Mustard oil on the mirror, as though they are applying it on Maa before the bath. In earlier times  when there was no soap, haldi and mustard oil were used for  having bath. The Pujari puts different kinds of water, i.e. Coconut water, Chandan, Ganga jal, Sugar cane juice, water from seven holy seas to give her bath. During this time, mud from every region, as well as mud from Prostitute’s door is very essential. After bath the Pujari puts dhaan- durba and new sari with Maa’s name written on  the mirror which is then placed on the Bedi (the place of worship).

PRAN PRATISTHA: This  means bringing life into the mirror.  The Pujari takes Kusha and flowers in the right hand, and touches Maa from head to foot and with Mantra Path life is brought into the Murti, Mirror and Kalash.

MAHA AGAMAN: Every year Maa comes either on a Palki or an Elephant or a Boat or a Dola (Swing) , or a Horse etc.  This Bengali year 1423, Goddess Durga's arrival on a horse signifies, indicates the "bad horse"- The most destructive mood, hence all her path is trampled. The Goddess arrives & leaves the earth on the same vehicle, indicating natural calamities, social unrest and political upheavals. Maa Durga's agaman- is on the horse & gaman - on a horse. 

Welcome : The puja to welcome Maa is done with 16 items- Ashan  Swagatam [ Welcome ], Paddyo [ Water  To  Wash The  Feet ], Argho, Achmoniyom, Madhu Parkam , Purnar Achmaniyam, Abharan [ Shringar], Sindoor, Gandha [ Scent ], Pushpa[ Flower],  Pushpa Mallya [ Garland] , Billo Patra [Bel Leaf] , Billopatra Mala[ Garland Of Bel Leaf], Dhoop,Deep, Kajal, Naibiddo, Bhog And Mishti [Sweet], Paan, Supari.

PUSHPANJALI [PRAYER OFFERING]: Puspanjali means offering prayers at Maa’s feet to give everyone long life, fame, good luck, health, wealth, happiness. The devotees request Maa to protect them from all evil, sadness, greed & temptations.

MAHA ASHTAMI PUJA: Maa is now Maha Gauri- The Puja starts with Mahasnan & Maha gauri puja. The Puja is done to give Maa the strength of the 64 Yoginis. This is a Puja of 9 pots.Then the weapons of Maa are worshipped.

SHANDHI PUJA : This is the puja when Ashtami Puja ends and Navami Puja begins,so the name Shandhi puja. This is considered to be the most vital time, meeting (shandhi)of Ashtami and Navami  puja. The duration of this Puja is 45 minutes. At this moment  Maa is CHAMUNDA.
Pushpanjali: Prayer offering
Bhog is offered which consists of fruits and sweets are offered to Maa, followed by  "NEET  BHOG" , consisting of  Rice, Ghee, Dal, Fried Vegetables, Chutney and Payesh.  This prasad  is later distributed amongst the devotees which is called KANGALI BHOJAN.
At this time 108 diyas are lit and 108 lotus are offered to Maa.
There is a famous story that Lord Ram prayed to Maa Durga offering 108 lotus at her feet in order to defeat Ravan. But to his surprise he found one lotus  missing , to replace it ,he wanted to sacrifice his eye and pray to Maa..at that moment Maa appeared in front of him and stopped him..returning the missing lotus to him.  She then blessed him for his " VICTORY". 

MAHA NAVAMI PUJA : On this day, Maa is SIDDHI DHATRI. This Puja starts with  Ganapati Puja and then puja of all the other DEV and DEVIS are performed..followed by Maha Snan of Maa.

BIJOYA DASHAMI:-On this day Maa had defeated and killed Mahishashur.

DEVI PUJA:- Bhog with curd, honey and milk is offered to Maa.. this is called CHARANAMRIT. The pujari sitting on the Asan takes a flower near the sacred pot and keeps it in the Northern direction because Maa is from KAILASH. Then the  pujari takes the sacred mirror which was on the vessel and performs the ritual of Visharjan. This is the same mirror which was used to welcome Maa because her reflection is on the mirror .

SINDUR  UTSAV: The married ladies apply sindur on Maa's  forehead and offer sweets after which all the other  ladies apply sindur on each other's forehead. This is followed by  KANAK ANJALI when Maa is departing back to her husband's abode.

VISHARJAN:- During the Visharjan of the Murti, all the devotees either go to a river bank or sea and immerse the Murti in the water.

SHANTI JAL: -The sacred pot is brought back from the river/sea filled with the water where the Murti is immersed. Then the pujari chants the Mantra and sprinkles water with the help of mango leaves on the head of all the devotees for peace and happiness.

DASSERA: This is the day of rejoicement,where youngsters touch the feet of their elders seeking their blessings and sweets are distributed.  North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja Samiti  is the only Durga Puja Samiti which performs the visarjan with the help of  fork lift and  crane. The idols  are  lifted from the truck and then taken till the middle of the sea with the help of a crane .After the seven parikramas  are performed,they are then finally immersed one by one into the sea. 

Kajol launched Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Initiative by CSI2018 & MCGM at NSCI, Worli.

On the occasion of the ‘World Heart Day’ Actress Kajol Devgan came specially to launch the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Initiative  by CSI2018 & MCGM at NSCI, Worli. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) kills one Indian every minute! This amounts to losing, every year, nearly 20 lac people to SCA in India and about 20000 lives in Mumbai alone. Sudden cardiac arrest is common in the young, people in the prime of their lives (35-60 years of age). A precious life lost, devastating family and society. Survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is dismal, with the probability of only one life saved for every ten victims. Immediate recognition of SCA and early initiation of chest compression by bystanders improves survival three to four-fold. In India, recognition and assistance of a SCA victim is non-existent. It is about time to save precious Indian lives. The agenda of the launch was to highlight the burden of the problem and, more importantly, spread awareness amongst the public about identifying the SCA victim, calling for medical help, initiating ‘hands-only CPR’ and familiarize them with the use of AED – automated external defibrillator, which is a life saver. It is important to note that cities and countries where media has supported this cause and spread public awareness have saved many more lives. 

Dr. Prafulla Kerkar spoke regarding spreading the awareness of Sudden Cardiac Arrest. He also asked everyone to learn regarding C.P.R . 

Mr. Subodh Jaiswal,Commissioner of Police also spoke regarding the importance of C.P.R knowledge. He want every police station should have one AED.

Municipal Commissioner Mr. Ajoy Mehta said- We are thankful to Kajol for associating with this campaign.   

The follow-up to this launch initiative will be the training of public servants (MCGM employees, General Police, Traffic Police, Railway Police and Fire Brigade officers) . It is the endeavor of CSI2018 to educate public servants and eventually the general public so that every SCA victim in India is recognized and receives basic resuscitative measures in good time. CSI2018 & MCGM solicit your support in achieving this goal and saving Indian lives. Lend your hands to save a heart! 

Singapore Tourism Board partners with Vh1 for the first-ever English music video by an International tourism board in India, ‘Unstoppable’

·         Shot in Singapore, includes talents from India and local artistes coming together for a unique music collaboration

·         Part of STB’s efforts to connect with the discerning and immersive, local experiences-seeking young travellers from India

·         Features Raja Kumari, Midival Punditz and B-boying crew Radikal Forze

Mumbai, Sept 28, 2018: The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has added a first to its repertoire of promotional activities in India. The Board has partnered with popular music channel, Vh1 India, to launch a music video titled ‘Unstoppable’ featuring both Indian and Singaporean talents. This makes the STB the first tourism board to come out with its own, cross-border collaborative English music video.

India is a key traveller source market for Singapore and moved up a spot to become its third largest visitor-arrival contributor in 2017. Singapore remains a top-of-mind destination for family holidays and STB’s promotional efforts continue to present the country’s diverse and exciting experiences to the Indian family audiences. With an estimated 65% of India’s population being 35 years and under with strong disposable income and increasingly travelling overseas, STB recognizes the importance of reaching out to them. These young adults or working millennials seek immersive, unique and local experiences and Singapore presents a plethora of options.

With this music video, STB forays into a different public space: the world of English music, pop culture and entertainment to connect with the young Indians, who are more adventurous and seek lifestyle experiences when travelling.

‘Unstoppable’, as the title suggests, urges viewers to evoke their experience-and-discover spirit by pursuing and living up their passions. GRAMMY Award-nominated Indian-American rapper, singer and songwriter Raja Kumari, the Chemical Brothers of India ‘Midival Punditz’ and popular Singaporean B-Boying crew ‘Radikal Forze’ have come together to pool their unique talents and common passion for creativity, music, sounds, dance and entertaining audiences. Their artistic collaboration is well in tune with Singapore’s new brand identity – Passion Made Possible.

Prior to the filming of the video, Raja Kumari and Midival Punditz explored the city and visited popular landmarks like Gardens By The Bay, the Esplanade, Haji Lane, Orchard Road and Buddha Tooth Relic temple in China Town. For Rajakumari, it was her first trip to Singapore and she was impressed with what the city had to offer. Her experiences inspired her to pen the lyrics urging people to pursue and achieve their dreams. Musical arrangements, incorporating sounds of daily life, like trains and tea-lady, recorded in Singapore were done by Midival Punditz. Rounding off the collaboration was Radikal Forze who danced to the beat and vibes of the song.

Apart from the main music video, audiences will be treated to four behind-the-scenes videos that include conversations with the artistes about their experiences in making this unique project possible. Directed by Ms. Shai, the video also features Ms. Tan Wei Tian who is the youngest opera singer in Singapore and Mr. Mark Ong, a leading Singaporean sneaker designer who has added a personalized touch to the video by showcasing his quirky artwork on sneakers.

AJAZ KHAN'S PHILANTHROPIC SIDE! 

Actor Ajaz Khan stands up for the justice of 250 Zomato & Food Panda employees 

With such power and position comes a responsibility towards the society. However, this responsibility is realised only by few. The incredibly popular celebrity well known for his humanitarian initiatives, was  approached by hundreds of employees of popular food delivery. companies Zomato & Food Panda. Infact, the actor's big heart & pure soul is no news to anyone. And it’s not just because of his charitable acts, the actor has earned the title of the "voice of poor". 

In a recent incident Ajaz Khan, stood up for 250 Zomato & Food Panda employees. Employees of Zomanto & Food Panda face major crisis in regards to their salary. In the video (on Ajaz Khan's facebook) the employees share their problems with Ajaz Khan. 

Stating that despite their full attendance & dedication towards the company, they are not paid the amount they were promised. They also revealed the kind of disrespect & rude behaviour of their senior & bosses at their workplace which is as a result devastating company morale and creating a toxic working environment.

The troubled employees also disclosed that the attitude of Maharashtra Police was "ignorant" & dismissed their case by calling it a "system problem" & were scared off. 

Ajaz Khan, who has always believed that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere, helped them resolve their issues to not just handle the genuine outrage of hundreds ofZomato  & Food Panda employees but also put an end to their long standing grief's "I request Maharashtra Govt. & Police to resolve the issue as soon as possible. It is a very unfortunate situation which causing a lot of disturbance. Infact there are few employees who are under huge debts. I humbly request Maharashtra Govt. & Police to look into this matter"

LAUNCH OF AZIZ ZEE'S NEXT FILM "1978 NIGHT OUT" - A TWISTED SUPERNATURAL THRILLER

"After the success  of the movie Stree,  I  think movies of the horror genre will be more excepted" says Aziz Zee. "1978 Night Out" - A twisted supernatural thriller marries elements of horror, thriller & super natural to create a cocktail that will give audience the 'chills'. 

"I have always been unconventional with my choices as a director. Yes, horror is a genre that we have not tapped into. I don’t want to divulge any details about the film but it’s definitely something that we have not seen before on our screens" adds Aziz Zee. 

Asked about the unusual title, Aziz Zee said "I kept this title because I wasn't getting a title for a suspense thriller as numerous films have come up. This title builts a sense of inquisitiveness among st the audience . The whole film is a suspense thriller. We thought of numerous titles but it didn't sound strong enough"

Cast - Yash Rajparia , Sonyaa, Apurva Godbole, Rishabh, Muskaan Tomar, Rohit , Gaurav Sharma, Maliha Malla, Abuzair

Director- Aziz Zee; Producer - Suresh Thomas / Kunal Shamshere Malla; Co Producer - Manesha Chatarji; D.O.P - Mohamed Jaffer; Story Screen Play - Mohit Shrivastav; Executive Producer -Sanober Herekar Aziz

गोवामध्ये ग्रँड उत्सव जागतिक पर्यटन दिन २०१८ चिन्हांकित

गोवा टुरिझमने आज उत्तर-दक्षिण गोवा मध्ये विविध कार्यक्रम आणि उपक्रम आयोजित करुन जागतिक पर्यटन दिन २०१८ च्या प्रसंगी एक शानदार प्रदर्शन केले. पंजिम येथील परितट भवन येथे उत्सव साजरा करण्यासाठी पितृसंदर्भात हा दिवस सुरु झाला. दिवसभर, शाळा आणि महाविद्यालयीन विद्यार्थ्यांनी उत्तर गोवा आणि दक्षिण गोवा मधील भाषण, प्रश्नोत्तर पोस्टर्समधील स्पर्धांमध्ये भाग घेतला. विशेष मुलांसाठी आत्म विश्वास विद्यालयातील विशेष मुलांसाठी, तुम, पारसेम आणि लोक विश्वास प्रतिष्ठानच्या शाळेसाठी खास मुलांसाठी, डेव्हली, पोंडा या दिवशी हाऊस क्रूझ होता.

होहो बसच्या सवारीने शाळेच्या मुलांनाही दिवसभरात धक्का दिला. गोयन लोक नृत्य आणि रंगीत सांस्कृतिक कार्यक्रम आयोजित करण्यात आले. मुलांनी गाणे आणि नृत्य सत्रांमध्येही भाग घेतला. पूर्वी गोवा टुरिझम आणि इंडिया टूरिझमच्या अधिकार्यांनी गोवा विमानतळ, दाबोलिम आणि मागाओ मधील केआरसी स्टेशनवर पर्यटकांचे स्वागत केले. आगमन होणार्या पर्यटकांना फुले आणि मिठाई वाटली.

त्याचप्रमाणे, वर्ल्ड टूरिझम डे देखील सर्व जीटीडीसी रेजीडेंसीमध्ये साजरा करण्यात आला आणि पाहुण्यांचे स्वागत फुले आणि मिठाईंनी केले. उत्तर-दक्षिण गोवा या दोन्ही गोवा टूरिझमच्या कर्मचार्यांनी देखील त्यांच्या संबंधित क्षेत्रात आणि पर्यटन आणि डिजिटल परिवर्तनांच्या थीमसंदर्भात हा प्रसंग साजरा केला.

गोवा सायन्स सेंटर आणि प्लॅनेटरियम येथे तीन दिवस "पर्यटन प्रदर्शनासाठी", मिरामरचे उद्घाटनही झाले. राज्यभरात पर्यटनस्थळांवर विविध स्वच्छता मोहिम चालविण्यात आल्या आणि हॉटेलने उद्योगाने सुद्धा उत्साहाने हा दिवस साजरा केला.

&TV’s new channel refresh campaign ‘Hai Khaas Har Andaaz’ celebrates the &dians ambition to be more!

~ In addition to the recently launched Perfect Pati, the channel unveils two more grand properties: reality show Love Me India and magnum opus Vikram Betaal Ki Rahasya Gaatha ~

Mumbai, 19^th September 2018: Explorer & Music lover, Foodie & Biker, CEO & Adventure-seeker, Homemaker & Entrepreneur, Fitness aficionado & Artist - the new Indian is all this and more. Multiple personas and passions have always existed, but the difference is, today people are willing to embrace every facet of themselves and not sacrifice one for another. We don our multiple roles and personas, refusing to settle in the limited expectations society has of us. It is this aspect of the new &dian that &TV is tapping into through its refreshed show line-up and the channel campaign.

Since its launch in 2015, &TV has successfully built a strong connect with the audience by always presenting stories, characters and values that are unique and unconventional. The channel’s marquee show Bhabhiji Ghar Par Hain received immense love from the audience thanks to its bhabhijis, Meri Hanikarak Biwi’s bold narrative attracted conversations and depicted an open-minded biwi. The channel didn’t shy away from going against the tide and introducing a 100kg bahu on television with Badho Bahu or presenting Kanha and Radha differently. &TV pushed the envelope further by introducing supernatural-romance in Laal Ishq. The channels varied narratives resonated with the new age audience and now the channel is geared up to push the boundaries further with the brand refresh and an all new show line-up.

Punit Misra, CEO, ZEEL - India Broadcast Business said, “As India’s No.1 entertainment network, it is our endeavor to fulfill the entertainment needs of every viewer segment. We believe &TV, the youngest GEC in the ZEEL portfolio is best suited to cater to &dians - the multifaceted, progressive, young urban viewers who want to be MORE. With our unique brand point-of-view led content creation approach, the &TV team has crafted stories and characters that &dians will fall in love with.”

Prathyusha Agarwal, CMO, ZEEL said, “The & Brand in our portfolio aims to disrupt the entertainment space with content that caters to the nonconformist &dian mindset. Our new brand campaign ‘Hai Khaas Har Andaaz’ is pegged on a simple premise - today’s Indian is multi-dimensional in their thoughts, actions and aspirations and seamlessly traverse between their many roles in life and excel in each. It’s truly an & and not an OR world for them as they add meaning to and fulfil every relationship, value themselves and their work, go beyond what society expects them to and actualize all their &s along the way. Through this campaign we celebrate this ability of an &dian to expand the canvas to accomplish their desires and the multiplicity idea captures their diverse hues in full glory.”

Depicting this core proposition to the viewers, is the new channel refresh campaign created by Lowe Lintas that premieres this weekend, breaking first on its new live signing reality show for kids Love Me India at 9:00 PM on &TV.

Bringing alive the essence of the new channel thought of ‘Hai Khaas Har Andaaz’, &TV presents an exciting line-up of shows in the coming months, starting off with the recently launched Perfect Pati, two upcoming big-ticket properties and more in the offering.

Perfect Pati introduces Jaya Prada for the first time on television as Rajyashree Rathod. As a multifaceted, progressive woman and influencer in her society, and new age saas, she confronts a poignant question in her journey as a mother - will her perfect son be a perfect husband?

In non-fiction, &TV will launch a live kids’ singing reality show, Love Me India. For the first time ever in the history of reality television in India, advanced technology will be used to empower the audience to have the highest voting power and viewers choose their favourite singer from the audition phase itself right until selecting the winner of show. It brings together three incredible musicians as judges – Guru Randhawa, Himesh Reshammiya and Neha Bhasin along with four supremely talented singers as zonal captains – Abhijeet Sawant, Anusha Mani, Bhoomi Trivedi and Navraj Hans.

Widening its bouquet of fiction offerings, the channel will present an epic fantasy with a unique andaaz Vikram Betaal Ki Rahasya Gaatha. One of its most ambitious projects, the show promises great grandeur, a visual extravaganza in a conceptually never-seen-before avatar. In a larger-than-life narrative of the captivating worlds of the courageous King Vikramaditya, wise Betaal, the show will bring back classic stories with a modern take, making it relevant to current times and portraying the universal tussle between good and evil. Upping the uniqueness is the introduction of the epitome of evil, Bhadrakaal - a television first.

Vishnu Shankar, Head, &TV said, “As society develops and people’s ethos progress, we capture the change and reflect this sentiment in the entertainment we provide to our audience. Ever since its inception, we at &TV believe in psychographics, not demographics - targeting a contemporary blooming mindset. Our new brand campaign pays tribute to today’s &dian. As we move forward, we will present Khaas stories and engage our viewers in our unique Andaaz, in line with the brand motto.

As &TV grows onwards and upwards, the channel identity will reflect in its content design and exciting line-up in the months to come, encouraging the audience to enjoy and appreciate &TV ka ‘Hai Khaas Har Andaaz’.

Join the &TV family as it rejoices in the every khaas andaaz of &dia!

About &TV:

&TV is the flagship Hindi GEC amongst the ‘&’ bouquet of channels from Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL), a global media and entertainment company. Staying true to the personification of the Ampersand, &TV signifies a conjunction of aspirations and rootedness which is synonymous with the spirit of New Age India. Through its content offering, the channel brings together people and ideologies thus fostering cohesive viewing within Indian households. &TV showcases a diverse and dynamic mix of relatable fiction, high voltage non-fiction, marquee events and blockbuster movies. The channel is available in SD and HD across all Cable and DTH platforms and enjoys a leading presence in international markets including Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East and Americas. The channel, viewed by premium audience is fast gaining popularity across territories.

You can keep abreast of all &TV shows on social media platforms like Twitter - @AndTVOfficial; Facebook – AndTVOfficial and Instagram – andtvofficial.

For further information, please contact:

&TV Jigna Shah Mobile: 9920598697 Email: jigna.shah@zee.esselgroup.com

Genesis Burson-Marsteller Srishti Singh Mobile: 8879970856 Email: srishti.singh@bm.com