As Chhath Puja draws to a close tomorrow, we bring you some pics of the festival.
Attacking Narendra Modi for using Lord Ram's picture on the stage backdrop at a rally, Janata Dal-United chief Sharad Yadav on Tuesday charged that Ram Temple issue was BJP's hidden agenda and the party has chosen Varanasi as the epicentre to spread communalism in the country.
Security has been tightened in Haridwar for the first day of the Shahi Snan (Royal Bath) on Friday, as thousands of devotees are expected to take a dip in the River Ganga to mark the festival of Maha Shivratri. Around 10,000 security personnel have been deployed in Haridwar to thwart any kind of untoward incident when devotees, including ash-covered Naga sadhus participate in the festivities
'Someone who has lost a dear one to Covid; that person is not going to forget and will not vote for the BJP.'
'We have severely under-invested in waste water treatment.' 'We charge for water a minimal amount and we don't charge anything extra for providing sewerage service.' 'As a result, every water entity is cash-strapped.'
We invited readers to send in their interesting summer snapshots. Here are a few more responses -- and you can share yours too!
"Like we have tiger as a national animal and peacock as a national bird, we have declared dolphins as a national aquatic animal as it represents the health of the rivers, particularly Ganga in the country," Union Environment and Forest Minister Jairam Ramesh told media persons in New Delhi.
It said the searches that were launched on July 22 in nine cities like Bhopal, Indore, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Noida and some others are "continuing and further investigations are in progress."
The Bal Puraskar was conferred by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who gave digital certificates to the awardees using blockchain technology developed by IIT Kanpur.
Bihar has been cleaning its homes and surroundings, including the narrowest of lanes, and especially the roads leading to the Ganga ghats and the ponds. Devotional songs can be heard every where you go during Chhath, says M I Khan.
Javed, who arrived from Kolkata early in the morning, visited Sarnath and the Banaras Hindu University and took a boat ride in river Ganga before winding up his visit.
Rishikesh is a town of seers known for its holy men, the sacred river Ganga, and its sylvan Himalayan mountain ranges. But its reputation as the yoga capital of the world is what drew me to it, says Charlotte Purin.
Tejashwi, who has been chosen by the anti-National Democratic Alliance grouping as its chief ministerial candidate, is seeking re-election from Raghopur seat he won on his maiden outing in electoral politics in 2015.
Thirteen people, four of them siblings, were killed in incessant rains that lashed vast areas of Uttar Pradesh and Punjab triggering house collapses and inundating low-lying areas. Major rivers, including Ganga, Gomti, Rapti and Ramganga, were also rising menacingly in Uttar Pradesh due to heavy rains, officials in Lucknow said.
At least 11 people lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh as monsoon rains lashed most parts of north India, with several rivers in the region flowing above the danger mark.
The CM was present at the Patna airport to receive body of the LJP founder with whom he spent long time in the politics. The CM and other leaders cutting across party lines paid respect to the septuagenarian leader, who died in Delhi on Thursday, at the airport premises.
Official sources said Kawadias, devotees of Lord Shiva, have been thronging Gangotri area during the last decade. On a single day in the annual Kanwad season (July-August), nearly 2,000 to 3,000 Kawadias visit the area, causing ecological concerns. Besides restricting the number of tourists to 150, the entry of mules and horses has also been banned in Gangotri area, Barfal said. To discourage tourists from visiting Gangotri regularly, the entry fee is also being hiked.
Here's a recap of events that occurred in India in the past 24 hours.
Over two million people in Muzaffarpur, Sitamarhi, Sheohar, Saharsa, East Champaran, Supaul, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Patna, Katihar and Bhagalpur are reeling under the impact of the calamities
Floats from 13 states, including Bihar, West Bengal, Odisha weren't present at parade
A huge make-shift stage has been erected on the river bed with the help of pontoons, while a thick blanket of security has been thrown over the city for the VIPs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday termed his Japan trip as "very successful" and hoped that India's infrastructure will improve and the country will become clean with the help of $35 billion promised by Japan over five years, the highest ever amount ever.
Readers share their travel pics. You can share yours too!
Hungry and desperate for food, over 100 flood victims in Bihar's Nalanda district broke into a government warehouse and looted food grain on Monday to protest inadequate assistance given to them by the government, officials said.
Traditionally the biggest of all the sacred bathing days in the 50-day long Mela, Mauni Amavasya this time holds greater significance as it falls on a Monday and that too during the Kumbh - a rather rare combination on many accounts.
From Dwight D Eisenhower to Bill Clinton, many American presidents have made sure they're photographed against the backdrop of the Taj. And, now the monument is ready to impress Trump for that family frame. Well, almost ready, reports Shreya Jai.
Rampur, Pilibhit and Bahraich districts reported two deaths each, while two persons were killed in Ballia and Shahjahanpur respectively.
Investors booked profits at higher levels with oil shares leading the decline
The mishap occurred when the boat carrying about 50 pilgrims from Mangala Bhavani temple in Balia district of neighbouring Uttar Pradesh capsized midstream in Buxar town area of Bihar, official sources said.
Road builders have been asking for one to resolve various contract disputes and renegotiate others.
The event is expected to start on Monday.
With the government claiming that the economy has been growing robustly and the Opposition refuting these claims, the common man is none the wiser, says Rajeev Sharma.
Images that capture what it was like living through 2021.
Uniformed policemen of Uttar Pradesh lowered their guns as the last post was sounded by another set of cops as a mark of respect to Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, who was cremated in Allahabad with state honours on Monday noon.
The long-term plans for Varanasi will take time to materialise but what has changed is the mood, says Aditi Phadnis
Over 25 lakh people had reached the Sangam Nagari on Monday night itself. They braved the early morning chill and fog to be the earliest to have a holy dip.
By any standards, the crowd was far bigger than what the festival has witnessed ever since it began on January 3.
Even the saffron-clad Swami Hari Chaitanya, who was spearheading the much-hyped 'Clean Ganga' campaign, eventually gave up his boycott call.
Since early Sunday morning, people from different parts of the city and adjoining areas were seen entering the nearly 30 bathing points (ghats) from four entry gates amid tight security arrangements by the administration.
Authoroties attributed the pollution to the lowered river level on account of reduced flow of water from the frozen source of the rivers in the Himalayas.
