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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

YouTuber challenges FIR, LoC in HC

Mumbai : The Bombay High Court issued notice to the state government on a petition filed by UK-based medico and YouTuber, Dr. Sangram Patil, seeking to quash a Mumbai Police FIR and revoking a Look Out Circular in a criminal case lodged against him, on Thursday.   Justice Ashwin D. Bhobe, who heard the matter with preliminary submissions from both sides, sought a response from the state government and posted the matter for Feb. 4.   Maharashtra Advocate-General Milind Sathe informed the court...

YouTuber challenges FIR, LoC in HC

Mumbai : The Bombay High Court issued notice to the state government on a petition filed by UK-based medico and YouTuber, Dr. Sangram Patil, seeking to quash a Mumbai Police FIR and revoking a Look Out Circular in a criminal case lodged against him, on Thursday.   Justice Ashwin D. Bhobe, who heard the matter with preliminary submissions from both sides, sought a response from the state government and posted the matter for Feb. 4.   Maharashtra Advocate-General Milind Sathe informed the court that the state would file its reply within a week in the matter.   Indian-origin Dr. Patil, hailing from Jalgaon, is facing a criminal case here for posting allegedly objectionable content involving Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on social media.   After his posts on a FB page, ‘Shehar Vikas Aghadi’, a Mumbai BJP media cell functionary lodged a criminal complaint following which the NM Joshi Marg Police registered a FIR (Dec. 18, 2025) and subsequently issued a LoC against Dr. Patil, restricting his travels.   The complainant Nikhil Bhamre filed the complaint in December 2025, contending that Dr. Patil on Dec. 14 posted offensive content intended to spread ‘disinformation and falsehoods’ about the BJP and its leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.   Among others, the police invoked BNSS Sec. 353(2) that attracts a 3-year jail term for publishing or circulating statements or rumours through electronic media with intent to promote enmity or hatred between communities.   Based on the FIR, Dr. Patil was detained and questioned for 15 hours when he arrived with his wife from London at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (Jan. 10), and again prevented from returning to Manchester, UK on Jan. 19 in view of the ongoing investigations.   On Wednesday (Jan. 21) Dr. Patil recorded his statement before the Mumbai Police and now he has moved the high court. Besides seeking quashing of the FIR and the LoC, he has sought removal of his name from the database imposing restrictions on his international travels.   Through his Senior Advocate Sudeep Pasbola, the medico has sought interim relief in the form of a stay on further probe by Crime Branch-III and coercive action, restraint on filing any charge-sheet during the pendency of the petition and permission to go back to the UK.   Pasbola submitted to the court that Dr. Patil had voluntarily travelled from the UK to India and was unaware of the FIR when he landed here. Sathe argued that Patil had appeared in connection with other posts and was not fully cooperating with the investigators.

Kojagiri Purnima: The Moonlit Festival of Prosperity, Health, and Togetherness

As the full moon brightens the night sky, homes across India come alive with devotion and celebration. Kojagiri Purnima, also called Sharad Purnima, blends spiritual reverence, cultural tradition, and nature’s beauty. Falling on the full-moon night of Ashwin (September–October), it marks the end of the monsoon and the start of a season of clear skies, cool breezes, and harvest abundance. This year, Kojagiri Purnima is observed on 6 October across India.


The festival’s name carries deep meaning. Kojagiri comes from the Sanskrit phrase “Ko Jagrati?”, meaning “Who is awake?” Legend has it that Goddess Lakshmi, deity of wealth and prosperity, roams the earth on this sacred night, blessing those awake and worshipping her with fortune and happiness. Another belief holds that Lord Krishna played the divine Raas Leela with the Gopis under the Sharad Purnima moon. It is also said to be the night when the moon’s nectar-like rays possess healing powers for body and soul.


Rituals and Celebrations:

1. Lakshmi Pooja and All-Night Vigil

Families perform Lakshmi Puja in the evening, offering prayers, lighting oil lamps, and decorating their homes with rangoli and flowers. Many observe a vigil, staying awake through the night to invite the goddess’s blessings of wealth and prosperity. Soft devotional songs and bhajans fill the air, creating an atmosphere of serenity and joy.


2. The Sacred Milk Offering

A highlight of Kojagiri Purnima is the preparation of special milk, usually flavoured with cardamom, saffron, and dry fruits. This milk is placed in silver vessels under the open sky to absorb the moon’s cool, nourishing rays. Consuming this moon-charged milk is believed to balance the body’s “pitta” (heat) and improve immunity after the humid monsoon months.


3. Community Gatherings and Singing

On this night, rooftops and courtyards become lively social spaces. Friends and families gather to sing, share stories, and enjoy the moonlight. In many regions of India—especially Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Bengal—people organise Kojagiri parties, with music, dancing, and the shared enjoyment of moonlit delicacies.


Maharashtra: The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm. Families host “kojagiri milk parties”, staying awake together and exchanging wishes of prosperity.


West Bengal & Odisha: Sharad Purnima is also associated with the divine love of Radha and Krishna. Devotees observe fasting and sing bhajans dedicated to the Lord.


Uttar Pradesh & Bihar: People worship Goddess Lakshmi and place vessels of kheer under the moonlight, later distributing it as prasad.


Gujarat: Many communities combine Kojagiri with Garba dances and night-long devotional singing.


Scientific and seasonal relevance

Beyond mythology, Kojagiri Purnima also reflects ancient wisdom about seasonal health. The post-monsoon period brings a shift in climate, and moonlight is thought to have a calming, cooling effect on the body. Modern science acknowledges that spending time under natural moonlight can reduce stress. The nutrient-rich milk infused with moon rays is a healing tonic for immunity and digestive balance.


Relevance today

In a fast-paced world, Kojagiri Purnima offers a chance to pause and reconnect. The festival encourages us to:

  • Spend time under the open sky, appreciating nature’s simple wonders.

  • Strengthen family bonds through shared rituals and conversations.

  • Cultivate gratitude for prosperity and abundance.

  • Restore health by following time-honoured seasonal practices.


To keep this cultural gem alive for the next generation and to pass it down to future generations, we can:

Share Stories: Narrate the stories of Goddess Lakshmi and Krishna’s Raas Leela to children, sparking curiosity about their roots.


Involve Kids in Rituals: Encourage them to help prepare the spiced milk, decorate the pooja space, or design rangolis.


Blend Tradition with Modern Joy: Host small rooftop parties with music and games that celebrate both the full moon and family bonds. Teach the Science: Explain how moonlight and seasonal rituals promote well-being, so they see tradition as both meaningful and practical.


Kojagiri Purnima is more than a festival of rituals—it invites us to awaken to nature’s abundance, the moon’s healing light, and the warmth of human connection. Under the silvery Sharad Purnima moon, we are reminded that true prosperity lies in health, harmony, and shared joy.


(The writer is a tutor based in Thane. Views personal.)

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