Pakistan's Punjab government has approved a plan to restore the names of several streets and roads in Lahore, aiming to revive the city's pre-Partition heritage, an official said on Monday.
The funeral of Prateek Yadav, son of Samajwadi Party founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, took place in Lucknow with thousands of supporters in attendance. Family members and political figures paid their respects.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has denied reports of a secret meeting with Shiv Sena (UBT) president Uddhav Thackeray, dismissing the claims as false news.
Seers from the Shri Panchayati Mahanirvani Akhara made their 'Royal Entry' -- also called Chavni Pravesh -- for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj
Mamta Kulkarni, a former Bollywood actress, will continue as the 'mahamandleshawar' of the Kinnar Akhara, a monastic institution for transgender people, after her resignation from the post was not accepted. Kulkarni had announced her resignation in a video on February 10, but the Akhara's 'acharya mahamandleshawar' Laxmi Narayan Tripathi confirmed that she would remain in her role.
The Akhil Bharatiya Kinnar Akhara is the 14th akhara at the Maha Kumbh.
The president of the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad, Mahant Ravindra Puri, has demanded the evacuation of mosques built on ancient temples across India. Puri, who is also the president of the Mansa Devi Temple Trust in Haridwar, claims that around 80% of mosques in India are built on temples and that their domes resemble those of temples. He has appealed to Muslims to hand over such structures to Hindus and has called for the formation of a "Sanatan Board" to protect Hindu religious institutions. Puri also denied banning Muslims from attending the Maha Kumbh Mela, saying that they are welcome to visit and learn about Hinduism.
The Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad on Wednesday said it has decided to not allow 'non-Sanatanis' from putting up food stalls in the Kumbh Mela and rename terms 'Shahi Snan' and 'Peshwai' as 'Rajsi Snan' and 'Chhavni Pravesh'.
Yamuna floodwater caused massive traffic jams in Delhi, disrupting morning rush-hour traffic and leaving commuters stranded for hours. Key stretches like Kashmere Gate, Ring Road, and Kalindi Kunj were heavily congested.
Amid tight security, the Chhari Mubarak, the holy mace of Lord Shiva, left Srinagar on Monday, August 4, 2025 for the Amarnath cave shrine. This signifies the culmination of the annual Amarnath Yatra.
The revered Chhari Mubarak, the holy mace of Lord Shiva, reached Pahalgam on Saturday, August 9, 2025, marking the start of traditional rituals associated with the Amarnath Yatra.
Hindu seers in Uttarakhand have urged the state government to ban non-Hindus from participating in the Kanwar Yatra and operating businesses along the pilgrimage route.
The Maha Kumbh witnessed its third grand 'Amrit Snan' on the auspicious occasion of Basant Panchami, drawing hundreds of thousands of devotees from across the globe, all seeking spiritual liberation through the sacred dip, which was going on smoothly, officials said.
The 'Amrit Snan' by saints and seers of all 13 akharas on Mauni Amavasya, which was deferred after a stampede at the Maha Kumbh, concluded at the Sangam on Wednesday evening, officials said.
Actor Mamta Kulkarni has renounced the worldly life at the Maha Kumbh and will be consecrated as a Hindu nun under the Kinnar Akhara. She performed her own 'Pind Daan' and will be consecrated as 'mahamandaleshwar'.
The Amrit snan was originally scheduled in the early hours of the day but was postponed following the stampede.
Seers from various 'akharas' took the first 'Amrit Snan' at the Maha Kumbh on Makar Sankranti on Tuesday as an unbroken stream of people converged at the Triveni Sangam on the occasion with around 3.5 crore devotees taking a dip.
Glimpses of the Peshwai procession, which marks the arrival of sadhus and other members of an akhara, for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visited Prayagraj to inspect the preparations for the Maha Kumbh 2025.
The top court said there are serious infirmities in the oral accounts of Nirmohi witnesses that the disputed structure was not a mosque but the Janmabhoomi temple.
Sadhus take part in a religious procession during the Nagar Pravesh ceremony for the upcoming Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
'Suddenly, she arrives in India, participates in the Maha Kumbh and is given the position of Mahamandleshwar.' 'This needs investigation.'
The flag will be taken down on July 24, 2028, which will mark the conclusion of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela, which is held once in 12 years.
The Juna Akhara, one of the largest sects of seers in the country, announced the end of its participation in the Kumbh Mela on Saturday, hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal that participation in the ongoing gathering in Haridwar be kept symbolic in view of the surge in coronavirus cases.
Named 'Kamala ' by Giri, Mrs Jobs arrived in Prayagraj on Monday. She is staying at the Kumbh tent city at the Niranjini Akhara camp till January 15, before returning to the US to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Donald Trump on January 20.
A 13-year-old girl from Agra, who dreamt of becoming an IAS officer, has renounced worldly life and become a Sadhvi at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj. The girl, Rakhi, was influenced by the teachings of Mahant Kaushal Giri Maharaj of Juna Akhara, who had been conducting Bhagwat Katha sessions in her village for the past three years. Rakhi's parents, accepting her decision as divine will, entrusted her to the Juna Akhara. The family, who had rented a home in Agra specifically to educate their daughters, say that Rakhi experienced detachment from worldly life during the Maha Kumbh. The girl will be formally inducted into the ashram on January 19 after religious ceremonies.
The move drew criticism from the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad. Its president Mahant Ravindra Puri said that Mulayam Singh Yadav had always been "anti-Hindu and anti-Sanatan".
One person was injured on Friday during the Rath Yatra procession in Ahmedabad, when a male elephant, agitated by excessive noise, broke a barricade and rushed into a narrow lane, officials said.
Since the beginning of the Maha Kumbh last month, many influencers, models and actors have had their brief moment in the sun of virality: model-turned-sadhvi Harsha Richaria, garland seller Mona Lisa, 'IIT baba' Abhay Singh and actor Mamata Kulkarni to name a few.
Much to the exasperation of WFI, two overage wrestlers even won medals at the recent Khelo India Games in Bihar.
At least 30 people were killed and 60 others injured in a pre-dawn stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh early on Wednesday as crores of pilgrims jostled for space to take a holy dip on the occasion of one of the most auspicious days of Mauni Amavasya, officials said.
Bajrang Punia has tendered an unconditional apology to wrestling coach Naresh Dahiya for sullying his name during their protest against the then WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh.
Kailashanand Giri Maharaj of Niranjani Akhara, along with Laurene Powell Jobs, wife of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.
Saints and seers gathered at the Triveni Sangam for the 'Amrit Snan' on the occasion of Basant Panchami on Monday cautioned political leaders against misusing Sanatan Dharma and spreading rumours for political gain, and praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over arrangements at the Maha Kumbh.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a dip at the Triveni Sangam in Mahakumbh Nagar on Monday and described the Maha Kumbh as a unique symbol of the Sanatan culture's philosophy, which is rooted in harmony.
Swami Shivanand Saraswati, known as the world's 'oldest saint', claims to be 129 years old and has been attending the Kumbh Mela for 100 years.
According to Inspector General of Police K P Singh, Mahant Giri's body was found hanging from the ceiling by his disciples. A purported suicide note of seven-eight pages was also found at the site in which the seer had written that he was mentally disturbed and was ending his life.
Today's scenes from the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj...
The Allahabad high court, in its judgment of 2010 on four civil lawsuits, had partitioned the 2.77-acre disputed land in Ayodhya equally among the three parties -- the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
Prayagraj is a must-visit place in 2025, but in January and February you can't miss the Maha Kumbh, a spectacular event like no other.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances