Saiee Manjrekar calls Gudi Padwa THIS

Actress Saiee Manjrekar is celebrating Gudi Padwa today on March 30. During an exclusive interaction with IANS, the 'Major' actress shared what the festival means to her.  Saiee said, "Gudi Padwa is our new year and I think it has always been such a celebration of positivity, of strength, of resilience, of happiness, and I connect the significance the most because of how we like to spend our day- going through rituals, eating good food and it just really means a lot to me." Talking about her go-to Gudi Padwa look, she revealed, "My go-to look on Gudi Padwa has to be a comfy kurti, a nice loose pajama, jhumkas, and a bindi." When asked about what she likes to eat during the festival, the stunner told IANS, "My favorite Gudi Padwa food and delicacy has to be Shrikhand Puri, Varan Bhat, Batata Sabji, and what happens is - Gudi Padwa is the day that we offer the first prasad as the mango- so, the first mango of the season comes to the house on Gudi Padwa and obviously we are excited to eat the mango." "I think incorporating the spirit of Gudi Padwa they say that whatever you think- the thought you think on this day sought of manifests your year- so we just focus on thinking good thoughts, thinking happy thoughts, envisioning how our year is going to look- it is just the most beautiful festival," Saiee concluded saying. Work-wise, Saiee will next be a part of Nandamuri Kalyan Ram's much-awaited action entertainer ‘Arjun S/O Vyjayanthi’. Helmed by Pradeep Chilukuri, the project has been jointly produced by Ashok Vardhan Muppa and Sunil Balusu. Apart from Nandamuri Kalyan Ram and Saiee, the primary cast of the movie also includes, Vijayashanthi, Sohail Khan, Srikanth, and Prithviraj. The technical crew comprises cinematographer Ram Prasad, composer Ajaneesh Loknath, and editor Tammiraju. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

31 March,2025 12:43 PM IST | Mumbai | IANS

In Pictures: How Mumbai welcomed the Marathi New Year on Gudi Padwa

A woman and children dressed as historical figures, at Girgaon. A baby, surprisingly unperturbed by the heavy costume, participates in the Gudi Padwa procession in Girgaon. Pic/Atul Kamble High-fives for the costume party at Girgaon. Pic/Atul Kamble Women bikers dressed in traditional attire, complete with colourful headgear, wow the crowds at Girgaon. Pic/Atul Kamble A boy makes some impressive Mallakhamb moves at Girgaon. Pic/Atul Kamble Women show off Mallakhamb skills in Girgaon. Pic/Atul Kamble A woman demonstrates some mean drumming skills at Girgaon. Pic/Atul Kamble A participant dressed as a Kathakali dancer turns heads near Sena Bhavan, Dadar. Pic/Ashish Raje Women buy gold as an auspicious mark in a Dadar store. Pic/Ashish Raje

31 March,2025 09:59 AM IST | Mumbai | A Correspondent

Mumbai: Raj Thackeray throws fiery Gudi Padwa punches

At the MNS’s annual Gudi Padwa rally at Shivaji Park, party chief Raj Thackeray delivered a fiery speech, hitting out at attempts to disrupt communal harmony, raising concerns over river pollution, and warning of strict action against those disrespecting the Marathi language.  Thackeray urged people to unite under Marathi identity instead of dividing along caste and community lines. He emphasised that Marathi must be used in daily interactions and warned of a strong response to incidents where it is ignored. “MNS will deal in its own style with anyone disrespecting Marathi.”  Aurangzeb grave row Thackeray took a dig at those suddenly realising the bravery of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj after watching the recently released film Chhaava. “Some people have woken up after watching a movie. Their Hindutva will fade once the film leaves theatres,” he said.  He suggested that all structures around Aurangzeb’s grave be removed, with only a board left at the site stating: “The one who tried to destroy the Marathas is buried here.” He also proposed organising school trips to the site to educate the younger generation.  Pollution issues“Out of Mumbai’s five rivers, four are already dead, and the fifth is on the verge of dying. What is the Pollution Control Board doing?”  EVMs and reservation Thackeray slammed the Mahayuti government for failing to fulfil poll promises, such as farm loan waivers and the Rs 2100 monthly payment under the Ladki Bahin scheme. “Ajit Pawar is asking farmers to clear dues, but where are the promises made?” he questioned.  Thackeray reiterated his scepticism about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), claiming that many voters felt their votes were not reflected accurately. “Forget the past, let’s focus on the future,” he said, urging people to stay united as Marathi speakers and take inspiration from southern states in resisting Hindi imposition. 

31 March,2025 08:29 AM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev Shivadekar

Raj’s fiery Padwa punch

At the MNS’s annual Gudi Padwa rally at Shivaji Park, party chief Raj Thackeray delivered a fiery speech, hitting out at attempts to disrupt communal harmony, raising concerns over river pollution, and warning of strict action against those disrespecting the Marathi language.  Thackeray urged people to unite under Marathi identity instead of dividing along caste and community lines. He emphasised that Marathi must be used in daily interactions and warned of a strong response to incidents where it is ignored. Referring to cases where a private telecom company representative and an employee at a South Mumbai store refused to speak Marathi, he declared, “MNS will deal in its own style with anyone disrespecting Marathi.”  Aurangzeb grave row  Thackeray took a dig at those suddenly realising the bravery of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj after watching the recently released film Chhaava. “Some people have woken up after watching a movie. Their Hindutva will fade once the film leaves theatres,” he said.  He suggested that all structures around Aurangzeb’s grave should be removed, with only a board left at the site stating: “The one who tried to destroy the Marathas is buried here.” He also proposed organising school trips to the site to educate the younger generation about Maratha history.  Ganga pollution Criticising the pollution of rivers in the name of religion, Thackeray said, “Lakhs of people fell sick after taking a dip in the Ganga during the Kumbh Mela. This isn’t about disrespecting the river or the sacred event but addressing serious water quality concerns.”  Displaying a video of the Ganga post-Kumbh, he pointed out that R33,000 crore had been spent, yet pollution remained rampant. “The same situation exists in Maharashtra, where 55 rivers are at risk,” he said, highlighting the deteriorating condition of Mumbai’s Mithi River. “Out of Mumbai’s five rivers, four are already dead, and the fifth is on the verge of dying. What is the Pollution Control Board doing?”  Thackeray also criticised Maharashtra’s handling of environmental issues, contrasting it with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to a wildlife rescue center in Gujarat. “We complain about water shortages, yet we keep destroying forests,” he remarked.  Speaking about the loudspeaker at religious places, Thackeray said, “Yogi [chief minister of Uttar Pradesh] banned it. Here, we announced it, but everything is going on as usual.” EVMs and reservation  Turning to governance, Thackeray slammed the Mahayuti government for failing to fulfil poll promises, such as farm loan waivers and the R2100 monthly payment under the Ladki Bahin scheme. “Ajit Pawar is asking farmers to clear dues, but where are the promises made?” he questioned.  He accused the government of diverting attention from real issues, including law and order concerns like the Beed sarpanch’s murder, rising farmer suicides, and unemployment. “So many Maratha chief ministers and ministers have been in power, yet the community is still demanding reservation—why?” he asked.  Thackeray reiterated his scepticism about Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), claiming that many voters felt their votes were not reflected accurately. “Forget the past, but let’s focus on the future,” he said, urging people to stay united as Marathi speakers and take inspiration from South Indian states in resisting Hindi imposition. 

30 March,2025 10:37 PM IST | Mumbai | Sanjeev Shivadekar

Shirdi airport begins night flight operations; IndiGo adds new flights

On the occasion of Gudi Padwa 2025, Shirdi International Airport in Maharashtra has achieved a milestone by successfully completing its runway recarpeting, allowing night flight operations for the first time, an official statement said. The development will enhance air connectivity to the holy town of Shirdi, making it more accessible for devotees and travelers, it said. According to the official statement, to celebrate the achievement, IndiGo Airlines has introduced two new flights – a morning and a night service. IndiGo has also launched a scheduled flight (6E 7038/7039) on the Hyderabad-Shirdi-Hyderabad route, which will carry 78 passengers. The airline has announced this new service as a special gift for the citizens on the occasions of Gudi Padwa, Ugadi, Eid, and the beginning of Chaitra Navratri, it said. The statement further said that with the addition of these new flights, Shirdi Airport will now handle 11 flights daily (22 movements), serving approximately 3,000 passengers per day. It said that several airlines have expressed interest in adding more flights, further enhancing connectivity for devotees traveling to Shirdi for Sai Baba’s darshan and the early morning Kakad Aarti, which starts at 4 am. "The success of the project is attributed to the efforts of Maharashtra Airport Development Company (MADC), various regulatory agencies, and the leadership of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Minister of State for Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, and other key officials," the statement said on Sunday. Swati Pandey, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of MADC, remarked, "The commencement of night flight operations at Shirdi International Airport marks a significant milestone in Maharashtra’s aviation industry. This achievement enhances connectivity and offers seamless travel for devotees worldwide. The addition of new flights shows our commitment to improving travel experiences in Shirdi," it said.

30 March,2025 10:30 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. Aklekar