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To make the event more environment friendly, the Advocate Committee has proposed the use of colour crackers instead of regular crackers.

Notably, 'Ravan Podi' is one of the most important events of Dussehra, also known as Vijayadashami. 

The festival of Durga Puja culminates with the Ravan Podi, symbolising the triumph of good over evil with the burning of Demon King Ravan's effigies. 

The event draws large number of crowd, who partake in the festivities and watch the night sky light up with fireworks. Such events reflect the rich cultural tapestry of India, where mythology and tradition play a vibrant role in the celebrations.

However, the environmental/climate activists have repeatedly raised concerns over the pollution -- both air and noise -- caused by the fireworks.

Keeping the safety of nature in mind, HC has taken such measures.  

HC has also directed Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) as well as the district administration to make all kinds of arrangements in Bali Yatra lower ground within 10 days for the upcoming Ravan Podi.

The DCP has also been directed to keep an eye on traffic management, which is a major task for the police department.

The HC has passed the directives during the hearing of an intervention petition filed by the 'Sarbadharma Sadharan Parisad'.

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Videos and pictures of Alia greeting the crowd have gone viral on social media. One of the clips shows Alia arriving on stage amid cheers from the crowd. She said, "Namaskara (Hello) Bengaluru. Surprise, surprise”.

She was dressed in a blue off-shoulder bodycon dress and heels. Alan opted for a grey hoodie and black pants. He also wore a mask on his face.

While the actress smiled and waved at the audience, the song ‘Chal Kudiye’ from ‘Jigra’ played in the background. In a photo, Alia was seen posing with Alan as they held each other.

Alia’s appearance at Alan’s show comes during the times when international artistes are finding a steady footing in India. In January, the British rock band Coldplay is set to perform in Mumbai, and has generated significant buzz around the same.

Meanwhile, Alia will be next seen in ‘Jigra’ which is directed by Vasan Bala of ‘Monica, O My Darling’ fame. The film also stars Vedang Raina, who portrays the role of Alia's brother in the film. Alia essays the role of Satya, a devoted sister who will go to the edge of the world for her brother. She is determined to rescue her brother, Ankur, played by Vedang.

The trailer of the film was released a few days ago, and by the looks of it, ‘Jigra’ seems to be inspired from the Russell Crowe-starrer ‘The Next Three Days’ which itself was inspired from the French film ‘Pour elle’ by Fred Cavaye. While in ‘The Next Three Days’ Russell Crowe takes extreme measures to break his wife out of prison after she is wrongfully convicted for the murder of her boss, in ‘Jigra’ the lead characters are of a brother and a sister.

Produced under the banner of Dharma Productions and presented by Viacom18 Studios and Eternal Sunshine Productions, ‘Jigra is set to debut in theatres on October 11.

--IANS

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Jemimah Rodrigues stressed the importance of resilience as the team seeks to reignite their campaign following a disappointing 58-run defeat in Dubai Friday.
 
In a tightly contested Group A, dubbed the 'group of death,' India's semifinal prospects hang in the balance after New Zealand outplayed them. 

Australia, defending champions and title favorites, begin their journey Saturday against Sri Lanka, while Pakistan shocked Sri Lanka in their opening match in Sharjah. 

South Africa also laid down a marker in Group B by defeating West Indies by 10 wickets, sitting at the top with Bangladesh.

India, bowled out for just 102 in pursuit of 161, saw no player surpass captain Harmanpreet Kaur's score of 15. Only five Indian batters reached double figures, including Rodrigues with 13. For New Zealand, seamers Rosemary Mair and Lea Tahuhu wreaked havoc, taking 4 for 19 and 3 for 15, respectively.

Rodrigues acknowledged the disappointing performance but urged her team to move forward, knowing every game from here is a must-win.

"Today would be the game we would like to forget, because this is a World Cup," Rodrigues said. "We need to keep moving on and keep picking ourselves up. We can't stay stuck at this game. We need to pick ourselves up, and I think that will show the character of this team.

"We know every game from here is so crucial for us. We know that, but at the same time, we're going to go one game at a time and just make sure we stick to our process and do our job well. If we can do that, I think we play our best cricket, I think we can win matches."

New Zealand's aggressive approach laid the foundation for their victory, with an opening 67-run partnership between Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer, followed by captain Sophie Devine's unbeaten 57 off 36 balls. It was a much-needed comeback for New Zealand, who had a difficult 2023, struggling against top teams like Australia and South Africa.

Rodrigues admitted New Zealand's powerplay attack wasn't unexpected but regretted missed chances. "They came out with a lot of intent," she said. "We did create opportunities, but unfortunately we didn't make the most of them. Then the way we came back after the start was … I mean, not many positives in this game, but still, going forward, we need to have the right approach because the tournament is not over. We need to take some positives from this game and a lot of learnings from this game."

While temperatures in Dubai have been challenging, Rodrigues downplayed the conditions as a factor, emphasising that the team is well-prepared and familiar with such heat, given their experience in India.

A controversial moment in the 14th over involving New Zealand’s Amelia Kerr briefly unsettled India.

"It's not the easiest of conditions, it's really hot here in Dubai, but I think we've got enough time to get used to the conditions so we don't give an excuse, like it's too hot or whatever it is. We just need to do our job and win the match for the team. So when it comes to conditions, I think we are very used to the conditions. It's got better from the first day we've come here. So I think we are very prepared for this and all of us stay in India, so we are very familiar to such conditions."

After a miscommunication during a run-out attempt, the ball was declared dead, sparking heated discussions between Indian captain Harmanpreet Kaur and the umpires. Despite this, Kerr was dismissed two balls later, and Rodrigues praised her team’s ability to move past the situation. "We accepted the umpire's decision and moved on. We got her out soon after, so it worked for us."

(IANS)

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