Built on around 24 acres of land using red sandstone quarried from Bansi Paharpur in Rajasthan, the Jagannath Temple at Digha, also known as Jagannath Dham, is an "architectural marvel, a mixture of intricate carvings and traditional design," an official said.
The Hindu Munnani staged a protest in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, against a group of people consuming non-vegetarian food on the sacred Thiruparankundram hill. The protest, which was initially banned, was allowed by the Madras High Court with some restrictions. Several thousands of devotees, Hindu Munnani functionaries, and BJP members participated in the protest, raising slogans hailing Murugan (Lord Subrahmanya). Hindu Munnani state president Kadeshwara Subramaniam and scores of activists were arrested.
Devotees celebrated Holi at the Kartikeya Mahadev Temple in Khaggu Sarai, Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh for the first time in 46 years. The temple, which was reopened last December after being closed since 1978, saw enthusiastic participation from social and Hindu organisations. The event was held under tight security following communal violence in the area in 2024.
Rediff readers tell us how they are celebrating Ganeshotsav this year.
Lord Swaraj Paul has been appointed the first Chancellor of the prestigious University of Westminster.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath defended the Maha Kumbh, claiming it generated Rs 3 lakh crore in business and provided significant economic benefits to the region. He also highlighted the "flawless" law-and-order management during the event, citing no crime reports despite the participation of 66 crore devotees and tourists. Adityanath countered opposition criticism of the event, stating that a family with 130 boats made a profit of Rs 30 crore during the 45-day congregation.
The ticket prices for the Lord's Test involving India and England next summer have been increased again despite a tepid response from the fans for the game against Sri Lanka this season.
Jorhat has many attraction to offer for the discerning and offbeat traveller.
Modi had a night halt at Sinh Sadan, a forest guest house managed by the state forest department, in Sasan after his arrival from Somnath where he offered prayers at the Lord Shiv temple, the first among 12 jyotirlingas, on Sunday evening.
Khalid has been appointed to Britain's Upper House as one of the six new non-party political peers.
Star sprinter Hima Das came to Maha Kumbh along with her friends after taking blessings from her guru Keshav Das Ji Maharaj.
It is a common sight in India. But if it happens in London, it does seem strange.
Huge tri-colour-themed banners have been put up along the Kartavya Path while the theme for this year's tableaux that would roll down the boulevard where the annual Republic Day celebrations take place is 'Swarnim Bharat: Virasat aur Vikas', focusing on 75 years of the enactment of the Constitution.
Presenting the full text of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's address to the nation on May 12, 2025, in which he dictated India's new doctrines on countering terrorism.
Two damaged idols were found inside the well of the Bhasma Shankar temple in Sambhal, Uttar Pradesh, India, which was reopened last week after being shut for 46 years. The temple, which houses an idol of Lord Hanuman and a Shivling, was reopened on December 13 after authorities stumbled upon the covered structure during an anti-encroachment drive. The idols, a Lakshmi idol and a Parvati idol, were found in the well, which authorities had planned to reopen. The district administration has written to the Archaeological Survey of India for carbon dating of the temple, including the well.
The Congress party has inaugurated its new headquarters, Indira Gandhi Bhawan, located at 9A, Kotla Road in Delhi. The new building, which was constructed during Sonia Gandhi's tenure as Congress chief, features modern facilities and reflects the party's forward-looking vision. The party will not vacate its current headquarters at 24, Akbar Road, which has been its home since 1978, and will continue to house some of its cells.
Many ordinary citizens are drawn to by a sense of history and India's remarkable journey from bondage to freedom which culminated in this monumental building.
Subramanyam's mother, who immigrated through Dulles Airport, watched her son being sworn-in on the Bhagavad Gita.
Rediff.com's Hitesh Harisinghani joins the Patkar family as they say goodbye to Lord Ganesha.
Rediff readers tell us how they are celebrating the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in their homes.
United States President Joe Biden on Monday issued pre-emptive pardons for General Mark Milley, Dr Anthony Fauci and members of Congress who served on the committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol as a shield against possible retaliatory action against them by his incoming successor, CNN reported.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said every vote of the electorate in Madhya Pradesh has the power of 'Trishakti', to help the Bharatiya Janata Party form government again in MP, strengthen the PM at the Centre and to keep the 'corrupt' Congress away from power in the state.
Ahead of YSRCP chief YS Jagan Mohan Reddy's planned visit to Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple at Tirumala Hills, the district police on Friday issued notice to several leaders and cadre of the party not to defy Section 30 of the Police Act which is in force.
While GBP 50 million is earmarked for grassroots and recreational cricket, the 18 English county teams will get a share of GBP 470 million with larger pie allocated for those clubs that don't own a 'Hundred Franchise'.
On Friday, a four-member team of the ASI surveyed the recently-discovered Shri Kartik Mahadev temple, five pilgrimage sites and 19 'koops' (wells).
The bodies of Sharma, 46, who worked as a carpenter at the Indian Spinal Injury Centre in Vasant Kunj for the last 28 years but had stopped working since January, and his four daughters -- Neetu, 26, Nikki, 24, Neeru, 23, and Nidhi, 20 -- were found on Friday afternoon, but they had died days earlier. According to their acquaintances, the family was very religious and they would perform prayers every day.
Leading NRI entrepreneur Lord Swraj Paul has scripted history by becoming the first Asian deputy speaker of the British House of Lords.
'Justice may or may not happen, but who are those people who did this to her?' 'If the hospital authorities had helped us that day, or the police, then the real culprits would have been caught.' 'Getting justice for my daughter is my goal now and I want the CM to remember that.'
Paul, Chairman of the Caparo Group of industries, said he was delighted to announce that the police "has informed me that after due consideration, it will no longer be proceeding with any investigation or inquiry in relation to my House of Lords expenses."
Thirty-five-year-old Sonu Jaiswal, a liquor store owner who was among the five Indians killed in a plane crash in Nepal on Sunday, had gone to pay obeisance at the famed Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu after his wish for a son was fulfilled around six months ago, his relative said.
A government school principal was arrested in Kota after he allegedly deleted Ganesh Chaturthi greetings posted on the school WhatsApp group, which triggered protests by people of the village, officials said on Sunday.
The Congress' new headquarters located at 9A, Kotla Road in New Delhi was inaugurated on Wednesday, as the grand old party turned a page in its history after operating from its iconic 24, Akbar Road premises for the last 47 years.
Local residents shared their memories of the temple, with many highlighting its importance as a religious site for the community.
The Indian National Congress, India's oldest political party, is moving from its longtime headquarters at 24 Akbar Road to a new building called Indira Gandhi Bhawan. The move marks the end of an era for the Congress, which has been headquartered at 24 Akbar Road for nearly 50 years.
A special website has also been created to mark the year-long celebrations, Union Culture Secretary Arunish Chawla told reporters during a briefing at the National Media Centre in New Delhi.
Ganesh Puja in Alibag taluka is about simplicity and minimalism. It's about quiet devotion too.
The avalanche hit the BRO camp between Mana and Badrinath between 5:30 am and 6 am on Friday, burying the workers inside eight containers and a shed, according to the Army.
The Maha Kumbh 2025 at Prayagraj will feature a "Yuva Maha Kumbh", a gathering of youth and students celebrating Swami Vivekananda's birth anniversary and his vision for India. The event, organized by the Vivekananda Kendra, will include workshops and discussions on Swami Vivekananda's teachings and their relevance to modern India. The gathering will take place from January 20th, coinciding with the Maha Kumbh, and is expected to draw a large number of young people.
Notwithstanding protests by the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, he said the first session of the newly elected Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is "short in duration but historic in terms of agenda".
