We knew from the moment the pandemic took hold that this would be a long haul -- at least 12 to 18 months. Nothing should have changed that assessment, says Mihir S Sharma.
Here's a recap of the events from the past 48 hours.
Manjoori Ganguly recalls her first Durga Puja celebration in Sweden.
'If Mr Modi and Mr Shah have made a poisonous, polarising campaign their brahmastra for 2019, Mamata Banerjee is showing them its limitations,' says Shekhar Gupta.
Mayank Agarwal has impressed at the top of the order in the few Tests he has played so far, but former India captain Sourav Ganguly says he will wait and watch before calling him a first-choice opener.
Having created a buzz with their 1.5 kilometre long floor art during Durga Puja, the fine arts students of West Bengal are all set to create a gorgeous 'Rangoli' keeping Under-17 World Cup theme in mind, during the final, in Kolkata, on October 28.
The Bombay high court on Thursday quashed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) order revoking permission granted earlier to an organisation headed by a former corporator of the Nationalist Congress Party to conduct Chhath Puja at a suburban ground.
The HC was hearing three PILs challenging the restrictions on immersion of idols at the end of the five-day Durga Puja festival.
On August 13, Muhammad Yunus visited the Dhakeswari Temple and reached out to the distressed Hindu community members in the wake of attacks on the minority communities.
Kajol and Rani and their friends celebrated Shubho Bijoya with sindoor khela, and made pretty pictures.
Last year it was the transfer of Nano project and this year it is the scrapping of the IT park. Bengal's pre-Puja economic scene turned gloomy once again this time with the West Bengal government deciding to give up the ambitious information technology township plan at Rajarhat in Greater Kolkata.
According to the complainant Mohammed Shafiuddin, who is a mosque committee member, the incident took place when a procession to immerse a 'Durga' idol was passing near the place in the early hours of Thursday.
At a pre-match press briefing, India head coach Rahul Dravid said it was great to see fans back in the stadium.
Bringing Indian festivals home for the second generation
E-selling of idols of Goddess Durga is catching up with a few doing brisk business through the World Wide Web.
He claimed that the violence is aimed at fomenting trouble in his nation with an eye on the next general election.
In an interview with PTI, Roy praised the Union government for implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) rules, stating that it would benefit the refugee population, including the Matua community, who had fled neighbouring countries to escape religious persecution.
The next general election must be held by May of 2009, and we already appear to have a clear choice. The National Democratic Alliance announced that L K Advani will be the prime minister should it come to power. Now, there is a fair degree of clarity that Dr Manmohan Singh shall lead the United Progressive Alliance if it should be returned to office. But how about the Third Front? Transparency is no friend of the Third Front!
All those in the Union council of ministers with two portfolios are likely to lose at least one and major administrative changes are expected in a Cabinet reshuffle due on October 28 or 29 on the return of President Pranab Mukherjee from Durga Puja celebrations in West Bengal.
None of R D Burman's collaborations was as rewarding and resplendent as with Gulzar, who turns 89 today, August 18, 2023, says Subhash K Jha.
Five persons, including a woman, were injured when a low-intensity bomb went off near a Durga Puja pandal at Japorigog in the heart of Guwahati city at around 8-30 on Wednesday.
Modi also asked people to take 10 pledges, including helping at least one poor family to raise its socio-economic status.
Durga Puja celebrations cannot be complete without serving this traditional Bengali mutton dish.
In a countdown to Navratri, Durga Puja and Diwali, help us celebrate with some mouth-watering traditional recipes!
Hitting out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah's 'Didi-Bhaipo' jibes, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday challenged him to contest an election against her nephew Abhishek Banerjee and then think of fighting her.
Faced with a barrage of criticism over her government's handling of the Burdwan blast, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday said she had no problem with the NIA probe since "terrorists are terrorists", but only wanted the Centre to consult the state before taking any decision.
Celebrations have begun at United Progressive Alliance candidate Pranab Mukherjee native village Mirati in Birbhum district of West Bengal ahead of the formal declaration of the 2012 presidential poll results.
President Pranab Mukherjee has yet again come out with an appeal for practicing tolerance and to accept differences while respecting dissent, in remarks that come in the midst of growing intolerance in the country.
"Eight bodies have been fished out while three to four persons are still missing and feared drowned," officials said.
The poll panel has also ordered an inquiry into the entire incident by Magadh Divisional Commissioner Asangba Chuba Ao, an election commission statement said.
The annual festival is sure to bring light into the lives of 50-odd elderly women from Vrindavan. Thanks to an initiative by Sulabh International, these women, all hailing from Bengal, will participate in Durga Pujo after years.
Kolkata hangs its head in shame as the hope of a government with a moral compass and a heart in the right place recedes into the distance, notes Payal Singh Mohanka.
In an attempt to lift their spirits, the widows of Vrindavan began their Diwali celebrations on Wednesday at the banks of Yamuna.
The season of festivities and celebrations is almost upon us, so help us celebrate it better with some mouth-watering traditional recipes!
Rediff readers shared these pictures from their travels.
Towering effigies of 10-headed demon king Ravana, his son Meghnad and brother Kumbhakaran crackled in fiery splendour marking the triumph of good over evil as gusto and fervour marked Dussehra festivities across the country. Crowds burst into cheers as the stuffed effigies, dotting grounds and open spaces, went up in flames at sundown.
Fresh from posting 399 in their previous game, South Africa batting was on fire yet again at the cost of Bangladesh who endured a 149-run rout.
Designer Monisha Jaising tells you how to pick fabrics, colours based on the season.
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