Songs Of Paradise is the story of a female achiever that needed to be told, just as her songs of love and longing deserve to be rediscovered and shared with music aficionados, observes Deepa Gahlot.
Lal Chowk in the heart of Srinagar was Kashmir's leading venue for protests where fortified defences had been set up by security forces. Today a group of youngsters dances at the Chowk and makes reels.
'He is the same man who has won honours for the country across the world.'
'The wave of terrorism is over in Kashmir. Local people do not support it.'
Ancient Hindu idols and 'Shivlings' were discovered during excavation work for the renovation of a spring in Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir. The site is significant for Kashmiri Pandits and is associated with the Karkoota dynasty.
As many as 2,493 graves were identified as belonging to foreign terrorists who were killed in counter-insurgency operations.
These individuals often lacked identification to conceal their networks and maintain Pakistan's plausible deniability.
Sonam Wangchuk is under tight surveillance within the three-tiered prison, with CCTV cameras monitored around the clock.
Former separatist leader Bilal Gani Lone has entered mainstream politics, aiming to represent his father's legacy and address the issues facing Kashmiri youth.
Terror outfits in Jammu and Kashmir are now constructing elaborately-designed underground bunkers deep inside thick forests and elevated ridges instead of taking shelter in local houses, officials said. This tactical shift, fuelled by eroding local support, presents a new challenge to the Army and other security forces.
Superheroes, sleuths and Sara Ali Khan in love, catch all kinds of fun-sized action on OTT this week.
Yamuna floodwater caused massive traffic jams in Delhi, disrupting morning rush-hour traffic and leaving commuters stranded for hours. Key stretches like Kashmere Gate, Ring Road, and Kalindi Kunj were heavily congested.
'I'm sure those few terrorists who are continuing to operate in the Valley are not reading books.' 'Are they trying to tell us that there are certain people who first intellectualise themselves and then go about picking up guns?' 'It is absolutely absurd.'
The Jammu Development Authority (JDA) demolished a dozen shops belonging to displaced Kashmiri Pandits in Jammu city, allegedly without issuing notices, sparking protests from various sections demanding action against the officials. The shops were located on JDA land and had been built by displaced Kashmiri Pandits near the Muthi camp three decades ago. The demolition drive sparked outrage from political parties, including the BJP, PDP and Apni Party, and several Kashmir Pandit organisations, who condemned the JDA's action and called for the construction of new shops to help the displaced community sustain their livelihood.
A social media influencer's video promoting communal harmony, featuring the purchase of a Ganesh idol from a Muslim seller, has sparked controversy, leading to its deletion and an apology from the creator.
'For decades, we have heard only lofty claims. We have become accustomed to empty assurances, and it seems that political leaders see us merely as voters'
Former separatist leader Bilal Gani Lone criticizes the Hurriyat Conference for its irrelevance and Pakistan for creating problems in Jammu and Kashmir, urging a new approach for the region's future.
Kashmir has produced several IPL stars, including Parvez Rasool, Umran Malik and Abdul Samad, showcasing the region's rising cricketing talent.
The process for the takeover of the management of the schools began on Saturday morning as officials of district administrations, principals of the respective nearest high and higher secondary schools, accompanied by police teams, reached these schools, the officials said.
'Often people outside paint a wrong picture of us of Kashmiris. We are not like that. We are cool and bindaas,' said the lady, a teacher, caressing my cheeks in the pressing crowds.
The surge in radicalisation has even startled some ex-separatist groups as they are concerned that another religious extremism wave, forced from the other side of the Line of Control, will destabilise the Valley's centuries-old Sufi tradition.
Bookstore owners were cautioned against keeping or distributing the books. Police personnel briefed the bookstore owners about the legal consequences of violating the ban.
'We were told that we would be taken care of when we reached Delhi. But we did not find a single Kashmiri government official who could guide us.'
The two women -- Seema Koul and Vishalni Koul -- had moved the high court in 2018 after their provisional selection to the post of legal assistant in the department of disaster management relief, rehabilitation and re-construction under the PM package for Kashmiri migrants in December 1, 2017 forfeited on the ground that they have lost their migrant status having married non-migrant persons.
Police conduct raids at bookshops in Kashmir to seize banned books promoting false narratives and glorifying terrorism, following a government order. The ban and subsequent raids have drawn criticism from authors and political leaders.
Visuals of Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah scaling the gate of the Naqshband Sahib graveyard and jostling with securitymen deployed there have gone viral.
Security agencies have gathered evidence, including Pakistani government documents and biometric data, confirming that the terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack were Pakistani nationals.
'...or go to jail.' 'The government is getting them silenced.'
At Srinagar's famed Lal Chowk, Rediff.com's Syed Firdaus Ashraf meets a computer engineer who drives an auto for a living and discovers that Kashmiris are more interested in finding jobs than discussing the assembly election.
Kashmiri food, like its beautiful countryside is a feast for the senses. It makes use of a full range of spices, many native to Kashmir. The flavours are bold and the cuisine is predominantly meat-based.
As the polling dates for the maiden assembly polls after abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir draws near, several organisations of the Kashmiri Pandit community has decided to refrain from the electoral process in the Union Territory over 'persistent denial of their genocide'.
This simple chutney can be served with kebabs and other starters.
Liston Colaco struck a brace as 10-man Mohun Bagan Super Giant beat Mohammedan Sporting 3-1 to begin their Durand Cup campaign at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Thursday.
'There was a statement by a minister that 30,000 Kashmiri Pandits have come back to the Kashmir Valley after the abrogation of Article 370, it is all b.......t and a white lie.' 'Nobody has come back.'
Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir has described terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir as a 'legitimate struggle', saying his country would always stand by the people of Kashmir in their struggle.
She's rewriting the rules of glam, one stunning look at a time -- all sophistication and serious slay!
Security agencies in Jammu and Kashmir are facing a new threat from 'bedroom jihadis' who use social media to spread misinformation and incite communal discord. These individuals, operating from their homes, are part of a sophisticated cross-border effort to destabilize the region by disseminating inflammatory content and propaganda.
So far 14 Kashmiri Pandits have filed nominations to contest from the valley for the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, aiming to ensure the return and rehabilitation of their fellow community members, whose number run up to 3 lakh.
The usual rush of devotees was missing this year, presumably due to the Pahalgam terror attack and the military action between India and Pakistan following it.
'We called him Sher-e-Kashmir but we realised he was no lion but a pussycat who surrendered.'
Nine Kashmiris were arrested in a joint operation of Ahilyanagar (formerly Ahmednagar) police in Maharashtra and Military Intelligence, Sothern Command. They were allegedly carrying nine rifles and 58 live cartridges with fake licences. The probe began after reliable information was received about some persons hailing from Jammu and Kashmir taking up jobs as security guards in cities in Maharashtra and carrying weapons with fake licences. Raids led to nine persons being arrested in Ahilyanagar with nine 12-bore rifles and 58 bullets. They hail from Rajouri in Jammu. A case was registered at Tofkhana police station under Arms Act and further probe into the racket is underway.
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