The security personnel conducted a flag march on Thursday in Odisha's violence-hit Sambalpur city, where internet services were suspended and security tightened as the district administration geared up to organise a peaceful Hanuman Jayanti.
Some 43 people have been detained so far for the violence which broke out on Wednesday which also resulted in injuries to at least 10 police personnel including a policewoman.
Temples across Uttar Pradesh were packed with devotees on Sunday for Ram Navami, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath leading prayers at the Gorakhnath Temple. Heavy crowds were witnessed at temples in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, and Varanasi, where security was heightened. In Gorakhpur, Adityanath performed the traditional kanya pujan ritual, while in Varanasi, a 51-foot statue of Lord Ram has become a major attraction. The festival was celebrated with enthusiastic fervor across the state.
Political battle over 'Pujari Granthi Samman Yojna' announced by Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal intensified on Tuesday, as he launched registration process for the scheme at a temple in Kashmiri Gate in New Delhi.
A row erupted when women bodybuilders posed in front of the image of Lord Hanuman at the venue of the 13th Mister Junior Bodybuilding Competition held in Ratlam on March 4 and 5, after which local Congress leaders sprinkled 'ganga jal' as part of the "purification" of the venue on Monday. They had also recited 'Hanuman Chalisa'.
The HAL displayed for the first time the scale model HLFT-42, at the Aero India.
A three-hour heavy downpour accompanied by a dust storm hit Delhi-NCR early morning on Friday, causing flight delays and traffic disruptions as seven people were killed in rain-related incidents across north India.
While the saffron camp questioned the administrative capabilities of the Mamata Banerjee-led state government, the Trinamool Congress claimed that BJP leaders "behaved like good boys" this time.
A Delhi court refused to order an FIR on a complaint alleging that two paintings by late artist M F Husain hurt religious sentiments, stating that no further investigation was required. The court, however, issued notice to the Delhi Art Gallery for a complaint case hearing on February 12. The paintings, featuring Hindu deities Hanuman and Ganesh, were seized by the police earlier this month following the complaint. The complainant, advocate Amita Sachdeva, argued that the paintings insulted the revered deities and constituted obscenity.
'They must have thought that this kind of tapori language would please the common man, but they don't suit Hanumanji.'
Two elderly devotees from Haryana, who had come to pay obeisance at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, died on Monday. Police have denied social media claims that the deaths were caused by a stampede. The devotees, a woman and a man, fainted outside the temple and were rushed to Sri Ram Hospital where they died. Both victims were aged above 60 and are yet to be identified. The exact cause of the deaths is not known but officials suspect that they died of cardiac arrest.
The protesting wrestlers and their supporters marched to the Hanuman Temple in New Delhi and will also visit the Bangla Sahib Gurudwara.
All the issues around which the grand old party wanted to fight the May 10 assembly elections have been put on the backburner as party state president DK Shivakumar in damage control mode took up a temple run.
The central leadership will decide on who it will be, BJP's Delhi president Virendra Sachdeva said.
Also in Hyderabad, fans of actor Prabhas, who plays Lord Ram in Adipurush, beat up a moviegoer outside a theatre for criticising the movie.
Ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal announced the "Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana" which promises a monthly allowance of Rs 18,000 for Hindu temple priests and granthis of gurdwaras. This scheme is intended to support an often neglected section of society and registration for the scheme begins tomorrow. Kejriwal will visit the Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place on Tuesday to oversee the registration process for priests there.
He called it the party's attempt at trying to lock up those who worship Hanuman. He claimed that the Congress had earlier locked up Lord Rama and now it wanted to lock up those who chant 'Jai Bajrang Bali' (Hail Hanuman).
If not in Hindustan, where else will the students recite Hanuman Chalisa, MP Home Minister asked.
Following the direction of the Calcutta high court, the West Bengal government on Wednesday decided to deploy paramilitary forces in three districts of Hooghly, Barrackpore and Kolkata during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations, a senior official said.
Indian origin Hindus living in Europe and US are mulling opening overseas chapters of Prayagraj-based 'Ram Naam Bank' in their countries. On the occasion of Ram Navami on Sunday, the idea of opening a Ram Naam Bank was discussed among the devotees in Sweden.
Communal violence took place in West Bengal and Bihar during Ram Navami
In a video, an MNS worker, holding the party flag, was seen playing the Hanuman Chalisa on a loudspeaker from a high-rise in Mumbai.
The Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha's had given a call for reciting Hanuman Chalisa inside the Shahi Masjid Idgah to mark the anniversary of the Babri Mosque demolition.
Dinesh Karthik may have spent his career in M S Dhoni's shadow, but his contributions to Indian cricket, especially in the IPL, deserve a legacy all his own, asserts Sudhir Bisht.
Supporters danced to the beats of 'dhol' and waved party flags, creating a festive atmosphere.
'Papaji had a dream one night where he saw my father as Hanuman.'
In the wake of a political row in Maharashtra over the recitation of Hanuman Chalisa, the Shiv Sena on Monday hit out at the BJP and said the Hindutva ideology is a culture and not chaos.
The violence came after Friday evening's Hanuman Jayanti processions were held under tight security.
The Maha Kumbh, a massive religious gathering in Prayagraj, India, is preparing for the culmination of its events with the Mahashivratri 'snan' (sacred bath) on Wednesday. Authorities have declared the entire mela area a 'no vehicle zone' and are urging devotees to take a dip at the ghat nearest to them to avoid crowding at the Sangam. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is monitoring the arrangements and has issued an advisory for devotees, outlining specific ghats for different arrival routes. The Maha Kumbh has seen a record number of pilgrims, exceeding 64 crore. Security arrangements are robust with over 37,000 police personnel and 14,000 home guards deployed. The fair has also been hailed for its cleanliness and safety measures. The event is expected to conclude with the Mahashivratri puja.
Bharatiya Janata Party MP Parvesh Verma on Wednesday said he will file a Rs 50 crore defamation suit each against AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for levelling "false allegations against" and claiming he called Punjabis a "threat" to the country.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has ridiculed the move as 'hypocrisy' saying Congress leaders had termed Lord Ram as an imaginary character.
The revised statement issued by the police also did not name the VHP and the Bajrang Dal.
Billionaire Gautam Adani's younger son Jeet will wed next month in a simple and traditional ceremony, without any pomp and show and celebrity stars. Adani, on Mahakumbh pilgrimage with his family, scorched speculations of a star-studded wedding of his son Jeet with Diva Shah, daughter of Surat diamond merchant Jaimin Shah. "It will be a very simple, traditional marriage... just like common people," he told reporters in Prayagraj.
'It would have been impossible for any other country to manage such a vast crowd or accommodate the visit of so many devotees with such remarkable arrangements,' says Navin Mendon.
State Congress president and former chief minister Kamal Nath has been fielded from his home-turf Chhindwara, from where he is currently the legislator.
The VHP on Sunday dismissed as 'fake and baseless' the reports that its activists and those of the Bajrang Dal will participate in an event to be organised by the MNS to play 'Hanuman Chalisa' on loudspeakers outside the mosques in Maharashtra on May 3.
Kohli, wife Anushka Sharma, whose family are devotees of the Baba, and daughter Vamika spent a few hours at the Kainchi Dham as they recited the Hanuman Chalisa and also took part in the aarti.
The Calcutta high court Wednesday directed the West Bengal government to requisition central forces for assisting the state police in maintaining peace during Hanuman Jayanti celebrations.
Students at Udai Pratap College in Varanasi, India, protested demanding the removal of a mosque located on the campus. The protest came after tensions arose when a section of students recited Hanuman Chalisa near the mosque while prayers were being offered. The college administration has denied claims by the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board that the mosque and surrounding land are Waqf property, stating that the mosque was built illegally. The college administration has also accused the mosque of stealing electricity.
Amid intelligence reports of a pro-Khalistan group plotting an attack against him, Delhi Chief Ministerial candidate Arvind Kejriwal responded with faith, stating "God will save him." The threat comes ahead of the February 5 Delhi Assembly polls, with authorities reviewing Kejriwal's security and deploying round-the-clock surveillance.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances