The first day of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj saw over 250 individuals separated from their families in the dense crowd reunited thanks to the efficient measures taken by the fair administration. However, some attendees, including an elderly woman and a family of 13, are still searching for their loved ones despite the efforts of authorities who have deployed dedicated "Bhula-Bhatka" camps, police assistance centers, and digital tools to help reunite families.
Why can't the Indian government propose to the Chinese a corridor circumambulating the Holy Mountain where people from both sides could perform the yatra again? asks Claude Arpi.
The Maha Kumbh, billed as the world's largest gathering, concluded on Wednesday after 45 days, with lakhs of devotees taking a dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers. Despite a stampede that killed at least 30 people, millions continued to visit the Kumbh, seeking salvation through the ritual bath. The event saw a mix of faith, tradition, and technology, drawing pilgrims and tourists from across the globe.
A Haridwar-based community welfare organisation, Divya Prem Seva Mission, will host a series of seven lectures on diverse themes, including one on the contentious subject of simultaneous polls, at its camp at the Maha Kumbh site in Prayagraj. The lecture series, starting on January 12, will also cover topics like Swami Vivekananda's philosophy, India's glorious past, global terrorism, gender equality, and the challenges of privacy and safety on social media. The organization has been involved in philanthropic activities for 29 years and is raising awareness about the discrimination faced by people with leprosy.
A fire broke out at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, India, on Sunday, engulfing 18 tents in Sector 19. The blaze, which started around 4 pm, was caused by an LPG cylinder explosion. No casualties were reported, and the fire was brought under control within an hour. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was in Prayagraj to review preparations ahead of Mauni Amawasya, visited the site and instructed authorities to take measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The cricket fraternity on Tuesday extended greetings to their fans and followers on the occasion of Holi -- the festival of colours. India captain Virat Kohli wished the people a 'safe holi'.
Manmohan Singh, the former prime minister of India and architect of the country's economic reforms, passed away on Thursday night at the age of 92. Born in a village in undivided Punjab, now in Pakistan, Singh's family witnessed first-hand the tragic Partition. Throughout his long public life, he often spoke of communal harmony and democratic values. He served two terms as prime minister from 2004 to 2014 and was known for his wisdom and quiet demeanor.
Celebrity yogini and wellness entrepreneur Ira Trivedi tells you how to protect your skin and hair from harmful chemicals in the most natural way.
On its 177th anniversary, Utkarsh Mishra explores the history and relevance of The Communist Manifesto.
Millions of people across India took to the streets to douse other people in coloured powder for the annual Holi celebrations. Revellers were seen partying in temples and throwing gulal over one another. The festival is one of the largest celebrations across India, which commemorates the start of spring and the end of winter. These amazing images capture people marking the joyous occasion by partying and having fun.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday took a couple of sips of water from the Yamuna river to counter claims by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) that Haryana was polluting the river with industrial waste. He accused AAP leaders of spreading "poison" in politics and said their minds were filled with poison. The incident comes days before the Delhi assembly polls where the BJP and AAP are locked in a fierce battle.
Here are some of the glimpses of the celebrations.
Ahead of the Basant Panchami Amrit Snan at the Maha Kumbh, top officials are emphasizing the implementation of "zero error" directives to prevent a repeat of the deadly stampede that occurred during a previous snan. The Uttar Pradesh government has deployed senior IAS officers with experience in crowd management and inter-agency coordination to oversee the event.
Telecom service providers and the Maha Kumbh Mela administration are on their toes to ensure smooth connectivity at the grand event set to witness record teledensity.
As the controversy continues to reverberate nationwide, various quarters are demanding steps to safeguard the sanctity of Hindu temples and their 'prasadam'.
The BJP keeps taking dips till it appears good on the camera, he said.
Two Guinness World Records -- most people performing 'aarti' simultaneously and the largest display of oil lamps -- were set at the eighth edition of Deepotsav in Ayodhya on Wednesday.
Why should the festival add to your calories?
The Uttar Pradesh government, citing a scientist, has asserted that Ganga water at the ongoing Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj is as pure as "alkaline water", debunking concerns raised by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) about water quality. The government claims that a scientist found no bacterial growth or decline in the water's pH level, despite millions of devotees bathing in the river. However, experts caution that the quality of the Ganga water is not static and can vary greatly depending on various factors.
On the Holi weekend, Allu Arjun's blockbuster Pushpa: The Rise will premier on Dhinkchak TV, while Kabir Khan's World Cup bio-pic '83 premieres on Star Gold.
'Trump has no more elections to fight and his soaring ambition, which is no secret, will be to carve out a presidential legacy that outshines by far all his mediocre predecessors.' 'Trump's turnaround on the H-1B visa debate shows that he can take tough decisions and there are no holy cows in his domain,' asserts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
On Thursday, May 30, 2024, Dr Shashi Tharoor, Congress leader and former Under Secretary General of the UN Shashi Tharoor called on His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama in Dharamshala.
To maintain peace and order, the Islamic Centre of India has urged mosques to change the timings of Friday prayers given that Holi will be celebrated the same day.
'Senior Vatican officials were pleasantly surprised at the number of Indians who had come to witness the ceremony.'
Pramod Yeram sent us a pic of his childhood Holi celebration. You can share yours too!
Devotees attending the Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj are facing transportation challenges, with many forced to walk long distances in search of transport. Thousands of pilgrims returning from the event are stranded at Varanasi Cantt and Banaras railway stations, with some missing their trains due to the rush and others stuck because of cancellations. Officials say the traffic situation in the district has returned to normal, but some pilgrims report difficulties in finding transport and reaching their destinations.
Maharaj Jodharam Choudhary of the Khandani Rajdhani has special Holi recipes for you.
The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Trust board on Friday expressed condolences over the recent stampede here and decided to offer free education for the deceased victims' children at its institutions.
A state government that came to power after swearing to protect all people without discrimination refused to help a non-Christian organisation till the high court rapped it on its knuckles, observes former BJP MP Tarun Vijay, former Chief Editor, Panchjanya, the RSS weekly.
The prelude to the nine-day festival, which begins on October 3, is as exciting as the festival itself.
These human interventions in nature, along with climate change, are responsible for the disaster faced by the pilgrim town of Joshimath in Uttarakhand, which is sinking, he said.
Thousands of widows of Vrindavan and women abandoned by their families celebrated Diwali by lighting earthen lamps at the Keshi Ghat on the Yamuna river in Mathura.
Readers tell us how they celebrated Holi this year.
Presenting five ways to amp up your Holi style.
A record number of devotees are expected to take part in the first 'Amrit Snan' of the Maha Kumbh Mela on Tuesday, coinciding with Makar Sankranti. The event is significant as it marks the participation of the 'Akharas' and is also the first 'snan' after the grand Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. The Uttar Pradesh government anticipates a total of 35 crore devotees visiting Prayagraj during the Kumbh Mela.
Subramanyam's mother, who immigrated through Dulles Airport, watched her son being sworn-in on the Bhagavad Gita.
Amit Trivedi's score gives Azaad the feel of a sprawling epic that will hopefully be worth the wait, notes Mayur Sanap.
For the first time, the Prayagraj Railway Division will install face recognition cameras alongside CCTV at railway stations, specifically for the Mahakumbh, the Uttar Pradesh government said in a statement.
India was drenched in hues of the rainbow on Monday as people celebrated Holi, the festival colours, on Monday and smeared 'gulal' on each other.
