News for 'pilgrimage'

Amarnath Yatra suspended amid heavy rains

Amarnath Yatra suspended amid heavy rains

Rediff.com17 Jul 2025

The Amarnath Yatra has been suspended due to heavy rainfall in the Kashmir Valley. The pilgrimage was halted from both Pahalgam and Baltal base camps due to continuous heavy rains, necessitating restoration work on the tracks. A weather advisory has warned of more heavy rain in the region.

750 pilgrims selected for Kailash Manasarovar Yatra

750 pilgrims selected for Kailash Manasarovar Yatra

Rediff.com21 May 2025

A total of 750 pilgrims have been selected through a computerised draw for the upcoming Kailash Manasarovar Yatra in Tibet, marking the resumption of the pilgrimage after a five-year gap. The Yatra's resumption is seen as an attempt to normalize India-China relations, which were strained by the eastern Ladakh border standoff. The pilgrimage will begin in June and continue until August, with pilgrims traveling in five batches via the Lipulekh route and ten batches via the Nathu La route. The selection process was deemed "fair, computer-generated, random, gender-balanced" by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), which organized the pilgrimage.

Vaishno Devi landslide: Pilgrims search for loved ones

Vaishno Devi landslide: Pilgrims search for loved ones

Rediff.com27 Aug 2025

The rhythmic chants of pilgrims have been replaced with frantic footsteps of those looking for their loved ones in the wake of a disastrous landslide on the route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine which has claimed 34 lives till now.

J-K: Vaishno Devi landslide toll rises to 34

J-K: Vaishno Devi landslide toll rises to 34

Rediff.com27 Aug 2025

The death toll in the Vaishno Devi landslide has gone up to 32, officials said on Wednesday, a day after disaster struck the route on the hilltop shrine in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district.

SC declines to halt global Ayyappa devotee meet in Kerala

SC declines to halt global Ayyappa devotee meet in Kerala

Rediff.com17 Sep 2025

The Supreme Court has refused to entertain pleas against the Kerala High Court order dismissing petitions challenging the Travancore Devaswom Board's decision to conduct a global conclave of Ayyappa devotees.

Sabarimala Opens For Mandala-Makaravilak Pilgrimage

Sabarimala Opens For Mandala-Makaravilak Pilgrimage

Rediff.com17 Nov 2022

Temple Melshanthi N Parameswaran Namboothiri opened the Sabarimala temple under the Tantri Kandararu Rajeevaru for Mandala-Makaravilak Pilgrimage on Wednesday, November 16, 2022.

They Fought To The Last Man For India

They Fought To The Last Man For India

Rediff.com18 Nov 2025

On November 18, 1962, 114 soldiers of the 13th Kumaon fought till the last man, and last bullet, in sub-zero temperatures, to beat back the huge Chinese army. We salute the Heroes of Rezang La.

Dr Ambedkar's 1956 Buddhist Revolution

Dr Ambedkar's 1956 Buddhist Revolution

Rediff.com14 Oct 2025

On October 14, 1956, Dr B R Ambedkar, fulfilling his long-held vow to renounce Hinduism, embraced Buddhism along with over 500,000 followers at Nagpur's Deekshabhoomi, marking a new era of social and spiritual liberation for India's Dalits.

UP woman slips to death escaping burning hotel during Nepal unrest

UP woman slips to death escaping burning hotel during Nepal unrest

Rediff.com12 Sep 2025

Rajesh Gola slipped and fell to her death, the long-planned pilgrimage to Pashupatinath temple in the Nepal capital gone horribly wrong for the couple from Ghaziabad.

Ancient Hindu idols found during excavation in J-K's Anantnag

Ancient Hindu idols found during excavation in J-K's Anantnag

Rediff.com3 Aug 2025

Ancient Hindu idols and 'Shivlings' were discovered during excavation work for the renovation of a spring in Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir. The site is significant for Kashmiri Pandits and is associated with the Karkoota dynasty.

India, China must move ahead with mutual respect, Jaishankar tells Wang Yi

India, China must move ahead with mutual respect, Jaishankar tells Wang Yi

Rediff.com19 Aug 2025

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India focuses on border talks with NSA Ajit Doval, amidst efforts to rebuild relations after the Galwan Valley clashes and rising India-US tensions.

Record rains wreak havoc in Jammu, Srinagar flooded; 41 dead

Record rains wreak havoc in Jammu, Srinagar flooded; 41 dead

Rediff.com27 Aug 2025

After record rains wreaked havoc in Jammu and Kashmir over the past two days, the death toll in related incidents rose to 41, most of them victims of the landslide on a Vaishno Devi pilgrimage route, while there was some let-up in the showers on Wednesday, allowing relief efforts to pick up pace.

Kishtwar tragedy: A father searches for his daughter

Kishtwar tragedy: A father searches for his daughter

Rediff.com14 Aug 2025

A father searches for his missing daughter after a devastating cloudburst in Kishtwar, Jammu and Kashmir, which killed dozens and left many others untraced.

Case against UP teacher for song over Kanwar Yatra

Case against UP teacher for song over Kanwar Yatra

Rediff.com15 Jul 2025

Police in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, have booked a school teacher after a video surfaced online of him singing a song that references the Kanwar Yatra. The teacher is accused of making statements containing false information and alarming news.

Amarnath yatra sees 10% dip in registrations after Pahalgam attack

Amarnath yatra sees 10% dip in registrations after Pahalgam attack

Rediff.com26 Jun 2025

The LG said around 2.36 lakh pilgrims had registered for the yatra before the attack took place at Baisaran in Pahalgam area that left 26 persons -- mostly tourists -- dead.

11 dead as cloudburst, landslide hit J-K's Reasi, Ramban

11 dead as cloudburst, landslide hit J-K's Reasi, Ramban

Rediff.com30 Aug 2025

The officials identified the deceased as Ashwani Sharma (24), his brother Dwarka Nath (55), niece Virta Devi (26) and their guest Om Raj (38), a resident of Banshara in Rajgarh. The rescuers are searching for Sharma's sister-in-law, Bidya Devi (55).

Unilateral bullying...: China to India amid Trump tariff war

Unilateral bullying...: China to India amid Trump tariff war

Rediff.com19 Aug 2025

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that it is imperative for the two sides to view each other as partners and opportunities rather than rivals or threats, and invest their valuable resources in development and revitalisation.

5 dead, 11 missing as cloudburst hits Uttarakhand

5 dead, 11 missing as cloudburst hits Uttarakhand

Rediff.com30 Aug 2025

A devastating flashflood in the Kheer Ganga river on August 5 demolished nearly half of Dharali -- the key stopover en route to Gangotri with many hotels and homestays, and neighbouring Harsil, where an Army camp bore the brunt of the flood fury, barely giving time to the victims to run to safety.

J-K flashflood: Langar organiser rescued alive after 30 hrs under debris

J-K flashflood: Langar organiser rescued alive after 30 hrs under debris

Rediff.com16 Aug 2025

A man running a community kitchen for pilgrims was rescued alive after being trapped under debris for 30 hours following a cloudburst in Kishtwar, Jammu & Kashmir. The disaster has left many dead or missing and the annual pilgrimage suspended.

Rain fury claims 10 lives in Haryana, Himachal, J-K

Rain fury claims 10 lives in Haryana, Himachal, J-K

Rediff.com4 Sep 2025

Heavy rainfall across North India leads to fatalities, structural damage, travel disruptions, and school closures. Eastern states brace for more rain.

Soldiers notice suspicious movement at LoC in Rajouri, open fire

Soldiers notice suspicious movement at LoC in Rajouri, open fire

Rediff.com24 Jun 2025

Army troops opened fire after noticing suspicious movement in a forward area near the Line of Control (LoC) in Rajouri district, while security forces conducted searches at more than a dozen places in Poonch, Samba, and Kathua districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, officials said.

Char Dham chopper crashes raise alarm: 5 mishaps, 13 deaths in 6 weeks

Char Dham chopper crashes raise alarm: 5 mishaps, 13 deaths in 6 weeks

Rediff.com15 Jun 2025

Soon after the crash on Sunday, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami held an emergency meeting and asked senior officials to prepare a strict SOP (standard operating procedure) for heli services in the state, making a thorough check of the technical condition of the choppers mandatory.

9 Vaishno Devi pilgrims among 13 killed in J-K rains, landslides

9 Vaishno Devi pilgrims among 13 killed in J-K rains, landslides

Rediff.com27 Aug 2025

Relentless heavy rain led to a landslide on the route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop the Trikuta hill on Tuesday afternoon, killing at least five people and injuring 14, officials said.

Will Wang's Visit Help Improve Relations?

Will Wang's Visit Help Improve Relations?

Rediff.com22 Aug 2025

The Galwan clashes indicate to the limitations in relations if they do not address border stability, points out Srikanth Kondapalli.

Will Wang's Visit Help Improve Relations?

Will Wang's Visit Help Improve Relations?

Rediff.com22 Aug 2025

The Galwan clashes indicate to the limitations in relations if they do not address border stability, points out Srikanth Kondapalli.

Kishtwar cloudburst: Mud-covered bodies, survivors reveal horror

Kishtwar cloudburst: Mud-covered bodies, survivors reveal horror

Rediff.com14 Aug 2025

The shocking scenes of physical and psychological trauma unfolded on a massive scale as search and rescue operations were underway, digging out mud-buried bodies and rescuing the injured trapped in slush and rocks after flash floods triggered by a cloudburst devastated Chositi village in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district on Thursday.

Bihar Cabinet okays Rs 882.87cr for developing Sita's birthplace

Bihar Cabinet okays Rs 882.87cr for developing Sita's birthplace

Rediff.com1 Jul 2025

According to the proposal of the state Tourism department, which was approved by the Cabinet, around Rs 137 crore will be spent on the renovation of the old Punaura Dham Janki Mandir and Rs. 728 crore for the development of tourist infrastructure around the temple. The remaining amount will be spent on the maintenance of the infrastructure for ten years.

Landslides, heavy rains kill 5 in Himachal; 1200 roads closed

Landslides, heavy rains kill 5 in Himachal; 1200 roads closed

Rediff.com1 Sep 2025

Heavy rains and landslides in Himachal Pradesh have resulted in multiple fatalities and widespread disruption, including road closures and train cancellations.

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to resume on June 30 after 5 yrs

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to resume on June 30 after 5 yrs

Rediff.com22 Apr 2025

The Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, a pilgrimage to Mount Kailash and Lake Manasarovar in Tibet, will resume on June 30 after a five-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The yatra will be conducted in five groups of 50 people each, with the first group entering China via Lipulekh Pass on July 10 and the last group departing on August 22. The pilgrimage, which holds great religious significance for Hindus, involves circumambulating Mount Kailash and taking a bath in Lake Manasarovar, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva.

The Vande Bharat Train Across The Himalayas

The Vande Bharat Train Across The Himalayas

Rediff.com6 Jun 2025

The train is specially equipped for extreme weather, capable of functioning in temperatures as low as minus 20°C, and include features like heated windshields, insulated toilets, and seismic dampers for safety.

MP adds flight to free pilgrimage scheme for silvers in election year

MP adds flight to free pilgrimage scheme for silvers in election year

Rediff.com14 Apr 2023

The Shivraj Singh Chouhan government in Madhya Pradesh will be taking some senior citizens in the state on free pilgrimages by air under its existing scheme and the exercise will start from May 21, months before the assembly polls in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state.

SEE: LSG owner Goenka visits Tirupati Tirumala temple

SEE: LSG owner Goenka visits Tirupati Tirumala temple

Rediff.com16 May 2025

The Tirumala temple, dedicated to Lord Venkateswara, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, is among the most revered and visited pilgrimage sites in India, drawing millions of devotees every year.

Rumour, overcrowding, narrow passage spark U'khand temple stampede

Rumour, overcrowding, narrow passage spark U'khand temple stampede

Rediff.com27 Jul 2025

A large crowd of devotees came to visit the temple, which is atop the Shivalik Hills at an elevation of over 500 feet, and a rumour about an electricity current leak triggered panic among them that led to pushing and shoving.

Major stampede at religious events, other gatherings in India

Major stampede at religious events, other gatherings in India

Rediff.com27 Jul 2025

This is not the first time that a large number of people have died in stampedes at temples and other religious gatherings over the years in India.

Kanwar Yatra: SC refuses to stay QR code order for eateries

Kanwar Yatra: SC refuses to stay QR code order for eateries

Rediff.com22 Jul 2025

A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh said it was not going into the other issues over display of names of the hotel or dhaba owner and the QR code, Tuesday being the last day of the Kanwar Yatra.

J-K cloudburst: 60 dead, 69 missing, over 100 hurt

J-K cloudburst: 60 dead, 69 missing, over 100 hurt

Rediff.com15 Aug 2025

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi on a devastating cloudburst in Kishtwar district that claimed 60 lives and injured over 100. Abdullah expressed condolences and assured assistance, while also questioning potential administrative lapses.

Do fresh steps signal a stable future for India-China ties?

Do fresh steps signal a stable future for India-China ties?

Rediff.com20 Aug 2025

India and China have announced a series of measures aimed at improving their relationship, including maintaining peace along the border, reopening border trade, and resuming direct flights.

Tsari Yatra May Help Ease India China Tensions

Tsari Yatra May Help Ease India China Tensions

Rediff.com2 Jan 2025

Why can't the Indian government propose to the Chinese a corridor circumambulating the Holy Mountain where people from both sides could perform the yatra again? asks Claude Arpi.

Mishaps push up helicopter insurance premiums

Mishaps push up helicopter insurance premiums

Rediff.com27 Jun 2025

Additionally, rates in the aviation sector are also expected to increase due to huge claim outgo in the Air India crash.

'You Will See More Devastation In Uttarakhand'

'You Will See More Devastation In Uttarakhand'

Rediff.com6 Aug 2025

'The government only wakes up after devastation.' 'The government does not understand the gravity of the situation nor they do not want to understand the gravity of the situation.'