An exclusive excerpt from Rohit Trilokekar's book The Kitty Buddha.
Rediff readers sent us these photographs of India from their travels.
'When I contracted COVID and was extremely unwell, I almost thought I was not going to make it.' 'But this man (Karan Johar) was like family for us in Bombay. He would send doctors for me, made sure my medication was done correctly and made sure I came out of COVID.'
The administration had submitted photographic and videographic evidence in the matter.
The Mahabodhi temple in Bodh Gaya, declared by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation as a World Heritage Site, shined as its dome was inlaid with 280 kilograms of gold donated by devotees from Thailand.
It is becoming more and more apparent that Shyamvar Rai is like an onion. And a pretty pungent one at that. As layer after layer of his life gets peeled off, in full view of the court, new layers of his character are exposed.
I don't think Rahul Mukerjea once referred to Sheena as killed or murdered and always referred to it as her disappearance. It felt like he still used the word 'disappear' because killed had a finality to it that he didn't want to face.
On day 3 of his visit to Singapore, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a busy schedule. Here are glimpses from PM's Singapore visit.
10 Indian celebrities and 100 artists are donating artwork to raise funds to produce hygiene kits for frontline workers.
Rediff.com's Rajesh Karkera made an 11-day road voyage across some of South Asia's most deserted, challenging, terrain, always under the gaze of the sacred, dazzling Himalaya.
'I joined Hrishida when I was 17.' 'He left me with a lifetime of memories.'
'The Mahabodhi temple is the only example in the world where a religion's most sacred place is controlled by people belonging to another religion.'
'The Afghans used to say that if there is any person whose name should be taken after Allah, it is Hindustani.'
The 193-member UN General Assembly adopted a resolution, introduced by Pakistan's ambassador Munir Akram under agenda item culture of peace, to proclaim March 15 as the International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
The prime minister lamented on the lack of unanimity amongst the member states on the issue of terrorism, saying it dents those very principles, that are the basis for the creation of the United Nations.
We may not have resolved all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, but we have defined the boundary -- the edges are known, says Ajit Dayal.
The 25 odd witnesses that so far had given testimony had not come up with anything incriminating against Peter or the way Shivade characterised it -- "not even a whisper."
'Ranveer Singh is very lively on the sets. You don't feel the pressure when he's there.'
Here's a collection of some of the best photos from around the world shot in the last 24 hours.
One of the best stories coming out of Bihar is about a place where Chandragupta Maurya, Buddha, Ashoka, Sher Shah Suri and India's Mona Lisa meet.
A congenital impairment notwithstanding, Tokyo Paralympics silver medallist Praveen Kumar was such a sports freak in his school days that he googled about para athletics and how to participate in the paralympics.
For India to endorse Nepal's Buddhist conference will be like sipping from a poisoned chalice, warns former RA&W official Jayadeva Ranade.
'What matters to me is that the film is reaching out and touching hearts.' 'An 85-year old man and his 75-year wife, who had never stepped into a cinema, went to see The Kashmir Files.' 'That is my real achievement.'
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Bodh Gaya emerged as a centre that encouraged a continuous dialogue of civilisation, it has enabled India to re-forge her age old linkages with countries, who derived inspiration from Buddha's message of compassion. It is this dialogue that was sought to be interrupted by the dastardly attack, says Dr Anirban Ganguly.
Many of the stories, the pictures going out of India worldwide lately with these provocative processions, taunting of Muslims, bulldozers targeting mostly their properties, the sweeping 'othering' of a community of 200 million are painting the front pages and TV screens in the democratic world. That is where most of the friends we covet lie. Soon enough, these will also make our vital friends among the Muslim nations, from Bangladesh to Saudi Arabia and the UAE, uneasy. The best time for course correction is now, asserts Shekhar Gupta.
"My heart goes out to the families of the victims and the injured," Modi said.
An effortless artist at all times, Surekha Sikri's emotional eloquence and authoritative presence showed a knack for turning moments into meaning.
Kanika Datta visits the crumbling but oddly appealing complex of Bagan - a place where even an atheist can come close to a divine experience.
China is acutely conscious of the need for the next Dalai Lama to be under its control. It was for this reason that China recently stressed their claim on Arunachal Pradesh. There were rumours that the next Dalai Lama may be found in Tawang. If that happens, India-China relations will become tense and there may be demands for the child to be handed over to the Chinese, points out Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.
'Children need milk. If there is no money, how can one buy it'
The official said that the Centre needs to intervene as a large number of hospitals are affected due to the "stoppage of oxygen supply from Haryana".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday planted a sapling of a Banyan tree at a resort in Dhulikhel, a tourist paradise where the SAARC leaders held deliberations in an informal setting.
The Andhra Pradesh Government on Wednesday approved Amaravathi town, the ancient seat of power of Satavahana rulers, as its new capital coming up in the Vijayawada-Guntur region, which is also known for its historical and spiritual significance.
Shashi Tharoor says the British Museum should change its name to Chor Bazaar because whatever it has within its portals is the result of 200 years of theft. The museum is once again in the eye of a storm for the possession of a statue of a god Hindus, across the world, worship as the Supreme Being.
Tiwari said that the situation of illegal migrants has crossed the danger mark and there is a need to look into the situation. "National Register of Citizens is needed in Delhi as the situation is becoming dangerous. Illegal immigrants who have settled here are the most dangerous, we will implement NRC here as well," he said.
'In China there is capital punishment for heritage theft. That is how they treat criminals, unlike us.' 'Here we treat them like it's a house-breaking theft.'
The monks termed the advertisement as disrespectful to Lord Buddha, adding that it hurt Buddhist sentiments.
While the fixtures from the bungalow will be up for auction, three items, a jacuzzi, a chandelier, and a Buddha statue, have been kept aside for handing over to the ED.
Naravane is scheduled to meet Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli on Friday.
Mumbai's museum is no longer a mere showcase for objects of history, but an active agent in prolonging its life.
