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Mumbai: India’s Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Thursday night that the last rites of industrialist Ratan Tata will be performed with full state honors.

CM Shinde said that Tata’s mortal remains will be kept at NCPA from 10 am to 4 pm on Thursday for the public to pay respect.

Ratan Tata, Chairperson Emeritus, Tata Sons, passed away on Wednesday evening at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai.

In a post on X, CM Shinde stated everyone will always remember the determination shown by him after the 2008 Mumbai attack. 

“His firm decisions, courageous attitude and social commitment will always be remembered. The last rites of late Ratanji Tata will be performed with full state honors,” the Chief Minister said.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis said the demise of Ratan Tata is “great loss for the country.”

“Ratan Tata was not only a very successful industrialist, but also a bigger personality because of the way he worked for the country and society. He has not only set up successful industries but has set up a trust, a brand that has given our country a global image. A person with a very big heart has left us today, this is a great loss for the country,” Fadnavis told reporters.

The mortal remains of Industrialist Ratan Tata, were brought to his residence in Colaba in the early hours of Thursday.

The Maharashtra government canceled all programs scheduled for Thursday in Mumbai following Tata’s demise.

“All the programs of the state government in Mumbai have been canceled for tomorrow, due to the death of industrialist Ratan Tata,” Maharashtra Minister Deepak Kesarkar said while speaking to reporters in Mumbai.

Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu, Vice-president Jagdeep Dhankhar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Ministers Amit Shah, JP Nadda, Nitin Gadkari and Piyush Goyal also offered condolences on the demise of Ratan Tata.

In a series of posts on X, PM Modi said he was ‘extremely pained’ by Tata’s passing away and highlighted Tata’s leadership and contributions to society.

Businessperson-philanthropist  Tata, Chairman Emeritus, Tata Sons, passed away on Wednesday evening aged 86.

“Ratan Tata Ji was a visionary business leader, a compassionate soul and an extraordinary human being. He provided stable leadership to one of India's oldest and most prestigious business houses. At the same time, his contribution went far beyond the boardroom. He endeared himself to several people thanks to his humility, kindness and an unwavering commitment to making our society better,” he said.

“Extremely pained by his passing away. My thoughts are with his family, friends and admirers in this sad hour. Om Shanti,” PM Modi said in the post.

Also, Reliance Industries Chairperson Mukesh Ambani, Adani Group Founder and Chairperson Gautam Adani and Google CEO Sundar Pichai among others offered their condolences.

Tata, born on 28 Dec 1937, in Mumbai, is the Chairman of Ratan Tata Trust and Dorabji Tata Trust, two of the largest private-sector-promoted philanthropic trusts in India. He was the Chairman of Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata Group, from 1991 until his retirement in 2012. He was later appointed Chairperson Emeritus of Tata Sons.

He was honored with the country’s second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan, in 2008.

ANI

As Dashain is approaching I’m concerned about my parents, especially my mom. They start taking unnecessary pressure about getting ready to receive guests and perhaps impress them as well. It makes for a stressful environment at home. How can I ease the pressure and tell them to relax? 

Answered by Tashi Phunjo Gurung, counseling psychologist

Your concern shows what a caring and considerate child you are to your parents. It’s nice to see that your heart is in the right place, especially during festivals, which can be exciting and daunting at the same time.

It’s not uncommon to hear and see people take the pressure due to the expectation of hosting relatives and preparing a feast. It’s a huge thing to be responsible for and it can get stressful. The brunt of the work might, no doubt, fall on mothers, so it’s natural for them to feel responsible and ensure that everything goes perfectly. This certainly can get overwhelming.

Like any other tasks, the more we plan, the less pressure we might feel. We can involve them in planning for the tasks early, so that it doesn’t become pressurizing at the last minute. Breaking the tasks into smaller, manageable steps can be much easier. Moreover, you can always let them know that you can assist with the preparations, whether it’s cooking, cleaning or organizing. This would certainly ease a lot of their stress. 

It’s also important to align our expectations accordingly. We have to set boundaries about how much we can and can’t do. It’s okay to scale down the celebration or even simplify the feast. Dashain is more about the family, rather than the activities, and it’s certainly okay if things are not perfect. We can acknowledge their hard work, and let them know that it’s okay to relax and enjoy the festival too. Give them the reassurance that the focus is on spending time together, not impressing others. This can cause a shift in perspective to actually consider Dashain as a time for enjoyment.

Reminding ourselves and others that Dashain is about family, joy and togetherness, and not about perfection or impressing others can make a lot of difference. By planning ahead, offering support, and emphasizing quality time over elaborate preparations, we can help lessen the stress, and create a more enjoyable experience for everyone involved.

On the occasion of the Bada Dashain festival, fulpati is being brought into homes today, following a cherished tradition observed throughout the country.

Fulpati, a medley of auspicious flowers, leaves, and fruits from various plants, is ritually anointed at the Dashain Ghar on the seventh day of the Bada Dashain festival. It is brought to Kathmandu in accordance with Vedic rites to be consecrated at the Hanumandhoka Durbar.

At Hanumandhoka Durbar, a procession that includes the Gurujyuko platoon, the Nepal Army, the Nepal Police, high-ranking officials of the Armed Police Force Nepal, civil service, the Asha Gurja team, band music, panchebaja, adorned kalsyoulis, and a cultural pageantry departs from Jamal with the fulpati.

The Nepal Calendar Determination Committee affirms that fulpati's entry into homes does not require an auspicious hour. However, it holds special significance for the Dashain festival, which officially commences with Ghatasthapana.

Furthermore, a palanquin containing fulpati is sent from Dashainghar in Gorkha Durbar to be transported all the way to Hanumandhoka Durbar in Kathmandu. This tradition adheres to time-honored Vedic rites and dates back to the era when Prithvi Narayan Shah, the then King of Gorkha, initiated his rule from Hanumandhoka Durbar in Kathmandu. Since then, an annual tradition has been established where a palanquin bearing fulpati is dispatched from Gorkha Dashainghar on the seventh day of the Bada Dashain festival, Nepal's grandest festival.

The assistants of the Gorkha Durbar carry fulpati up to a place known as Fulpati Chautara at Satipipal, from where it is subsequently transported to Kathmandu.

Starting today, all government as well as private offices close down, encouraging people to return to their respective ancestral homes and seek blessings from Durga Bhawani and their elders.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 4.85 points to close at 2,668.17 points on Thursday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 0.15 points to close at 480. 38 points.

A total of -8,312,685unit shares of 294 companies were traded for Rs 3. 76 billion.

Meanwhile, United Modi Hydropower Ltd. (UMHL) and Mid Solu Hydropower Limited (MSHL) were the top gainers today, with their price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Three Star Hydropower Limited (TSHL) was the top loser as its price fell by 10.00 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 24 trillion.

The Khumbu region in Solukhumbu district has seen a surge in tourist arrivals.

The Lukla airport reported 200 flights in a single day, indicating a significant influx of visitors for trekking in the Khumbu region and expeditions to Mount Everest.

According to Umesh Panthi, Chief of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) at Lukla, the airport recorded a total of 298 flights from Kathmandu and Manthali in Ramechhap on Tuesday.

A total of 1,539 tourists arrived in Khumbu that day, with 62 flights by aircraft and 139 flights by helicopter. Among them, 167 domestic and 667 international tourists landed by plane, while 615 arrived by helicopter.

The number of flights is expected to increase as the tourist season has begun. However, many return flights are nearly empty, as aircraft and helicopters depart from Khumbu with few passengers.

Local tourism entrepreneurs are excited about the increased number of visitors. "We are busy offering hospitality to our guests," said Lamakaji Sherpa from Namche. The trekking season is in full swing.

Hoteliers in Lukla, Jorsalle, Phakding, Namche, Khumjung, and Tengboche—areas along the Khumbu trekking routes—are actively welcoming guests.

Sagarmatha National Park, Namche's information office Manoj Kumar Mandal said that registration of tourist arrivals is now mandatory at Jorsalle, the gateway to the Sagarmatha region.

Sagarmatha National Park, established in 1976, spans an area of 1,448 square kilometers and was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. It includes the Gokyo Lake, which was listed in the Ramsar list in 2007. The park is home to diverse wildlife, including deer, the Himalayan blue sheep and wild goat, baboons, monal pheasants, horned larks, and Tibetan snowcock. The population residing within the park exceeds 3,000.

Around 100, 000 people are daily leaving Kathmandu Valley for their home districts to celebrate Dashain festival, the biggest festival of the Nepalis.

Deputy Superintendent of Police at the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Office, Rabin Karki, said that the number of vehicles and passengers exiting from the four major transit points of the Valley has surged. 

DSP Karki said that around 100, 000 passengers have been exiting from the Valley daily since the last three days. "The number of people exiting the Valley on Monday and today has increased as compared to their numbers on Sunday and Tuesday," he said.

According to him, 30, 000 people are entering the federal capital daily. Karki said that unlike during last year's Dashain, passengers need not wait for hours to cross the transit points this Dashain despite the dense traffic at the Buspark, Kalanki, Balkhu, Koteshwar and Sitapaila.

Passengers are traveling to their respective destinations outside the Valley via Araniko highway, Tribhuvan highway, Prithvi highway, and the Dakshinkali-Hetauda and the Kanti highways at present.

The recent flooding in Madhes Province has caused damages worth more than Rs 800 million.  

Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Irrigation and Water Supply of Madhes Province government, Zakki Ahamad Ansari said that the largest damage is in Rautahat district due to the flooding caused by the swollen Bagmati, Lal Bakaiya, Jhajh, Lamaha and Gujara rivers in the district. Rautahat district has suffered damages of more than Rs 195 million.

Similarly, Saptari district suffered losses of Rs 128 million due to the flooding caused by the Balan, Triyuga, Mahuli, among other rivulets in the district while the damages in Dhanusha by the flooded Ratu, Charnath, Kamala, Jallad, Aurahi, Khahare and Badahari rivulets amounted to Rs 95 million.

Likewise, the flooding caused by the swollen Bagmati, Lakhanehi, among the rivulets in Sarlahi district resulted in damages worth Rs 92.5 million. The damage due to the flooding in Bara is Rs 85 million, Rs 79 million in Siraha, Rs 75 million in Mahottari and more than Rs 55 million in Parsa.

The Madhes Province government has released Rs 80 million for the repair and maintenance of the structures damaged due to the flooding.

Five sections of different highways that were obstructed due to recent rain-induced floods and landslides are yet to be opened.

According to the Nepal Police sources, more than four dozen road sections blocked by floods and landslides have been opened and five roads are still completely obstructed.

Eight other road sections have been opened one-way; the police informed. Deputy Inspector General Dan Bahadur Karki, also the central spokesperson of Nepal Police, said efforts were underway to clear the blocked road.

As per their information, the Charshayabesi section of the BP Highway at Roshi in Kavrepalanchowk, which has been closed since September 27, has been completely halted.

The Bhakure of the same highway, Seleghat of Manthali Municipality-6 of Ramechhap, Ramechhap-Sindhuli-Khurkot of Bhotekoshi, Barhabise-Tatopani road of Bhotekoshi and Baluwatar section of Jaya Prithvi Highway of Bajhang have been completely blocked.

According to police, Lele-Tikabhairab of Godavari, Tinghare of Mid-Hill Highway of Tahrathum, Ramite of Mechi Highway at Panthar Phidim and Kanti Lokthap of Bhimphedi have been opened unilaterally.

The Kaldhunga section of the BP Highway at Roshi, Ghumaune, Hanumangadhi Keraghari section and the Benighat Krishnabhir section of the Prithvi Highway have also been opened one-way.

So far, 246 people have died in the disaster. 18 people are still missing.