'You don't realise your life has changed in just three days.' 'It's when you come back to the city that it starts hitting you but you now have the power to manage the challenges Life throws at you.'
On Wednesday, January 1, 2025, seers of the Sri Panchayati Atal Akhada made a first 'Royal Entry' -- also called Chavni Pravesh -- with a religious procession for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, at the Sangam in Prayagraj.
Film folk visited the Maha Kumbh Mela and take special blessings.
'If hundreds of VIPs are allowed to roam with passes and roads blocked for their movement, then that will cause trouble for the public and disrupt the Mela.'
Mohan Bhagwat shared his perspectives on the characteristics of 'Gen Z', the trajectory of the 'Stree Mukti Andolan', and the imperative for societal acceptance of LGBTQ+ individuals, emphasising their integral role within Indian tradition.
Film director Sanoj Mishra has alleged that the marriage of actress Monalisa Bhonsle to a Muslim man is a case of 'love jihad' and plans to take the matter to the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister.
Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze within 10 minutes and no casualties were reported.
Rameswaram temple elephant enjoys refreshing pool bath amid intense summer heat.
The move drew criticism from the Akhil Bharatiya Akhara Parishad. Its president Mahant Ravindra Puri said that Mulayam Singh Yadav had always been "anti-Hindu and anti-Sanatan".
Ashutosh Brahmachari, who filed a sexual harassment case against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati, has now claimed he did so under pressure from Ramchandra Das, the mahant of Deva Ashram in Mathura, alleging a conspiracy involving several officers.
... resulting in a Rs 2 trillion economic spinoff.
After visiting the Maha Kumbh Mela, why not travel a little further and visit nearby towns of interest? There are loads of places, 100 odd km from Allahabad that have historical significance or are spiritual sites or places of rich cultural heritage. Mayur Sanap/Rediff.com acquaints you with 7.
Besides the not-so-hidden unease between Modi and Adityanath, Modi chose to address the Lok Sabha to ensure that he could personally claim all the kudos, observes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
After Vijay Deverakonda, Nimrat Kaur visits the Maha Kumbh Mela and takes a dip in the Triveni Sangam at Prayagraj.
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.
Through history, the Mela has held different meanings for ascetics, the colonised, colonisers, and tourists, but all have been moved by its grandeur points out Atanu Biswas.
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.
A fire broke out at the storeroom of a camp in the Maha Kumbh Mela area on Saturday evening, gutting seven tents and destroying some items, including blankets and foodgrains, officials said.
A stunning book on the Kumbh. And a recipe.
Monalisa Bhonsle, who gained fame at the Prayagraj Kumbh Mela, married her Muslim friend in Kerala after seeking police protection from family pressure. The couple cited Kerala's support for interfaith relationships as their reason for choosing the state.
The Maha Kumbh, the world's largest religious gathering, began in Prayagraj, India, with millions taking a dip in the Sangam, the confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers. Devotees from across India and the world converged for the 45-day event, which is considered to be a particularly auspicious one this year due to celestial alignments. The event is a major logistical challenge for the government, which has implemented several crowd-control measures and security measures to ensure the safety of the millions of pilgrims.
President Droupadi Murmu will visit the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Monday and take a holy dip at the Sangam, her office said.
"The Maha Kumbh had already passed on Purnima. What is currently happening is the 'Sarkari Kumbh. The real Kumbh takes place in the month of Magh. The full moon of the Magh month had passed, and all the 'Kalpavasi' who were at the Kumbh had already left after the Purnima of Magh month," Shankaracharya said.
The ancient Ganga-Godavari-temple on the bank of river Godavari was later closed till next Kumbh mela to be held in 2027-28.
Hundreds of Naga Sadhus took a dip in the Triveni Sangam during the Maha Kumbh Mela on the occasion of Makar Sankranti.
Adityanath asked the chief secretary and the director general of police to conduct a thorough review of the Maha Kumbh Mela arrangements on Thursday. "Every aspect related to security and public convenience must be carefully examined to ensure seamless arrangements for Basant Panchami," he said.
Despite recent fatal stampedes at the Kumbh Mela and a Delhi railway station, pilgrims, driven by faith, continue to participate in the holy gathering in Prayagraj. Despite safety concerns, pilgrims from across India are undeterred by the tragedy and are taking the holy dip at the Triveni Sangam.
In 1911, French pilot Henri Pequet flew the world's first official airmail, carrying over 6,500 letters and postcards, during the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, now Prayagraj. The flight, which covered five miles in 13 minutes, marked a significant milestone in aviation and postal history. The mail included letters to Jawaharlal Nehru and King George V, and special commemorative postcards signed by Pequet are now prized collector's items. The event, which coincided with the Kumbh Mela, highlights the intersection of spiritual and technological advancements in India's history.
'The cost of flying to Prayagraj has gone up six times due to the Kumbh Mela.'
The fire spread to over a dozen nearby camps, causing significant damage.
In visuals captured by ANI, Chris and Dakota were seen sitting in a car. The couple, dressed in saffron-colored attire, appeared excited as they reached the city, drawing attention as they made their way through the crowd.
On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath along with Deputy CMs Keshav Prasad Maurya, Brajesh Pathak and other cabinet ministers took a dip in the Triveni Sangam at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
Devotees gathered to take a dip at the Triveni Sangam on the occasion of the first Amrit Snan during the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025 in Prayagraj.
Neither Mohammed Shami nor Mohammed Kaif traveled to the Maha Kumbh Mela.
A group of seers, led by the Akhand Parshuram Akhada, has launched a campaign in Uttarakhand's Haridwar to ban the sale of food under the name "veg biryani".
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav took a holy dip in the Sangam at Maha Kumbh on Sunday, urging the BJP to bathe with "patience." He criticized the BJP for splashing water on each other after bathing in the Sangam, saying people come to Kumbh for virtue and charity, not for water sports. Yadav, who had earlier taken a dip in the Ganga river in Haridwar on Makar Sankranti, said he had always visited the religious congregation. The latest official figures show that 1.17 crore people took a dip in the Sangam till late Sunday afternoon, bringing the total number of 'snan' (bath) in Maha Kumbh since its start to 11.47 crore.
The Uttar Pradesh government has deployed two senior IAS officers, who were part of the team that successfully conducted the 2019 Ardh Kumbh, to oversee the smooth conduct of the Maha Kumbh Mela in the wake of the recent stampede that left at least 30 pilgrims dead. The officers, Ashish Goyal and Bhanu Chandra Goswami, have extensive experience in administration in Prayagraj, including crowd management and inter-agency coordination. They will join Mela Adhikari Vijay Kiran Anand, forming a trio that was part of the mega fair six years ago. The government has also deployed additional senior police officers to strengthen security and crowd management ahead of Basant Panchami, one of the key bathing days of the festival, on February 3.
On Monday, February 24, 2025, women led the Ganga Aarti at the Triveni Sangam, sending a strong message about inclusivity.
The 45-day Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj concluded on Mahashivratri with a record-breaking number of pilgrims taking a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. Over 65 crore pilgrims participated in the event, which took place once every 12 years.
'Shivakumar's relationship with the BJP and the RSS is not adversarial in the way Siddaramaiah's has been.' 'Siddaramaiah has publicly attacked the RSS on record; Shivakumar has made no such statement at any point.' 'He vociferously defended the Karnataka government's celebration of Ram temple consecration with RSS-ish arguments.'
