News for 'Varanasi'

Gazwa E Hind can only be countered with Gazwa E Pakistan

Gazwa E Hind can only be countered with Gazwa E Pakistan

Rediff.com23 Apr 2025

It is time we buried the mantra of 'peaceful and stable Pakistan is in our interest'. It is not, simply because Pakistan's existence -- that is synonymous with its army -- means peace has no chance, asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (Retd). It is time we buried the mantra of 'peaceful and stable Pakistan is in our interest' asserts Colonel Anil A Athale (Retd).

Confirmed! Rinku Singh to marry SP MP Priya Saroj

Confirmed! Rinku Singh to marry SP MP Priya Saroj

Rediff.com20 Jan 2025

According to Priya Saroj's father SP MLA Tufani Saroj his daughter and Rinku Singh got acquainted through one of her friends whose father is also a cricketer.

Check Out Wedding Decor Trends!

Check Out Wedding Decor Trends!

Rediff.com27 Feb 2025

Wedding decor is going beyond aesthetics, embracing grand elements in a nod to the couples' personal stories.

10 labourers killed, 3 hurt as truck hits tractor trolley in UP

10 labourers killed, 3 hurt as truck hits tractor trolley in UP

Rediff.com5 Oct 2024

The prime minister has announced an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF (PM's National Relief Fund) for the next of kin of each deceased in the road accident in Mirzapur, UP. The injured would be given Rs 50,000, the Prime Minister's Office posted on X.

Modi's Varanasi office listed on OLX for 'sale', 4 held

Modi's Varanasi office listed on OLX for 'sale', 4 held

Rediff.com18 Dec 2020

The accused had taken a picture of the 'Jansampark Kaaryalay (public relations office)' of Modi, who represents Varanasi in the Lok Sabha, and put it 'up for sale' on OLX website, they said.

Brought back from Canada after 108 yrs, Annapurna idol installed in Varanasi

Brought back from Canada after 108 yrs, Annapurna idol installed in Varanasi

Rediff.com15 Nov 2021

The idol of the goddess was taken to the temple in a silver palanquin, shouldered by Adityanath.

What Is Dharmendra Pradhan Praying For?

What Is Dharmendra Pradhan Praying For?

Rediff.com29 Oct 2024

If MoSha -- who are well known for their last minute political legerdemain -- indeed decide that Pradhan is the right candidate to helm the BJP for the next three years, he will be the party's first president from East India.

Cow Hospitals And Wah Taj! in Agra

Cow Hospitals And Wah Taj! in Agra

Rediff.com5 Mar 2025

'Be it tourist guides, hotels, rickshaw drivers, all have a livelihood thanks to Shah Jahan.'

UP polls: Mamata likely to support Akhilesh, visit Varanasi in Jan

UP polls: Mamata likely to support Akhilesh, visit Varanasi in Jan

Rediff.com5 Dec 2021

"Didi has already said in Delhi that if Akhilesh Yadav needs our help, we are ready to extend help. The gesture of senior SP leader Jaya Bachchan seeking votes for the TMC during the West Bengal Assembly elections will be reciprocated in Uttar Pradesh," said Laliteshpati Tripathi, who recently joined the TMC.

Heading To The Kumbh? Here's How To Plan

Heading To The Kumbh? Here's How To Plan

Rediff.com10 Jan 2025

Prayagraj is a must-visit place in 2025, but in January and February you can't miss the Maha Kumbh, a spectacular event like no other.

'Most Dargahs, Mosques Will Be Threatened'

'Most Dargahs, Mosques Will Be Threatened'

Rediff.com8 Apr 2025

'The new Waqf bill sows the seed for conflict in every town and village of India.'

Modi files nomination with allies by his side; Nitish absent

Modi files nomination with allies by his side; Nitish absent

Rediff.com14 May 2024

In the morning, he offered prayers at the Dashashwamedh Ghat and the Kaal Bhairav temple in Varanasi.

Meet Miss India World 2020 Manasa Varanasi

Meet Miss India World 2020 Manasa Varanasi

Rediff.com15 Feb 2021

The 23 year old from Telangana will represent India at the Miss World pageant.

Posters warn non-Hindus to keep off Varanasi ghats, probe ordered

Posters warn non-Hindus to keep off Varanasi ghats, probe ordered

Rediff.com7 Jan 2022

Posters asking non-Hindus to stay away from the ghats of the Ganga and the temples along the river came up in Varanasi, prompting the police to launch a probe.

Court team at Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi for survey, security beefed up

Court team at Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi for survey, security beefed up

Rediff.com6 May 2022

Before the arrival of the court commissioner and his team here, a large crowd of devotees had gathered for Friday prayers.

PM attends colourful Dev Deepawali celebrations in Varanasi

PM attends colourful Dev Deepawali celebrations in Varanasi

Rediff.com1 Dec 2020

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday attended the Dev Deepawali Mahotsav at the Ghats of Varanasi. Modi witnessed the spectacle of Dev Deepawali in which rows of lamps were lit on the bank of Ganga.

Ram Navami celebrated across country amid tight security in many states

Ram Navami celebrated across country amid tight security in many states

Rediff.com6 Apr 2025

Temples across Uttar Pradesh were packed with devotees on Sunday for Ram Navami, with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath leading prayers at the Gorakhnath Temple. Heavy crowds were witnessed at temples in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, and Varanasi, where security was heightened. In Gorakhpur, Adityanath performed the traditional kanya pujan ritual, while in Varanasi, a 51-foot statue of Lord Ram has become a major attraction. The festival was celebrated with enthusiastic fervor across the state.

Women We Admire: India's Brave Ranis

Women We Admire: India's Brave Ranis

Rediff.com6 Mar 2025

This Women's Day Week, we pay tribute to the extraordinary courage, resilience, and leadership of three iconic Indian queens -- Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi, Rani Chennamma of Kittur, and Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar of Malwa.

SP leader moves SC for effective implementation of Places of Worship Act

SP leader moves SC for effective implementation of Places of Worship Act

Rediff.com14 Feb 2025

Samajwadi Party leader and Kairana MP Iqra Choudhary has moved the Supreme Court seeking effective implementation of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. This move comes amidst several petitions challenging the law's validity, including those filed by the Akhil Bhartiya Sant Samiti and lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay. The Supreme Court, in December 2022, had restrained all courts from examining fresh suits and passing interim orders in pending cases seeking to reclaim religious places. The Act aims to maintain the religious character of places of worship as they existed on August 15, 1947, but the dispute relating to Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid at Ayodhya was kept out of its purview. The court has listed Choudhary's plea with other pending pleas for February 17.

Varanasi court holds hearing in Gyanvapi case, puts it off to July 4

Varanasi court holds hearing in Gyanvapi case, puts it off to July 4

Rediff.com30 May 2022

The district court in Varanasi on Monday heard the arguments on the maintainability of a plea by five Hindu women seeking permission for daily worship of the Shringar Gauri Sthal in the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi complex.

Centre delaying reply on Worship Act, Mathura mosque panel tells SC

Centre delaying reply on Worship Act, Mathura mosque panel tells SC

Rediff.com22 Jan 2025

The Mathura Shahi Masjid Eidgah Committee has approached the Supreme Court, requesting the court to prevent the central government from filing a response to a petition challenging the Places of Worship Act's constitutional validity. The committee accuses the BJP-led government of intentionally delaying its response. The court had previously issued a notice to the government in March 2021, but the government has yet to submit its reply despite numerous opportunities. The committee argues that the government's delay is intended to obstruct those opposing the challenge to the Places of Worship Act from filing their own responses. The petition also states that the pleas challenging the law's validity are scheduled for hearing on February 17, and closing the government's right to respond would serve justice. The Supreme Court previously issued a ruling in December 2022 that stopped courts from entertaining new lawsuits or issuing interim or final orders regarding the reclaiming of religious places, particularly mosques and dargahs. The ruling halted proceedings in 18 lawsuits filed by Hindu groups seeking surveys to confirm the original religious character of 10 mosques, including the Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi, the Shahi Idgah Masjid in Mathura, and the Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal. This decision was made in response to six petitions, including one filed by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay, challenging various provisions of the Places of Worship Act. The 1991 law prohibits the conversion of places of worship and guarantees the preservation of their existing religious character as it stood on August 15, 1947. Notably, the dispute regarding the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid in Ayodhya was excluded from this law. There are also several cross-petitions advocating for a strict enforcement of the 1991 law to uphold communal harmony and maintain the current status of mosques that Hindu groups seek to reclaim, claiming they were temples before being destroyed by invaders.

Why Purvanchal Is Challenging For BJP

Why Purvanchal Is Challenging For BJP

Rediff.com29 May 2024

The youth -- their dreams of government jobs unfulfilled -- are voicing their frustration.

'Supreme Court Must Clarify Justice Chandrachud's Places Of Worship Remark'

'Supreme Court Must Clarify Justice Chandrachud's Places Of Worship Remark'

Rediff.com18 Feb 2025

'It was a disaster on his part to give an oral remark which allowed ascertainment of the religious character of places of worship.' 'This disrupted the social harmony of the country.'

A Gen Z Influencer Goes To The Maha Kumbh

A Gen Z Influencer Goes To The Maha Kumbh

Rediff.com31 Jan 2025

'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.'

SC puts off pleas on Places of Worship Act to April

SC puts off pleas on Places of Worship Act to April

Rediff.com17 Feb 2025

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar also indicated that it may not take up the pending scheduled petitions, heard earlier by a three-judge bench, during the day as it was sitting in a combination of two judges.

What's driving huge turnout of youths, students at Maha Kumbh

What's driving huge turnout of youths, students at Maha Kumbh

Rediff.com12 Jan 2025

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.

PM reviews Covid situation in his constituency Varanasi

PM reviews Covid situation in his constituency Varanasi

Rediff.com18 Apr 2021

He asked the local administration to help people with full sensitivity and asserted that the cooperation of society as well as the government is necessary to curb the pandemic.

When Manmohan told Sushma, 'Tu Mera Intezaar Dekh'

When Manmohan told Sushma, 'Tu Mera Intezaar Dekh'

Rediff.com27 Dec 2024

A leader of reserve and quiet dignity, former prime minister Manmohan Singh had a keen taste for Urdu verses, and his poetic banters with Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj in the Lok Sabha are among the most viewed parliamentary debates on social media.

Varanasi court adjourns Gyanvapi masjid case hearing to July 12

Varanasi court adjourns Gyanvapi masjid case hearing to July 12

Rediff.com4 Jul 2022

The district court in Varanasi fixed July 12 as the next date for hearing the maintainability of the Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri complex case as the Muslim side presented its arguments on Monday.

Did Muslims Turn Their Backs On Kejriwal?

Did Muslims Turn Their Backs On Kejriwal?

Rediff.com11 Feb 2025

The Delhi assembly results have underscored that a section of Arvind Kejriwal's committed supporters abandoned him because they were let down by his refusal to take a stand on crucial issues that impinge on the security and Constitutionally enshrined rights of the people, notes Nilanjan Mukhopadhyay.

Prayagraj Airport handling 40 VIP flights daily

Prayagraj Airport handling 40 VIP flights daily

Rediff.com24 Feb 2025

The Prayagraj airport in India is experiencing a surge in air traffic due to the Maha Kumbh, a major religious festival. The airport is handling an average of 40 non-scheduled charters and private jets daily, with figures reaching 70 on weekends. This is in addition to the average 148 scheduled commercial passenger aircraft operating daily. The airport recently received a contingent of about 180 politicians from Rajasthan and has seen corporate bigwigs like the Ambani brothers, Gautam Adani, and Pawan Munjal pass through. The airport has also hosted four international flights since the beginning of the Maha Kumbh, including a flight carrying Laurene Powell Jobs, the wife of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The airport is currently undergoing an upgrade and expansion, and officials are looking forward to the government's plans to integrate Prayagraj with the airports at Kashi and Ayodhya to promote tourism in the region.

Massive traffic snarls on Kumbh route; Sangam station closed

Massive traffic snarls on Kumbh route; Sangam station closed

Rediff.com10 Feb 2025

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.

Why Was I Prevented From Taking On Modi?

Why Was I Prevented From Taking On Modi?

Rediff.com21 May 2024

'Those who feared that I would have run one hell of a campaign targeting the most powerful people in India snatched away my democratic right from me.' 'I will expose these democracy-killers.'

Varanasi court fixes May 23 for next hearing in Gyanvapi case

Varanasi court fixes May 23 for next hearing in Gyanvapi case

Rediff.com20 May 2022

In view of the Supreme Court's order to the lower court not to proceed with the matter till Friday, it fixed May 23 for the next hearing, Madan Mohan Yadav, the lawyer representing the Hindu side, said.

Modi lauds doctors, frontline workers of Varanasi for fight against COVID-19

Modi lauds doctors, frontline workers of Varanasi for fight against COVID-19

Rediff.com21 May 2021

The prime minister gave a new slogan "Jahan bimar, wahin upchar (treatment of the ailing at their doorstep)" during his video conference with the healthcare professionals, saying this can bring down the pressure that the second wave of COVID-19 has put on the country's health system.

Priyanka's Varanasi roadshow draws in crowds

Priyanka's Varanasi roadshow draws in crowds

Rediff.com15 May 2019

Priyanka Gandhi and other leaders, including Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, waved at the large crowd as the procession wound its way through Varanasi's roads.

Are Varanasi, Mathura mosques still on BJP list?

Are Varanasi, Mathura mosques still on BJP list?

Rediff.com30 Sep 2020

'If the civil code has to be put on hold, what card can the BJP play if it finds the going tough in the run-up to the general election of 2024?' asks Amulya Ganguli.

Priyanka meets anti-CAA activists in Varanasi

Priyanka meets anti-CAA activists in Varanasi

Rediff.com10 Jan 2020

Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday visited Prime Minister Narendra Modi's constituency, meeting activists held during protests against the amended Citizenship Act and accusing the government of acting against the Constitution.

Diya Diwali For Vrindavan's Widows

Diya Diwali For Vrindavan's Widows

Rediff.com30 Oct 2024

Thousands of widows of Vrindavan and women abandoned by their families celebrated Diwali by lighting earthen lamps at the Keshi Ghat on the Yamuna river in Mathura.

Why Modi Chose To Speak In Parliament On Maha Kumbh

Why Modi Chose To Speak In Parliament On Maha Kumbh

Rediff.com26 Mar 2025

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.