Mangaluru: A scooter rider had a miraculous escape after falling into a pothole while attempting to overtake a car, thanks to the quick reflexes of a bus driver. The incident occurred near Nanthoor on Saturday night around 8:45 p.m.

According to reports, the scooterist lost control after failing to notice a pothole on the road. Both the rider and the scooter toppled to the ground. At the same time, a private bus named Rajalakshmi (Route No. 15) was approaching from behind.

Bus driver Shashi, who was at the wheel, applied the brakes in time, preventing what could have been a major tragedy. The rider escaped with his life and avoided serious injury.

The terrifying incident was captured on the CCTV camera installed inside the bus, highlighting once again the dangers posed by pothole-ridden roads and the importance of alert driving.

Chamarajanagar: An incident has occurred in Madhuwana Halli village of Chamarajanagar where a committed suicide as there was no one to call her home for the Gauri Ganesh festival.

The deceased has been identified as Rashmi (32), the wife of Siddharaju, took her own life. Rashmi’s father, mother, and elder brother had already passed away. Therefore, it is said that Rashmi was distressed because there was no one to invite her home this time to offer turmeric and vermilion for the festival.

In the wake of the festival, Rashmi had made all the preparations to worship Lord Ganesha at her home. However, the absence of her relatives was haunting her.

It is said that she succumbed to the stress and hanged herself when no one was at home. A case has been registered at the rural police station in connection with this.

The vibrant and spiritually significant ‘Gowri Festival’was celebrated with traditional fervor and devotion across Karnataka and other parts of South India yesterday, marking a day of reverence to ‘Goddess Gowri’, the divine mother of Lord Ganesha and an incarnation of Goddess Parvati.

Observed a day before ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’, the festival holds immense importance for women, especially married and unmarried women, as they seek the blessings of the goddess for prosperity, strength, marital bliss, and courage.

Celebrating Womanhood and Marital Harmony
For married women, the festival is a sacred occasion to perform ‘Gowri Puja’, praying for the health, happiness, and longevity of their spouses and the overall well-being of their families. Unmarried girls also take part in the rituals, offering prayers to the goddess for a suitable life partner and a harmonious future.

Goddess Gowri, celebrated for her virtues of strength, purity, and nurturing power, is upheld as a powerful symbol of womanhood and a divine role model for women across generations.

Tradition of Bagina and Family Bonds
A highlight of the celebrations is the Bagina tradition, where married women receive a set of auspicious gifts from their maternal homes. These include turmeric, kumkum, bangles, coconut, and sweets—each item holding symbolic value. The ritual fosters emotional ties between daughters and their families, reinforcing familial love and blessings.

Cultural and Religious Significance
The festival also sets the stage for ‘Ganesh Chaturthi’, as it commemorates the visit of Goddess Gowri to her parental home, symbolizing a mother’s presence before her son Ganesha arrives the next day to take her back to Kailash. This interconnectedness of festivals adds to the spiritual fabric of the celebrations.

Homes were adorned with flowers, mango leaves, and traditional rangoli designs as women gathered to worship idols of the goddess, often made from turmeric. Devotees chanted prayers and mantras, creating a serene spiritual atmosphere believed to bring inner purification and divine blessings.

Honoring the Feminine Divine

At its core, the Gowri Festival is a powerful reminder of the divine feminine energy that nurtures, protects, and empowers. Through religious rituals, cultural practices, and family unity, the festival continues to uphold the enduring significance of Goddess Gowri in the spiritual and social lives of devotees.

As the city now prepares for the grand celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi, the spiritual momentum set by the Gowri Festival ensures that devotion and tradition remain at the heart of the festivities.