A police officer in Prayagraj, India, has been suspended after a video surfaced showing him allegedly mixing ash into food served at a community feast for devotees at the Maha Kumbh Mela. The video sparked outrage on social media, leading to the officer's suspension and departmental proceedings.
The Congress on Wednesday criticized the Centre and the Uttar Pradesh government for a stampede at the Sangam during the Maha Kumbh, blaming mismanagement and a focus on VIP movement instead of common devotees for the tragic incident. Rahul Gandhi called for reining in "VIP culture" and improving arrangements for devotees. Congress leaders expressed condolences to the families of the deceased and demanded action to prevent such incidents in the future.
Multiple casualties were feared after the stampede at the Sangam as millions of pilgrims turned up for a holy bath on 'Mauni Amavasya', the most significant ritual at the Maha Kumbh.
Star sprinter Hima Das came to Maha Kumbh along with her friends after taking blessings from her guru Keshav Das Ji Maharaj.
A new report by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) submitted to the National Green Tribunal has said that the water quality during the recently concluded Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj was fit for bathing, despite earlier reports indicating otherwise. The report, based on statistical analysis of water samples collected during the Kumbh, found that the median values for key parameters like pH, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, and fecal coliform count were within permissible limits. However, the report acknowledges significant variability in data due to factors like upstream activities and sampling conditions. The matter is set for hearing on April 7.
A severe traffic congestion extending for kilometers was witnessed on the routes to the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Sunday with Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav asking the government to make emergency arrangements for the stranded devotees.
Saints and seers gathered at the Triveni Sangam for the 'Amrit Snan' on the occasion of Basant Panchami on Monday cautioned political leaders against misusing Sanatan Dharma and spreading rumours for political gain, and praised Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over arrangements at the Maha Kumbh.
The ancient Ganga-Godavari-temple on the bank of river Godavari was later closed till next Kumbh mela to be held in 2027-28.
If you are visiting Allahabad or Prayagraj, during the Kumbh Mela, you can also explore the historical and culutral landmarks too.
'As I entered the water at the Sangam, my son held my hand, offering support.' 'It was a powerful moment of connection not only to the Divine but also to my son, reinforcing his role as a pillar of support in my life,' says Arun Khanna.
The three-member judicial commission appointed by the Uttar Pradesh government to investigate the Maha Kumbh stampede has a month to complete its probe but plans to accelerate the process. The commission members, led by retired judge Harsh Kumar, will soon visit Prayagraj, the site of the tragedy. The stampede, which occurred on Wednesday during the auspicious Mauni Amavasya, resulted in at least 30 deaths and 60 injuries.
A senior railway official in Bihar was left stunned when a group of rural women claimed that they had been allowed to travel without tickets by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The incident occurred at the Buxar railway station bordering Uttar Pradesh, where the official was inspecting the station due to the higher-than-expected rush of pilgrims visiting the Maha Kumbh. The official, Danapur Divisional Railway Manager Jayant Kumar, asked the women if they had tickets, and when they replied in the negative, he asked who told them they could travel without tickets. The women replied "Narendra Modi told us so," leaving the official speechless for a few seconds before he corrected them, stating that neither the prime minister nor any other authority had allowed this. The video of the conversation has gone viral on social media.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, accompanied by his parents Dr Subodh Kumar Gupta, mother Satyawati Gupta and wife Anuradha Kumar, took a dip in the Triveni Sangam during the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Monday, February 24, 2025.
Mark Tully, the renowned journalist, author, and Indophile, has passed away at the age of 90. He spent a lifetime in India as a journalist, mingling with its people and telling their stories.
Amid heightened security measures, more than two crore devotees took a dip in the Sangam till 6 pm on Wednesday on the occasion of Maghi Purnima during the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
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.
More than 55.11 lakh devotees had taken the holy dip till 8 am, according to the Uttar Pradesh government.
Disha's bold & beautiful power dressing... Vicky, Rashmika in Amritsar... Shahid gets nostalgic...
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.
Following a stampede at the Maha Kumbh that killed 30 people, the Uttar Pradesh government has stepped up security measures and crowd management efforts. Despite the tragedy, millions of devotees continue to flock to the religious gathering, undeterred by the pre-dawn chill and dense fog. Security forces are being deployed in larger numbers, and new restrictions will be imposed at key locations to prevent further incidents. The authorities are also conducting a thorough review of the arrangements in the Mela area, and several officials are being assigned to oversee operations until February 12.
'Should the Kumbh Mela even be held while an infectious pandemic lays waste to India?'
Here is a list of some of such major tragedies that have taken place in the country in recent years.
Braving the winter chill, thousands of devotees on Thursday took a holy dip in the Ganga in Haridwar heralding the start of the three-month-long Maha Kumbh, considered the largest religious congregation that takes place once in 12 years.
Nirvani Ani Akhada president Mahant Dharmdas said that only the mela officer or the chief minister has the right to announce the "end of the Kumbh Mela".
India's Deepavali (Diwali), the festival of light, has been inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during a meeting held at the Red Fort in Delhi.
Raveena Tandon and daughter Rasha Thadani visit Kashi.
Over the last five days, a total of 2,167 people were found positive for coronavirus in Haridwar -- the place where the month-long Kumbh is going on.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah took a dip at the Triveni Sangam in Mahakumbh Nagar on Monday and described the Maha Kumbh as a unique symbol of the Sanatan culture's philosophy, which is rooted in harmony.
A stampede at the Sangam area of the Maha Kumbh early Wednesday morning resulted in several deaths and injuries as devotees jostled for space to take a holy dip on Mauni Amavasya. Eyewitness accounts describe a sudden surge of pilgrims, leading to a chaotic situation where many were trampled as barricades collapsed. Scattered shoes, slippers, and clothes at the site speak to the intensity of the stampede. Authorities are investigating the incident and have urged devotees to prioritize their safety.
More than 3crore (30million) devotees are expected to attend the month-long event, which transforms this temple city into a mini-India, and about 25lakh are likely to take a dip in Kshipra River as part of the 'shahi snan' on the opening day Monday.
Singapore-based Smitha and Raghavendra Ramachandra made a spontaneous decision to attend the Maha Kumbh. They did not expect what followed.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday criticized the Uttar Pradesh government over the severe traffic congestion in Prayagraj, claiming it has led to a shortage of essential commodities and inconvenienced devotees visiting the Maha Kumbh Mela. He also posted a video on X with people sharing their experiences and pointing out at the chaos. Yadav alleged that the officials are giving orders sitting in their rooms but are not coming down to the ground and that residents of Prayagraj have got nothing except filth, traffic jams and price rise.
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.
Composer Sidhant Bhatia, singer Raja Kumari, singer-producer Raghav Mehta and mixing engineer Deepak PA talk about Sounds of Kumbha, which is shortlisted for the Grammys in the Best Global Music Album category.
Mela Inspector General Sanjay Gunjyal also said the religious event formally began on April 1 by which time the second wave of Covid was already raging in states like Maharashtra and Haryana.
The Cabinet meeting and the holy dip comes on a day that marks the first anniversary of the consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Allahabad High Court judge Justice Shekhar Yadav, who was embroiled in controversy for his speech at a VHP event in December, has opted out of a seminar on the Ram temple movement in the Kumbh Mela area on January 22. Yadav was scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the seminar, which is being held to mark the first anniversary of the consecration ceremony of Lord Ram Lalla in the Ayodhya temple.
'We were struck by the sheer energy even before we stepped into the holy water,' says T N Sekhar.
Following a deadly stampede at New Delhi Railway Station that claimed 18 lives on Saturday night, authorities have implemented stringent security measures, including prohibiting loitering on the foot overbridge. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is also monitoring trains heading towards Prayagraj and deploying additional personnel to manage crowds. CCTV surveillance has been enhanced, and announcements are being made to guide commuters and prevent panic. The stampede occurred due to a mix-up in train announcements, leading to a surge of passengers rushing towards platform 16 via a narrow stairway.
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.
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