1. Ram temple consecration in Ayodhya | Saffron hue envelops Karnataka
On the occasion of the consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, Bengaluru woke up to streets decorated with saffron flags and posters of Lord Ram, while huge screens were installed in many parts of the city to live stream the ceremony. Aside from temples and mutts, many residential complexes also saw special worship sessions early in the morning.
Prominent leaders of the opposition BJP like former chief ministers B.S. Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai, Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya, Leader of Opposition in Assembly R. Ashok participated in pooja at various temples. In Dakshina Kannada, Mangaluru City South MLA D. Vedavyas Kamath performed Urulu Seve (rolling on the floor) at the Bajilakeri Mukhyaprana temple to fulfill a vow he had taken a few days before the SC judgement in connection with the Ramjanmabhoomi issue.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Pratap Simmha was turned away from the foundation laying ceremony for construction of a Ram temple near Mysuru from where the stone for carving the Ayodhya idol had been mined. Locals blocked Mr. Simmha’s entry, accusing the BJP MP of being anti-Dalit and fomenting trouble among various groups.
While no cases of violence were reported from the State, tension prevailed for some time at Shivappa Nayaka Circle in Shivamogga after a woman raised ‘Allahu Akbar’ slogan in response to celebratory chants of ‘Jai Sri Ram’. The woman, who was accompanied by a child, has been taken into police custody for questioning.
2. Lok Sabha elections 2024 | Karnataka has 5.38 crore voters in final electoral rolls
As per the revised final electoral rolls for 2024, published on January 22, Karnataka has 5.38 crore electors, including 2.68 crore women and 4,920 in the others category. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Kumar Meena said that the total number of electors has increased by 4.08 lakh since the publication of the draft electoral rolls on October 27, 2023.
Between the draft and final rolls of 2024, as many as 10,81,110 electors have been added and 6,72,457 electors have been deleted. Women voters have also outnumbered men in at least 17 of the 28 parliamentary constituencies. Mr. Meena pointed out that there has been a constant improvement in the gender ratio from 958 females (per 1,000 males) in the 2013 Assembly elections to 997 this year.
3. 111-foot-long agarbatti unveiled in Mysuru to honour local craftsmanship
Cycle Agarbatti, an incense and perfume manufacturer in Mysuru, has unveiled a huge 111-foot-long agarbatti, as a tribute to the rich tradition of local craftsmanship. The event unfolded on January 22 simultaneously across Mysuru in Karnataka, Thane in Maharashtra, and Sankhali in Goa, marking a commitment to support and celebrate diverse artisanal heritage.
Saraswathi, mother of renowned sculptor Arun Yogiraj, lit the agarbatti in the presence of Mysuru MP Pratap Simmha and MLA T.S. Srivatsa.
4. Air India launches country’s first Airbus A350-900 flight from Bengaluru to Mumbai
Air India launched its maiden scheduled commercial flight of the Airbus A350-900 from Bengaluru to Mumbai on January 22. The airline said that it is also the first aircraft in the new bold Air India livery.
According to the company, Flight AI 589 will operate every day of the week barring Tuesdays, departing Bengaluru at 7.05 a.m. and landing in Mumbai at 8.50 a.m.
