Tag: Navratri 2025

Automobiles

Maruti Suzuki Hits Decade-High Festive Demand, Ramps Up Production with Sunday & Holiday Shifts

Tanisha Cardozo

In an unprecedented surge in demand during the festive season, Maruti Suzuki has announced that its supply chain and production teams will now work on Sundays and public holidays to meet delivery expectations. According to Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer, Marketing and Sales at Maruti Suzuki, the company recorded its best Navratri sales in a decade, delivering an astonishing 1.65 lakh vehicles in the first eight days alone.

The strong performance is attributed to a recent Goods and Services Tax (GST) reform, which reduced tax rates on petrol, hybrid, LPG, and CNG vehicles from 28% to 18%, making cars more affordable. The resulting increase in customer sentiment has not only pushed sales but also created a logistical challenge, with over 3.5 lakh bookings reported in the last month and 2.5 lakh units still awaiting delivery.

Banerjee emphasized that while the logistics cycle had begun on September 22, it would take time to stabilize. However, he assured that Maruti Suzuki is fully committed to delivering vehicles to customers by the end of October.

Despite a 6% decline in domestic sales in September, the company saw a 2.7% year-on-year increase in total sales thanks to a massive 52% rise in exports, totaling over 42,000 units. With production ramping up, Maruti Suzuki is aiming to touch the 2 lakh festive delivery mark soon — a significant milestone driven by government policy, market readiness, and evolving customer demand.

This festive season marks a major turning point not only for Maruti Suzuki but for the entire Indian automotive sector, signaling a return to robust growth and renewed consumer confidence.

Allycaral Kitchen

Celebrate Navratri 2025 with These 5 Delicious & Wholesome Fasting Foods

Tanisha Cardozo

Fasting during Navratri is more than a tradition—it’s a way to detox your body, renew your energy, and celebrate with purpose. But to stay truly active and healthy during the nine auspicious days, it’s important to eat right. Here are five fasting-friendly foods that not only taste great but also provide essential nutrition to keep you going strong.

🥗 1. Beetroot Salad: A Colorful Energy Booster

Beetroot salad is a refreshing, low-calorie fasting meal rich in antioxidants, fiber, and minerals. Add grated cucumber, carrot, or radish for extra crunch. A dash of lemon juice enhances flavor and provides a vitamin C boost. Sprinkle some roasted pumpkin seeds or sprouts to elevate the protein and healthy fat content.

✅ High in fiber
✅ Packed with antioxidants
✅ Supports digestion

🌾 2. Buckwheat Paratha: Hearty and Wholesome

Buckwheat (kuttu) flour is a powerhouse grain that’s allowed during fasting. Use it to make soft, delicious parathas, best served with curd or a simple potato curry. Cooking it in desi ghee adds flavor and boosts nutrition.

✅ Gluten-free grain
✅ Keeps you full longer
✅ Rich in protein and fiber

🥔 3. Curd Potatoes: Classic Comfort

This simple dish combines boiled potatoes with cooling yogurt. The starch from the potatoes provides energy, while yogurt adds protein and beneficial probiotics. Season with fasting rock salt and herbs like coriander for a delightful taste.

✅ Excellent source of energy
✅ Aids digestion
✅ Cooling and satisfying

🍚 4. Sabudana Poha: Light Yet Filling

Sabudana (sago) is a staple during fasting. Sabudana Poha is made with soaked sago pearls, peanuts, ghee, and mild spices. It’s light on the stomach yet high in carbohydrates, making it a perfect breakfast or snack during fasts.

✅ Easily digestible
✅ High in carbs and good fats
✅ Ideal for an energy boost

🥜 5. Sabudana Tikki: Crispy, Nutritious Snacks

Sabudana Tikkis are made from sago, boiled potatoes, and crushed peanuts. These can be shallow-fried or baked, offering a crispy exterior and soft inside. They’re a flavorful and protein-rich fasting snack.

✅ Great for evening hunger pangs
✅ Crunchy and delicious
✅ Rich in protein and carbs

Navratri fasting is not just a religious practice; it’s a mindful way to cleanse and nourish your body. Including foods like curd potatoes, buckwheat paratha, sabudana snacks, and beetroot salad ensures you stay healthy, energetic, and festive throughout the nine days. Balance your meals, hydrate well, and enjoy the spirit of Navratri with wellness and vitality.

National

Artists and Artisans Bring Durga Puja 2025 Alive with Tradition, Art & Devotion

allycaralgoa

As the festive season begins, India is once again preparing for the grandeur of Durga Puja 2025, one of the country’s most celebrated festivals. In every corner, from bustling cities to quiet villages, artists and artisans are breathing life into traditions that have been cherished for generations.

The festival’s preparations are as enchanting as the celebrations themselves. Skilled artisans delicately craft idols of Goddess Durga, each stroke of their brush adding expression and grace. The most sacred moment comes when the eyes of the Goddess are painted — a ritual known as Chokku Daan, believed to awaken the deity.

Simultaneously, teams of craftsmen and designers are busy constructing elaborate pandals — temporary structures that often rival architectural marvels. These pandals are more than worship spaces; they are cultural showcases blending mythology, art, and innovation.

Durga Puja is not just a festival; it is a symbol of devotion, creativity, and community spirit. Families, neighborhoods, and entire cities come together, weaving a tapestry of faith, art, and tradition. Recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, the festival continues to inspire millions, transcending boundaries of region and religion.

This year, as the artisans give their final touches, the anticipation grows for days filled with music, rituals, food, and vibrant processions — all in honor of Goddess Durga’s victory of good over evil.

Durga Puja 2025 is not just a celebration. It is living art, faith in motion, and India’s cultural heartbeat.