'We currently have new proposals worth Rs 1.48 trillion in the pipeline.'
A violent clash broke out between two groups of students at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) campus on Friday during a 'Visarjan Shobha Yatra' organised on the occasion of Vijayadashami, following the nine-day Navratri celebrations.
All the 450 plus puja celebration committees in Guwahati city have been asked by the police to install close circuit television cameras to monitor and videograph crowd moverment in and around the puja pandals.
The actress was spotted at various events in the city, escorted by husband Abhishek and parents-in-law Amitabh and Jaya Bachchan.
Ahead of the upcoming Durga Puja festival, Bangladesh authorities have assured of increased security measures that have been put in place amid concerns of violence targeting minority Hindu communities.
Strong demand for cultural and spiritual hubs is expected for destinations like Varanasi, Kolkata during Durga Puja, and Pushkar for the camel fair, besides leisure destinations like Goa, Udaipur, Jaipur and Coorg.
The Odisha government imposed prohibitory orders and suspended internet services in Cuttack following violence after a Durga idol immersion procession. Clashes erupted, injuring several people, including police personnel. Authorities are taking strict action against misinformation spread on social media.
Lakhan Singh and his neighbor Mithlesh Rai, both in their mid 50s, are cursing the floods in Bihar that has made them forgo Durga Puja celebrations in their village. They are two of hundreds of thousands of villagers in Bihar's Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Madhubani and Samastipur districts, which have been badly hit by floods.
This festive season, Indian homes are mixing global luxury with personal touches using heirloom fabrics, handmade decor, and nostalgic menus to create celebrations that feel both grand and intimate.
Yesteryear actor Deb Mukherjee passed into the ages on March 14.
The five-day Durga Puja festival in West Bengal ended on Wednesday with people celebrating Bijaya Dashami which marked Goddess Durga's return to her husband's home.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday said the state government has asked the Ministry of Home Affairs to invoke the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) with Singapore to secure full cooperation from authorities in the case of singer Zubeen Garg's death.
Far from the rough and tumble of politics, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is in Kolkata at his ancestral home at Miriti in Birbhum district to perform Durga Puja as he has been doing every year.
"I extend puja greetings (Saradiyar Subhecchha) to all people and wish them well," a relaxed Mukherjee said while leaving for his ancestral home with his wife.
The Durbar Mahila Samanwaya Committee, an NGO in the heart of Kolkata's red light district, has decided to celebrate Durga Puja, reports Indrani Roy/Rediff.com.Speaking to Indrani Roy/Rediff.com, the sex workers say that they want to get rid of ostracisation and be allowed to celebrate Durga Puja just as others do.
Kolkata may host the most lavish Durga puja pandals in the country complete with elaborate decoration and dazzling illumination, but in Cuttack the puja is popular for the extravagance in style reflected in gold and silver work.
Former BCCI president and batting great Sourav Ganguly on Monday side-stepped the debate surrounding Indian players' refusal to shake hands with their Pakistani counterparts after their Asia Cup clash in Dubai but said terrorism must end "all around the world, not just India and Pakistan."
Lionel Messi on Thursday confirmed his participation in the much-anticipated GOAT Tour of India 2025, calling it an "honour" to revisit the "passionate football nation" where he last played 14 years ago.
The actress is making most of the festive season.
Lionel Messi's much-anticipated visit to India has received its final seal of approval with the Argentine superstar set to kick off his three-city tour in Kolkata on December 12.
Taking corporatisation of Durga Puja festival to a new height, a prominent puja committee in Kolkata has sold the rights of the celebrations to a US company and roped in a Bollywood superstar as its brand ambassador.
Zubeen Garg's manager Siddhartha Sharma and festival chief organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta were arrested from Delhi on Wednesday in connection with the singer's death in Singapore last month, the Assam Police said.
Security has been beefed up in Mirati village of Birbhum district in view of President Pranab Mukherjee's visit to his ancestral house during the Durga puja rituals, official sources said on Friday.
At least 23 people, including children, were killed as relentless rain triggered one of the worst landslides in a decade in Darjeeling hills and adjoining areas on Sunday, sweeping away homes, cutting off roads, isolating villages, and leaving hundreds of stranded tourists amid widespread devastation, officials said.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Saturday that lookout notices have been issued against North East India Festival organiser Shyamkanu Mahanta and Zubeen Garg's manager Siddharth Sharma in the singer's death case.
'Perhaps the greatest curse that modern technology has inflicted on the people during the pujas is powerful public address systems that blare out songs which you have no option but to listen to,' says Subir Roy.
'I asked her whether she stood first. 'Yes Baba' was her reply. Her mother was crying in joy.'
Heavy overnight rainfall caused widespread flooding in Kolkata, disrupting traffic, public transport, and daily life. Train and Metro services were suspended, and many areas experienced significant waterlogging.
From drone-lit skies and gemstone rangolis to fragrance journeys and theatrical thalis, India's new-age festive events blend heritage with high-tech spectacle to create memories that feel both intimate and unforgettable.
The MEA has taken strong exception to the two reported incidents in Bangladesh.
Private buses and taxis in West Bengal may go off the roads after the Durga Puja if fares are not increased, even as operators are pinning their hopes on an assurance by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to look into the issue after Lakshmi Puja.
The sound of the dhak is an essential part of Pujo celebrations, says Indrayanee Mukherjee.
We bring you traditional Bengali preparations to help celebrate Durga Puja.
'For all you know, in the next five years there could be a path-breaking cancer treatment and I may be absolutely fine. Or maybe I won't be. I have to live with both scenarios.'
Of the Rs 474.4 crore insurance cover, the largest component -- Rs 375 crore -- has been allocated towards personal accident cover for volunteers.
Agitating junior doctors in West Bengal resumed their indefinite 'total cease work' on Tuesday to press for various demands, including ensuring their safety and security at all medical establishments.
'Durga Puja is also a time to catch up on the gossip and when the girls of the family get together it's a beautiful feeling that is hard to describe.'
Rani Mukerji attends the North Bombay Sarbojanin Durga Puja Samiti's Kali Puja with her family and friends.
