The Maha Kumbh Mela, a major Hindu pilgrimage, commenced in Prayagraj, India on Monday, with over 40 lakh people taking the first holy dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said the event, which runs until February 26, will elevate India's ancient cultural and religious traditions to global prominence.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the first phase of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi, a project which is spread over five lakh square feet and connects the temple premises to the River Ganga besides providing several facilities to devotees.
'Aurangzeb supported construction of the Kumarswamy math and the reconstruction of the Kedar temple and supported the Jangambadi math in Banaras.'
Ramlila performances, where the epic Ramayan is enacted, are a common sight. The climax of the festival often involves the symbolic burning of giant effigies of Ravan, Kumbhakaran and Meghnad.
With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls scheduled for 2027, political experts are observing an increasing trend of temple-mosque disputes in the state, leading to heightened polarization. Recent bypolls saw the use of divisive slogans, and analysts believe this trend will intensify as the 2027 elections approach. The recent surge in claims about the existence of Hindu temples at the sites of mosques in various cities has fueled this polarization. The BJP-led government has been accused of promoting communal polarization, while opposition parties like the SP have criticized the ruling party's actions. The RSS chief has called for restraint in raising new temple-related disputes. Experts predict that communal polarization is likely to escalate in the coming days.
A UAE-based Indian entrepreneur on Friday recollected how former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe appreciated and acknowledged his gift -- a golden beige jacket -- by wearing it during his 2015 historic visit to Varanasi.
Voting for the seventh and final round will be held on March 7 for Varanasi and its eight adjoining districts.
District Judge A K Vishvesh ordered that it would continue to hear the petition seeking the right to worship in the temple.
The youth -- their dreams of government jobs unfulfilled -- are voicing their frustration.
Several Muslim families in Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh, have adopted Hindu surnames such as Dubey, Pandey, and Tiwari, claiming their ancestors were Brahmins. This follows a campaign by the Vishal Bharat Sansthan, which aims to "reconnect people with their roots" and reduce religious conflict. The campaign has sparked controversy, with some accusing families of converting their religion. The local police are investigating the situation and have deployed extra personnel in the area as a preventive measure.
'Failure teach you far more than your successes do you.' 'Like they say, success has many fathers and failure is a bastard.'
... resulting in a Rs 2 trillion economic spinoff.
'The situation has improved because oxygen tankers are now coming.' 'Before this it was chaotic.'
The temple city has seen a steep rise of 1,266 per cent in Covid cases over the past two weeks.
Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) Assistant Commandant Lalit Mohan Doval said on Friday that the alert had been sounded on the Sonauli border in the district.
The BJP and its allies won all assembly seats in Modi's Varanasi and Adityanath's Gorakhpur, and the SP bagged all 10 segments in Yadav's Azamgarh Lok Sabha constituency.
The Uttar Pradesh government is expecting over 35 crore pilgrims to attend the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, a significant increase from the 24 crore who attended the 2019 Kumbh Mela. The event, which will take place over 45 days, will feature extensive security and sanitation measures, as well as a digital component. The state government has allocated Rs 7,000 crore for the event.
'When you try to do something that's not been tried before, nobody likes that.'
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of Delhi has been sent as a special officer to oversee the counting process in Meerut and Bihar's CEO to Varanasi.
'Those who feared that I would have run one hell of a campaign targeting the most powerful people in India snatched away my democratic right from me.' 'I will expose these democracy-killers.'
To curb raw material imports from China and promote textiles, the Uttar Pradesh government is looking to set up nearly a dozen private textile parks in the state. The textile parks would be established under the UP Textile and Garmenting Policy 2022.
A four-member team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conducted a survey of the recently-discovered Shri Kartik Mahadev temple, five pilgrimage sites, and 19 wells in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, India. The survey followed the discovery of three damaged idols inside a well of the Bhasma Shankar temple, which was reopened after being shut for 46 years. The Shri Kartik Mahadev temple, also known as the Bhasma Shankar temple, was reopened on December 13 after authorities found the covered structure during an anti-encroachment drive. The temple houses an idol of Lord Hanuman and a Shivling and had remained locked since 1978. The district administration has requested carbon dating of the temple, including the well, from the ASI. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has restrained courts across India from entertaining new lawsuits or passing any orders in pending ones seeking to reclaim religious places, especially mosques and dargahs, until further notice. This action halts proceedings in approximately 18 lawsuits filed by Hindu parties seeking surveys to determine the original religious character of 10 mosques, including the Gyanvapi at Varanasi, the Shahi Idgah Masjid at Mathura, and the Shahi Jama Masjid at Sambhal, where four individuals died in clashes. The Supreme Court will examine the legality, scope, and boundaries of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, which prohibits the conversion of places of worship and ensures the preservation of their religious character as it existed on August 15, 1947.
A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud, Surya Kant, and P S Narasimha said that it is posting for October first week hearing on the appeal of Gyanvapi mosque committee's plea against the Allahabad high court order upholding the appointment of court commissioner to survey the site.
Modi is on a two-day visit to his constituency, which began on Monday with the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.
Do we have enough trained oncologists and medical professionals in India to man these over 4,500 beds in the public sector?
Commencing hearing on pleas challenging the constitutionality of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, the Supreme Court asked the Centre to reply to cross-pleas against or seeking implementation of statute.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed the spectacular Ganga 'aarti' in Varanasi on Monday evening while on board a river cruise with chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh and other Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled states.
Will 'Bhaiyyaji', as Priyanka is called in UP, contest against Modi?
Taking to Twitter, Modi said that the Kashi Vishwanath Dham project will add to Kashi's spiritual vibrancy.
The officials said the passengers on board the aircraft were evacuated through emergency exits.
In a significant move to control spiralling onion prices ahead of the festive season, the government will transport 1,600 tonnes of buffer stock via railways from Maharashtra to Delhi - the first such initiative using rail transport for the kitchen staple. The special rake, dubbed 'Kanda Express', will depart from Maharashtra's Lasalgaon Railway Station and reach Delhi's Kishanganj Railway Station on October 20, Consumer Affairs Secretary Nidhi Khare announced on Thursday. The government expects this bulk movement to help stabilise prices in the Delhi-NCR region, where buffer stock onions are currently being sold at a subsidised rate of Rs 35 per kg.
Haji Karam Din continues to play the game he loves and inspires new generations with his passion for cricket.
Kolkata Knight Riders' journey home from Lucknow turned into an unexpected adventure on Monday night.
Security was beefed up as agencies swept the airport terminals after the emails were received around 12.40 pm from the ID exhumedyou888@gmail.com.
The idol of the goddess was taken to the temple in a silver palanquin, shouldered by Adityanath.
The accused had taken a picture of the 'Jansampark Kaaryalay (public relations office)' of Modi, who represents Varanasi in the Lok Sabha, and put it 'up for sale' on OLX website, they said.
The Allahabad high court on Friday did not give any immediate relief to the Gyanvapi Masjid committee which had challenged the order of the Varanasi court allowing Hindu prayers in a cellar of the mosque.
"Didi has already said in Delhi that if Akhilesh Yadav needs our help, we are ready to extend help. The gesture of senior SP leader Jaya Bachchan seeking votes for the TMC during the West Bengal Assembly elections will be reciprocated in Uttar Pradesh," said Laliteshpati Tripathi, who recently joined the TMC.
Glimpses from the Shiv Shakti puja that took place in Antilia before the grand Ambani shaadi.
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