Indian sports personalities, including Sachin Tendulkar, PV Sindhu, and Gautam Gambhir, took to social media to extend their heartfelt Dussehra wishes to fans, emphasising the festival's message of the triumph of good over evil.
Artisans across India are putting the finishing touches on towering effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad ahead of the Dussehra festival. From Nagpur, Bhopal and Kanpur to Patna, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Jammu, craftspeople were seen preparing, displaying and selling the effigies in the days leading up to Vijayadashami. The figures will be burnt on the festival's final day, symbolising the victory of good over evil.
President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Vice President C P Radhakrishnan attended Dussehra celebrations in New Delhi on Tuesday. Effigies of Ravan, Kumbhkaran, and Meghnath were burnt at various Ramleela grounds, with dignitaries delivering messages on truth, righteousness, and fighting social evils. One committee also burnt a cockroach effigy to symbolise filth, leading to a complaint from AAP Delhi chief Saurabh Bharadwaj.
Nine days of Navratri, nine days of dressing up, and probably a wardrobe full of the usual festive colours. But who says the fashion fun has to stop there?
A video showing a senior woman IPS officer, Ankita Sharma, firing an AK-47 during a traditional Shastra Puja on Dussehra in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, has gone viral. The incident has ignited a debate over weapon handling protocols and safety, with some defending her actions as tradition while others, including military experts, criticised the perceived recklessness.
A Ramlila committee in Pitampura, Delhi, will burn a 30-foot-tall "cockroach" effigy this year, alongside those of Ravan, Kumbhkaran, and Meghnad. The committee states this symbolises "filth and dirt" and supports the "Swachh Bharat" and "Swachh Delhi" campaigns. This decision comes amidst protests by the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) in the capital.
Hoardings depicting Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, US entrepreneur Elon Musk and others as the 10 heads of Ravana were put up at several locations in Lucknow on Sunday ahead of Dussehra.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during his Punjab visit, urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to transfer drug-related death investigations in Sangrur and Batala to the CBI, following Mann's decision to hand over anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota's murder case to the central agency. Shah met families affected by drug-related incidents and pledged to make Punjab drug-free by December 31, 2029, calling for collective action against the menace.
A 21-year-old man, Subhan, was critically injured after being stabbed multiple times by unidentified assailants in a park near Seelampur police station on Tuesday. Police are investigating the incident, examining CCTV footage, but have not yet established a motive or made any arrests.
Amol Khune, a former associate of Maratha quota activist Manoj Jarange, was allegedly assaulted by a group of youths in Pali village, Beed district, Maharashtra. Khune sustained injuries and claimed the attack was due to his criticism of Jarange and to prevent him from attending a Dussehra rally. Police have detained three suspects and are investigating the incident.
Here's a fun way to test your memory!
The Delhi High Court is set to hear a plea seeking to stop a protest called by Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke at Connaught Place Central Park on October 16. The plea highlights the disruption caused by such protests, especially during the Dussehra weekend. Dipke's call for protest follows the judicial custody of two CJP members for alleged peace bond violations and trespassing.
Odisha Police have arrested 470 individuals and seized over Rs 12.65 lakh in cash during a pre-Kumar Purnima crackdown on gambling dens in Ganjam and Berhampur police districts. The arrests were made on Wednesday night and Thursday, targeting traditional gambling activities associated with the festival.
Automobile dealers in India are reporting healthy bookings ahead of Navratri and Dussehra, with the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (Fada) indicating strong confidence in a pickup in deliveries from mid-October, despite a high base from last year's GST-led surge.
A 30-year-old rickshaw puller, Ranjit Singh, was allegedly stabbed to death in Jahangirpuri, New Delhi, after returning from Dussehra celebrations on October 20. His father has accused the police of negligence in the investigation, claiming two men were involved and that police mishandled information regarding the accused's court appearance.
The Delhi High Court has asked the makers of the film "Doosra" to respond to Sourav Ganguly's plea regarding the violation of his personality rights. The court also requested a screening of the movie, which was released on Friday, to determine if rights were infringed. Ganguly's legal team claims no license was obtained, while filmmakers argue it's not a biopic and permissions were secured for clips.
A 37-year-old man in Kanpur was allegedly pinned to the roof of a car, driven for 1.5 km, and then fatally run over. The victim, Biru Singh Badauria, died on Wednesday. Police have arrested two of the three accused, Rajveer and Pintu, with investigations ongoing into the motive, which is believed to be an earlier dispute.
Indian equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty rallied up to 1 per cent in early trade, driven by strong performance in IT stocks, Reliance Industries, and favourable global market sentiment, rebounding from previous losses.
'I've never been conscious of my looks. Even in my heydays, I never looked at myself and gasped, 'My God, what a beauty'.'
Some people leave behind a business. A rare few leave behind a place in people's hearts. Appa leaves behind both.
All India Students' Association (AISA) President Neha Bora has challenged a Delhi Police notice requiring her to execute a 'peace' bond, arguing it is vague and an attempt to suppress peaceful dissent.
Ramlila Maidan, recently designated as one of Delhi's new protest sites, is proving to be a costly and difficult option for demonstrators. With no free dates for the next two and a half months and booking fees exceeding Rs 1 lakh, it contrasts sharply with the previously free Jantar Mantar. The ground, rich in political history, also poses logistical challenges due to its busy commercial location and impact on traffic.
Digital services major Jio Platforms is anticipated to list on the stock exchange by the end of October, with an estimated enterprise valuation of USD 143-146 billion, making it India's largest public offer at around USD 3.8 billion.
Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka have approached the Delhi High Court for an urgent hearing to challenge the extension of their judicial custody. They were initially detained on October 13 for allegedly protesting at Jantar Mantar, a denotified site. The CJP claims bail proceedings are being deliberately delayed and argues that the special magistrate's order extending custody violates their 'Right to Liberty' and legal procedure, especially regarding surety acceptance.
The Delhi High Court refused to issue an injunction to stop a protest by the CJP at Connaught Place Central Park on October 16, accepting the police's assurance to regulate the activity. A vendor had sought to regulate the protest, citing potential business losses during the festive season.
Investors are set to monitor quarterly earnings, crude oil prices, the Jio Platforms initial public offering, and foreign investor activity in the upcoming holiday-shortened week, according to market analysts.
The Delhi High Court has refused to interfere with the judicial custody of Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) leaders Saurav Das and Ashutosh Ranka, who were detained for protesting at a de-notified site and allegedly violating a 'peace' bond.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah visited Punjab to meet families of individuals who died in incidents linked to the state's drug menace. He assured justice to the families of Gulzar Singh, Bikramjit Singh, and anti-drug activist Parvinder Singh Jhota, who were victims of drug-related issues. The visit comes amidst a political slugfest ahead of upcoming Assembly elections, with opposition parties criticising the AAP government over the drug problem.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday met the families of individuals who lost their lives due to drug-related issues in Punjab, saying he had never felt so deeply saddened in life as he did while meeting them and also called out the AAP government for failing to curb the menace.
Nayyi Navelli is a chaotic and forgettable cinematic experience, struggling to blend mythological, horror, and social commentary into a cohesive narrative, observes Sukanya Verma.
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Sushma Andhare has called for a CBI probe into the murder of party leader Pradeep Purnekar in Thane, alleging it was a contract killing and citing potential political pressure on local police. Opposition parties have also announced a protest march to the Thane police commissioner's office, while Shiv Sena MP Jyoti Waghmare accused opposition leaders of politicising the tragedy. Police have made arrests in connection with the murder.
Yami Gautam turns Nayyi Navelli into a colourful supernatural ride, but the film's lavish trailer launch may have been even more dramatic than its trailer.
Young Indian compound archer Chikitha Taniparthi clinched two gold medals at her Asian Games debut, fulfilling her father's long-held dream for her to pursue sports. Her journey involved significant financial sacrifices from her family and dedicated training, overcoming initial interest in karate to become a world youth champion and now a double Asian Games gold medallist.
The Maharashtra government has declared 265 out of 358 talukas as drought-affected, covering 74% of the state, due to significant rainfall deficit. This declaration activates 'Trigger-1' of the state's drought management framework, leading to the announcement of various relief measures for farmers and residents, including loan restructuring, revenue concessions, and provisions for water and fodder.
Leading appliance and consumer electronics manufacturers are set to increase prices of air conditioners, LED TVs, washing machines, and other products by 5 to 8 per cent from October 1, citing rising input costs for metals like copper and steel, crude derivatives, and currency exchange volatility due to the West Asia crisis.
Maharashtra's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has introduced a permanent, year-round food safety calendar to ensure public health during major festivals. This first-of-its-kind initiative categorises festivals into three levels and implements a four-stage inspection mechanism, focusing on preventing adulteration and unsafe food practices for high-demand products like sweets, dairy, and edible oils.
The Indian government has imposed stockholding limits on bulk sugar consumers, restricting them to a 15-day supply if they use over 10 tonnes monthly, effective September 1 to November 30, to stabilise prices ahead of the festival season.
Babita Singh Reporting goes past the messy homes and humming markets to reflect the daredevilry of a protagonist coming into her own. What ensues is a raw and thrilling marriage of momentum and meltdown across awkward inquiries made within junkie hideouts, suspicious relatives, battered classmates and Ravan's effigy, applauds Sukanya Verma.
These traditions have survived centuries, even as India has changed dramatically around them.
