Prayagraj is transforming into a massive temporary city to host the Maha Kumbh, the world's largest religious gathering, expected to draw over 40 crore pilgrims. The preparations include extensive infrastructure development, including 160,000 tents, 150,000 toilets, and a 1,250-km pipeline network. The event, starting on January 13, will culminate on February 26, bringing together millions of devotees for the holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his two-day state visit to Mauritius, presented President Dharam Gokhool with Gangajal from the Maha Kumbh Mela. The visit marks Modi's return to Mauritius after nearly a decade, showcasing the strong relationship between India and Mauritius.
Pollution levels in the once-majestic river have gone up dramatically despite the capital spending around Rs 2,000 crore on sewage treatment plants and other facilities.
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 NGT also constituted a committee to oversee the execution of work pertaining to cleaning of the river.
In Punjab, more than 9,000 people were evacuated in Patiala, Rupnagar, Moga, Ludhiana, Mohali, SBS Nagar and Fatehgarh Sahib districts, officials said on Tuesday.
Low-lying areas along the Yamuna remained submerged for the second consecutive day though the water level in the river started receding on Thursday.
Threat of flood loomed large over the national capital as the water level in Yamuna rose well above the danger mark and is set to go up significantly with Haryana releasing over nine lakh cusecs of water into the river in the last two days.
'Delhi's river has once more been thrown under the bus, by a happy godman backed by a godman-happy government,' says Mitali Saran.
The Kumbh Mela is what it is because of the devotion of millions who make it an experience like no other. It is experiencing the heart and soul of India and the brotherhood of mankind.
Many were so disillusioned with AAP that they left it in droves. A 10% drop in AAP's vote share is a pointer to that. To assume that if AAP had teamed up with the Congress, the Congress' 6.3% vote share would have helped AAP retain control of Delhi is erroneous, argues Sudhir Bisht.
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.
Raising questions over construction of Commonwealth Games Village and Akshardham Temple on the banks of the Yamuna River, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said the former should not have been given environmental clearance while the Temple never even applied for it.
There will be no separate samadhis for VVIPs in Delhi as the government on Thursday decided to have a common complex for memorials of departed national leaders like Presidents, vice presidents and prime ministers. The Union Cabinet cleared a proposal to set up 'Rashtriya Smriti' along the Yamuna river in central Delhi in view of the paucity of space as around 245 acres of prime land in the national capital has already been occupied by separate samadhis.
Singapore-based Smitha and Raghavendra Ramachandra made a spontaneous decision to attend the Maha Kumbh. They did not expect what followed.
Originating from Vasudhara Tal, perhaps the largest glacial lake in Uttarakhand, the Dhauli Ganga flows in a meandering course, which takes it through the Nanda Devi National Park.
"We have reached a conclusion that river Saraswati existed, it flowed. It originated in the Himalayas and met gulf at the western sea," Professor K S Valdiya, who led the panel, said while handing over the report to the government.
Low-lying areas along the Yamuna were on Wednesday flooded as water level in the river inched closer to breaking the 207.49 metres mark, the highest in recorded history, prompting the authorities to evacuate over 5,000 people even as a man drowned in the river.
Jaitely's statement comes amidst the escalating tension between Indian and Pakistan.
The Akhil Bharatiya Kinnar Akhara is the 14th akhara at the Maha Kumbh.
Art of Living's spiritual leader, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, faced the ire of activists and the National Green Tribunal for environmental violations that would occur when an event of this scale - the festival is said to have seen 3.5 million footfalls -- is hosted in an ecologically sensitive region.
Govt to introduce an hovercraft on the Yamuna river.
The 22-km long Yamuna river stretch in New Delhi continued to rise, and is now stated to be over 50 cm above the danger level, even as relentless heavy rains drenched the capital for the fifth consecutive day on Tuesday, reports Sahim Salim.
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.
Flash floods and landslips triggered by the monsoon fury left eight more persons dead, taking the number of people killed in calamity-hit Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh to 138 even as 2700 pilgrims and locals were rescued from Rudraprayag and Chamoli districts.
The Art of Living Foundation chose to hold the World Culture Festival on the Yamuna floodplains in spite of being aware of the environmental, legal consequences, letters exchanged between it and the Delhi Development Authority show.
Proposals involving Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh were being pursued since 2019.
The court castigated the government for lacking in will to remove the unauthorised colonies on the banks of the river that pollute the river waters.
The Supreme Court on Thursday gave a green signal to the government to go ahead with its construction activities near the Yamuna river bed for the Commonwealth Games.
The cricketer-turned-BJP MP from East Delhi told reporters on the sidelines of an event that Manipur-like incidents are not a common occurrence and it is the duty of the state's chief minister to not let these happen.
The water level in the river touched 205.88 meter at 3 pm and is likely to rise further in the evening when water released from Hathanikund Barrage in Haryana reaches the city, a Flood Control Department official said.
'The size or economic potential of no event can be a valid excuse to break the law of the land.'
According to the MeT department, the Safdarjung Observatory recorded 23.2 mm rainfall while Palam recorded 35.8 mm rainfall between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm.
The Punjab government has ordered the closure of schools till July 13 while in Chandigarh schools are closed till Thursday.
Juergen and Daphne Schmidt had planned a trip to India for over 25 years -- an exciting, hectic trip that was to end with a dinner at the Leopold cafe in Mumbai on the night of November 26, 2008.
Telecom service providers and the Maha Kumbh Mela administration are on their toes to ensure smooth connectivity at the grand event set to witness record teledensity.
Cities are new territory for Basix and other microfinance institutions, which first flourished in India 's rural villages
The water level of major rivers, including the Ganga and the Yamuna, in Uttar Pradesh has crossed the danger mark at several places.
The government is considering an independent evaluation of plants of cola majors - Coke and Pepsi - in the vicinity of the Yamuna river to check whether there is any adverse environmental impact due to the functioning of these units.
The observations came after advocate Sanjay Parikh, appearing for petitioner Manoj Misra, informed the bench about Ravi Shankar's recent statement blaming the government and the NGT for permitting his NGO to hold the World Culture Festival on the floodplains of river Yamuna.
