Actor Mamta Kulkarni has renounced the worldly life at the Maha Kumbh and will be consecrated as a Hindu nun under the Kinnar Akhara. She performed her own 'Pind Daan' and will be consecrated as 'mahamandaleshwar'.
The BJP keeps taking dips till it appears good on the camera, he said.
Named 'Kamala ' by Giri, Mrs Jobs arrived in Prayagraj on Monday. She is staying at the Kumbh tent city at the Niranjini Akhara camp till January 15, before returning to the US to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President-elect Donald Trump on January 20.
Kailashanand Giri Maharaj of Niranjani Akhara, along with Laurene Powell Jobs, wife of late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh on Saturday.
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 'Amrit Snan' by saints and seers of all 13 akharas on Mauni Amavasya, which was deferred after a stampede at the Maha Kumbh, concluded at the Sangam on Wednesday evening, officials said.
The Mayrlife Altaussee is a medical health resort, which aims to provide recovery, relaxation and health.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday claimed that the Congress had been unwilling to accept Tejashwi Yadav as the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) chief ministerial candidate and relented only after the Rashtriya Janata Dal pointed a 'katta', an unlicensed country-made gun, at its head.
Mamta Kulkarni, a former Bollywood actress, will continue as the 'mahamandleshawar' of the Kinnar Akhara, a monastic institution for transgender people, after her resignation from the post was not accepted. Kulkarni had announced her resignation in a video on February 10, but the Akhara's 'acharya mahamandleshawar' Laxmi Narayan Tripathi confirmed that she would remain in her role.
Opposition parties in India have demanded the resignation of Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw after a stampede at New Delhi railway station killed 18 people. They blamed the government for "gross mismanagement" and accused them of "covering up" the death toll. The stampede occurred on Saturday night as passengers rushed to board trains for the Maha Kumbh festival in Prayagraj. The Congress, the Left, Trinamool Congress, and the Rashtriya Janata Dal have all criticized the government's handling of the situation, while BJP leaders have defended the government. The incident has highlighted the failure of the Railways and the government to make adequate arrangements for the large number of devotees travelling to Prayagraj.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra has appealed to devotees from nearby areas to postpone their visit to Ayodhya for 15-20 days, citing the large number of devotees flocking to the town since January 26. The trust said this will allow devotees from distant places to have an easier darshan experience. The appeal comes as Ayodhya has witnessed a footfall of around 40 lakh devotees since Monday, choking the roads and bylanes leading to the Ram Temple with huge traffic snarls.
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.
The Maha Kumbh is celebrated in a cycle of 12 years at four river-bank pilgrimage sites across India. The fair will conclude in the last week of April.
Tamannaah Bhatia looked absolutely stunning at the trailer launch of her new supernatural thriller, Odela 2.
The festival's People's Choice Award, voted by the audience, is a strong indication of films that can eventually be nominated and even win Oscars. Twelve of the last 15 People's Choice winners have received Best Picture Oscar nominations.
Religious tourism witnessed 1,439 million tourists in 2022, generating Rs 1.34 trillion in revenue.
'While suppression of information is acceptable for the government, the Opposition's efforts at pinning the government and its leaders is labeled anti-national,' points out Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.
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.
'IIT Baba' Abhay Singh, who gained notoriety during the Maha Kumbh festival, was arrested in Jaipur, India for possessing a small amount of marijuana. Police were alerted to Singh's whereabouts after a video of him threatening suicide went viral on social media. Singh was later released on bail after being charged under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
Two elderly devotees from Haryana, who had come to pay obeisance at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, died on Monday. Police have denied social media claims that the deaths were caused by a stampede. The devotees, a woman and a man, fainted outside the temple and were rushed to Sri Ram Hospital where they died. Both victims were aged above 60 and are yet to be identified. The exact cause of the deaths is not known but officials suspect that they died of cardiac arrest.
Indian origin Hindus living in Europe and US are mulling opening overseas chapters of Prayagraj-based 'Ram Naam Bank' in their countries. On the occasion of Ram Navami on Sunday, the idea of opening a Ram Naam Bank was discussed among the devotees in Sweden.
Preparations are underway for Kumbh Mela 2021 to be held from April 1 to 30 in Haridwar. The Uttarakhand government has decided to limit the Kumbh this year to 30 days.
A stampede-like situation at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday evening left at least 15 people injured, and fatalities are feared. The incident occurred due to overcrowding on platforms 14 and 15, triggered by a rush of passengers heading to Prayagraj for the Maha Kumbh. Eyewitnesses described a chaotic scene with passengers fainting from suffocation and a scramble for space. Authorities are investigating the incident, with initial reports suggesting overcrowding due to the influx of passengers for the religious festival. Rescue teams and fire tenders were dispatched to the scene, and the injured were taken to hospitals for treatment.
The Ayodhya municipal corporation is grappling with a unique problem: a massive pile of abandoned footwear left behind by devotees at the Ram temple. This issue has arisen due to a change in crowd management measures, leading to a long journey to retrieve shoes for many visitors, causing them to leave the temple barefoot.
The Supreme Court of India dismissed a plea seeking directions on crowd management at the New Delhi railway station, following a stampede that resulted in the deaths of at least 18 people. The court questioned the claim of 200 deaths and suggested the petitioner approach the Delhi High Court.
'Adventure travel, cultural tours, and wellness retreats are in high demand.'
The previous state government had spent around Rs 1,300 crore for the Maha Kumbh, which was held in 2013.
The recent stampede at New Delhi Railway station, which claimed the lives of at least 18 people, highlights a recurring issue in India: deadly stampedes. This tragedy is not an isolated incident, as numerous stampedes resulting in significant casualties have occurred over the years. This article explores some of the most devastating stampedes in India, including the deadly event at the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj just a few weeks ago, the 2024 tragedy at a 'satsang' in Hathras, and the 2013 stampede during Navratri festivities in Madhya Pradesh.
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking immediate action to prevent future stampedes at railway stations. The PIL, filed by advocate Vishal Tiwari, calls for the implementation of a 2014 report by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) on crowd management. The plea also criticizes the disparity in safety efforts, questioning why high-end technology and intelligence are deployed for VIPs while common citizens remain vulnerable to such incidents. The PIL seeks directions to the Indian Railways to take measures for passenger safety, including widening corridors, constructing broader over-bridges and platforms, and ensuring easy access to platforms through ramps and escalators.
The much-anticipated visit of Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama to the ongoing Maha Kumbh has been finally called off despite security clearance given by the Uttar Pradesh government for his two-day visit.
The Uttar Pradesh government has implemented a special crowd management plan called 'Operation Eleven' for the 'Amrit Snan' on Basant Panchami at Maha Kumbh. The plan, devised under strict instructions from Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, ensures a one-way traffic route for devotees and smooth movement on pontoon bridges. The heightened measures are in place following a stampede on Mauni Amavasya that claimed at least 30 lives. 'Operation Eleven' includes measures such as strict enforcement of a one-way route, enhanced security at key locations, crowd control at Tikarmafi Turn, special arrangements at Phaphamau and pontoon bridges, railway station and bus movement regulation, enhanced security at Prayag Junction, crowd management at GT Jawahar and Harshvardhan Chauraha, additional security and traffic control measures, and deployment of extra forces.
Delhi Police on Sunday launched an investigation into the stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station, saying it will analyse CCTV footage to determine the sequence of events before the chaos erupted.
The National Green Tribunal on Wednesday slammed the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, asking whether it disputed the Central Pollution Control Board's finding on high levels of faecal coliform being found in the water at various locations in Prayagraj during the ongoing Mahakumbh.
'Initially, some staircases of platforms were closed to manage the crowd. However, due to delays, more passengers were attempting to take the staircases. At the last moment, the closed staircases were opened, which caused congestion and the crowd swelled'
With the death toll in the overnight stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station climbing to 18 on Sunday, porters recounted their harrowing experience of carrying bodies on handcarts amid the chaos.
Indian Railways has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh each for the next of kin of those killed in the stampede at New Delhi Railway Station. Those seriously injured will receive Rs 2.5 lakh, and those with minor injuries will receive Rs 1 lakh. The stampede occurred late Saturday night, resulting in at least 18 fatalities and more than a dozen injuries. The incident was triggered by a surge in passengers waiting to board trains for Prayagraj, where the Maha Kumbh is taking place, on platforms 14 and 15 of the station.
Yogi said Waqf boards have become a den of selfish interests as well as loot khasot (property grabbing), and have done little for the welfare of Muslims.
Inspired by the earnings of boat operators during the 2019 Ardh Kumbh, a boatman's family in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj took a bold entrepreneurial step during the recently concluded Mahakumbh Mela 2025, generating a staggering profit of Rs 30 crore.
'They contest to ensure they win the election.'
Due to the pandemic, this year the Kumbh Mela will be held for 48 days in Haridwar instead of three-and-a-half months.
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