As many as 3,691 centrally-protected monuments and archaeological sites maintained by the ASI were shut from March 17 in view of the coronavirus crisis.
The students -- who were from the Central Agricultural University in Imphal -- had gone to visit the monument as part of an all-India educational tour.
Ahead of the India-China summit, Mahabalipuram, the ancient coastal town near Chennai, has been virtually turned into a fortress with unprecedented security arrangements while the beautification and other preparations touched a feverish pitch on Wednesday.
'Rather than visiting famous monuments, travellers now prefer "experiential activities" such as biking, trekking/hiking, camping, river rafting, yachting, parasailing and zip lining; safaris and jungle adventures; and wellness holidays to rejuvenate themselves.'
Tourists at the Taj Mahal were asked to follow Covid protocols and were thermal screened and sanitised before entering the premises.
He raised the issue while mocking at the excavation being conducted by the Archaeological Survey of India in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh after a saint said he had dreamt about 1000 tonnes of gold being underneath at a place there.
A month after the Archaeological Survey of India began excavations in Daudiya Kheda area in Unnao following a seer's claim that 1,000 tonnes of gold was buried at the site, officials on Monday stopped the dig after hitting a dead end.
The ASI also said the fundamental right of the applicant cannot be availed in violation of the existing status of the land.
Contradicting TV reports about discontinuation of the gold hunt inside the ruins of an 18th century fort in Daundiya Kheda village of Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh, a senior Archaeological Survey of India official said in Lucknow on Tuesday that the excavation in search of gold will go on.
The Archaeological Survey of India on Friday declared Taj Mahal and all other monuments under it "safe" after conducting a detailed assessment in the wake of the devastating quake that wrecked Nepal and reverberated through several states in northern and eastern India.
What should be made out of the Madras high court order involving non-Hindus' entry into Hindu temples, when many non-Hindus are among the hundreds of thousands that have been worshipping at these temples for generations, asks N Sathiya Moorthy.
Come May 1 and those looking to visit Taj Mahal in Agra and Humayun's Tomb here will be able to book their entry tickets online.
Arsh Ali's work is about getting reliable evidence about the ancient Buddhist link between India and Egypt, discovers Veenu Sandhu.
The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed a PIL seeking the constitution of a 'renaming commission' to restore "original" names of ancient, cultural and religious places "renamed" by invaders, saying India can't be a prisoner of the past.
As of now, there is no restriction on the number of people entering the iconic monument complex at any point of time. The average footfall at the monument has increased at a rate of 10-15 per cent per annum.
E-ticketing for Taj Mahal to begin soon.
Conglomerate has become the first corporate house in India's history to adopt a historical monument, in a Rs 250 mn contract spanning five years.
Government offices located in New Delhi's central area, including North Block and South Block, will be closed from 2 pm on Thursday till 9:30 am on Friday in connection with the 'Run for Unity' to be flagged off by Prime Minster Narendra Modi.
Kanika Datta visits the crumbling but oddly appealing complex of Bagan - a place where even an atheist can come close to a divine experience.
Check out which monuments make the most money for the government.
The Central Public Works Department, which is executing the government's ambitious Central Vista redevelopment project, will soon start the construction work of the new Parliament building once it gets permission from the Heritage Conservation Committee, officials said on Tuesday.
The Hyderabad Heist is a blow-by-blow account of an audacious theft committed in 2018, and a recounting of how the Hyderabad Police combined technology and human intelligence to crack the case.
'Melania Trump asked about the mud-pack treatment and was amazed when she got to know the details of the process'
Rediff labs analyses the number of visitors to centrally protected monuments in India and how much the revenue it generates for the government through the tickets to see these monuments.
Of the 73 names, 41 have been approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet for secretary-level posts, while 32 names have been cleared for holding additional secretary or equivalent-level posts, reports R Rajagopalan.
The stall is located on one of the platforms of the Vadnagar Railway station.
With the Feroz Shah Kotla ground set to lose 2000 vantage seats in the Old Pavilion stand due to lack of clearance from Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), the ICC has appealed to justice Mukul Mudgal to let them utilise the area for spectators and branding during World T20.
The faction-ridden Delhi & Districts Cricket Association (DDCA), on Thursday, got a one-day extension from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
The prime minister also visited the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi after the milestone was achieved and interacted with hospital officials.
Industry says though most pending issues have been deliberated upon by Tourism ministry, they are yet to be implemented
The Kohinoor diamond, estimated to cost over $200 million (Rs 1,465 crore), was neither stolen nor "forcibly" taken by British rulers but given to East India Company by erstwhile rulers of Punjab
How many of these have you already visited?
The Dalimia Bharat group, under the memorandum of understanding, would maintain the monument and build basic infrastructure around it and has committed a sum of Rs 25 crore for the purpose over a period spanning five years.
While Governor Ravi's speeches have put the local BJP supporters on the defensive in matters of religion and social justice, his add-on 'attack on the constitutional scheme' in the 'Senthil Balaji case', has been condemned squarely by many legal experts and editorial writers across the country, thus adding weight to CM Stalin's position -- at least until the courts come up with their binding views, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
'The Taj Mahal inspires awe, a timeless testament to the rich and diverse beauty of Indian Culture! Thank You, India,' the US President wrote in the visitors' book and jointly signed it with the First Lady.
A sadhu's dream, and India's bizarre response, reveals the country's true nature, says Amberish K Diwanji.
The two-day event at the ancient shrine, categorised as 'Great Living Chola Temples,' by the UNESCO, faced the ire of pro-Tamil outfits.
'At one of the UK's best known museums, one of our greatest sculptures had been placed next to a public toilet.' 'This perception that art antiquities are better looked after in the West is one created by the cultural elite of our country.'
The Supreme Court on Friday allowed Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy to intervene in the pending matters relating to the Ayodhya title dispute with his plea seeking construction of Ram temple at the site of demolished disputed structure.
'He was a true intellectual of this country: Never claiming to be an expert on anything, or the greatest, he just went ahead and followed his beliefs uncaring of how the world judged him.' Jaya Jaitly pays homage to a dear friend, Wendell Rodricks, designer and trendsetter.
