From Dwight D Eisenhower to Bill Clinton, many American presidents have made sure they're photographed against the backdrop of the Taj. And, now the monument is ready to impress Trump for that family frame. Well, almost ready, reports Shreya Jai.
Uniformed policemen of Uttar Pradesh lowered their guns as the last post was sounded by another set of cops as a mark of respect to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who was cremated in Allahabad with state honours on Monday noon.
The long-term plans for Varanasi will take time to materialise but what has changed is the mood, says Aditi Phadnis
Over 25 lakh people had reached the Sangam Nagari on Monday night itself. They braved the early morning chill and fog to be the earliest to have a holy dip.
By any standards, the crowd was far bigger than what the festival has witnessed ever since it began on January 3.
Even the saffron-clad Swami Hari Chaitanya, who was spearheading the much-hyped 'Clean Ganga' campaign, eventually gave up his boycott call.
Since early Sunday morning, people from different parts of the city and adjoining areas were seen entering the nearly 30 bathing points (ghats) from four entry gates amid tight security arrangements by the administration.
Authoroties attributed the pollution to the lowered river level on account of reduced flow of water from the frozen source of the rivers in the Himalayas.
Millions of devotees, particularly married women, took a dip in the rivers, ponds and makeshift water bodies and offered prayers as the four-day-long Chhath began amidst tight security on Monday in Bihar.
Geetanjal Krishna spends three days in Benares to understand why the city's famous handwoven silk industry is in the doldrums.
Four more people die in Uttar Pradesh floods, as the overall toll rises to 67.
Speaking entirely in Sanskrit to over 600 Sanskrit experts, Swaraj called it a "modern and universal" language and said its tradition is comparable to the river Ganga.
Ritika Bhatia lists some of the best camping spots and adventure trails for a perfect mix of offbeat vacation and precious solitude this summer.
Images that capture what it was like living through 2021.
The disaster management department said that the state government has urged the Indian Air Force to send a helicopter for air-dropping of food packets and other relief material in marooned areas.
'Above 2,000 metres the gradient of the Himalayas is very steep and if you build any infrastructure (roads, dams, hydro power projects) in these regions, it will not be able to sustain these events (the onslaught of debris that comes down with great speeds).'
Fresh incidents of cloudburst, landslides and house collapses were reported in Uttarakhand after moderate to heavy rains lashed the state.
"Samajwadi Party will fight the next assembly election in the state alone," he said when reporters asked him about possible alliance partners in the polls for his party.
The move, said UP minister Siddharth Nath Singh, will help highlight Indian culture at international level.
"This was not a political meeting, (but an) absolutely development oriented meeting. I have taken up several issues with the prime minister," Banerjee told reporters, describing it as a "customary" meeting between the state government and the Centre.
Modi also said that presently a 'new trend' is being seen in the country where protests are based on creating doubts through misinformation while union ministers urged farmers not to have any misconceptions about the three agriculture reform legislations.
The Rashtrapati Bhavan has come out with a communiqu announcing distribution of portfolios of the ministers sworn-in on Monday in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's council of ministers:
Ayodhya is decked up for the bhoomi pujan that will be attended at the Ram Janmabhoomi by 175 people, who figure in a select guest list of seers and politicians topped by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The NGT also constituted a committee to oversee the execution of work pertaining to cleaning of the river.
India and Italy inked 15 pacts and finalised an ambitious action plan to further expand their ties following a virtual summit between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Italian counterpart Giuseppe Conte that primarily focused on ramping up economic engagement.
Four persons have died in Bihar since Monday in rain-related incidents due to the 'peripheral effect' of Cyclone Phailin, taking the death toll in the state to 14.
"This government will make the state -- the factory of the world. Products with 'Made in Uttar Pradesh' embossed on them will be made available throughout the world," said the vice president of the Congress.
In Soraon, despite the tie-ups, Congress, SP, BJP and Apna Dal candidates are contesting against their allies.
'Aurangzeb spent a major part in the Deccan. The later Mughals were looted by Nadir Shah and Ahmed Shah Abdali. The Mughals had no money to build. That's why Zafar Mahal, the only palace they built in Mehrauli, was built very shoddily and quickly fell into ruin.' 'Mehrauli spans a much longer period of time than any other city of Delhi,' says historian Rana Safvi.
The Centre has accorded top priority for cost-effective, pollution-free transportation modes, such as waterways, which reduce logistic costs and increase road safety. Union minister of roads, highways, ports and shipping Nitin Gadkari speaks to Sanjay Jog about the government's strategy.
Union Minister for Water Resources Uma Bharati recently reiterated her commitment towards making the Yamuna Shuddikaran Abhiyan a success but said little else. It is obvious that in comparison to the Ganga about which she waxes eloquent at the drop of a hat, her treatment towards Yamuna can at best be described as step-motherly. Rashme Sehgal reports on efforts to save the river.
Events that shaped the nation in the past 48 hours in images.
Sitharaman, who was holding the Commerce portfolio (Independent charge), was on Sunday promoted to the Cabinet rank as was Goyal.
He also gave examples witnessed at various places, like changing of the crop pattern in view of scarce water and adoption of sprinklers, drip irrigation, water harvesting and water recharging methods.
It's something to remember as New Delhi welcomes Sheikh Hasina, says Sunanda K Datta-Ray.
Here's a recap of events that occurred in India in the past 24 hours.
The Supreme Court asked the Union environment ministry to review six specific hydroelectric projects on the upper Ganga basin in Uttarakhand.
The Indian contingent of more than 300 navy personnel was assisting in the relief, with divers searching the brackish waters and medical teams seeing patients in makeshift tents set up at shelters.
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