The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust is conducting a 10-day purification ritual, including the recitation of Vishnu Sahasranama Stotra, to 'atone' for a recent donation theft at the Ayodhya Ram Temple complex and 'seek forgiveness' from the Almighty.
Glimpses of the annual Langur Mela at Bada Hanuman Mandir in Amritsar, where children dressed as Lord Hanuman and his langur sena offer prayers.
Glimpses of India's vibrant Navratri and Durga Puja celebrations, as devotees perform traditional Garba, worship Goddess Durga and visit elaborately decorated pandals.
Members of the Akhil Bharat Hindu Mahasabha were stopped by police while attempting to enter the Taj Mahal with kanwars to perform religious rituals, claiming the monument is a Shiva temple. They were redirected to a different temple to perform their worship.
US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor, visited Amritsar's Golden Temple, Jallianwala Bagh, and Partition Museum, calling it a "memorable day." During his visit to the Golden Temple, he was welcomed by SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami, who also raised concerns about a controversial "Mr Singh" poster issued by the US Department of Homeland Security, which was later removed. Discussions also covered the Sikh community's contributions and issues in the US.
Two prominent temples in Madhya Pradesh, the Pashupatinath Temple in Mandsaur and the Bade Ganesh Temple in Ujjain, observed India's Independence Day on August 11, four days ahead of the national celebration. This unique tradition stems from their adherence to the Hindu calendar, specifically Shravan Krishna Chaturdashi, which corresponded to August 15, 1947, and fell on August 11 this year. Special rituals, flag hoisting, and a Tiranga Yatra marked the early celebrations.
The magnificent Kailasa temple stands as a testament to ancient Indian engineering and artistic brilliance, carved meticulously from a single mountain.
Umar Ganie captures glimpses from the Chhari-Mubarak procession as sadhus and devotees begin the final journey to the Amarnath cave shrine.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 76th birthday was celebrated with extensive programmes in Varanasi, his Lok Sabha constituency. Events included special prayers by 76 young priests, a milk 'abhishek' of the Ganga, and a significant 'Seva Sankalp' motorcycle journey from Varanasi to Vadnagar, Modi's birthplace, involving 500 participants. Several prominent political figures, including Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, participated in the celebrations, offering prayers for Modi's health and India's progress.
BJP leaders and devotees across India are performing pujas and havans for the speedy recovery of Captain Smit Machchhar, who was stabbed while thwarting an alleged attempt to crash a Dubai-Tel Aviv flight. Temples like Kashi Vishwanath, Kedarnath, and Somnath are holding special rituals, honouring his courage in saving 174 lives.
Dhanush attends the premiere of Rajinikanth's highly anticipated film Jailer 2 in Chennai, as fans across India erupt in grand celebrations.
The ritual, at a temple in Tamil Nadu, involves a priest wearing nail-fixed footwear walking over recumbent women.
The Ram temple trust's decision to establish a permanent institute for training and certifying Hindu priests is being seen by religious leaders and members of the Indian diaspora as a significant step towards addressing the growing demand for qualified 'archaks' (priests) not only in India but also overseas.
A crucial meeting of around 250 seers and VHP functionaries in Ayodhya will address issues concerning the Ram temple, including ensuring adherence to Vaishnav-Ramanandi traditions, restoring devotee confidence after an alleged donation theft, and deliberating on the Trust's management. The meeting follows deferred decisions by the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on key appointments.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust on Wednesday deferred the selection of its first chief executive officer (CEO) by a month after receiving 5,200 applications for the post and decided to appoint a secretary in the interim to meet growing administrative requirements.
The Nirmohi Akhara has approached the Supreme Court, seeking a directive to the Centre to reconstitute the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Theerth Kshetra Trust as a 'public trust' and include structural safeguards for oversight by seers, citing alleged large-scale embezzlement of donations.
The Gujarat government announced that Indian pilot Smit Machchhar will be awarded the 'Visisht Gujarat Garima Award' for his extraordinary bravery. Machchhar thwarted his co-pilot's alleged attempt to crash a Flydubai flight, saving 174 lives despite being stabbed. He is currently receiving treatment in Saudi Arabia, and special prayers for his recovery have been organised at the Somnath temple.
A lemon was sold for Rs 13,000 at an auction during Maha Shivaratri celebrations at a temple in Tamil Nadu. Other items, including a silver ring and coin, were also auctioned off, with proceeds going towards temple development.
'Earlier, people used to hand money directly to priests after a ritual, and priests would keep it in their own pockets. We completely stopped that practice.'
Political leaders and dignitaries, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor, joined devotees across the country in celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi with traditional fervour, offering prayers and seeking blessings.
A Solapur court has issued a temporary injunction preventing the Pandharpur temple committee from applying a chemical protective coating on the idol of Lord Vitthal. The decision came after devotees argued that modern chemicals violate religious traditions, while the committee cited preservation needs ahead of the Ashadi Ekadashi pilgrimage. The court emphasised the idol's ownership by devotees and the lack of immediate emergency for the controversial coating.
The Supreme Court has stated it will not make structural changes to religious practices at the Bankey Bihari temple in Vrindavan, hearing a petition challenging administrative decisions affecting traditions.
The famed Ambubachi Mela at Kamakhya temple in Guwahati is set to begin, with the administration expecting around eight lakh devotees over the next four days. The temple doors will close on Monday night for the 'prabritti' period, symbolising the annual menstrual cycle of Goddess Kamakhya, and reopen on June 26.
The Congress on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party over the alleged theft of donations at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, saying not everyone in the BJP is a "chhanda chor" but all the "chhanda chors" are in the ruling party.
A man seeking a second marriage was allegedly duped of Rs 1.6 lakh by a matchmaker and a 'bride' who vanished shortly after their wedding rituals. The groom was sent to buy sweets, and upon his return, found the bride and accomplices had fled. Police have arrested the matchmaker and another accused in connection with the fraud.
The Allahabad High Court has ruled that an Arya Samaj marriage certificate alone does not prove a valid Hindu marriage unless essential ceremonies under the Hindu Marriage Act are performed. This decision led to the reinstatement of an SSB officer who was dismissed for allegedly falsely declaring his marital status, as the court found no evidence of the required rituals in his disputed marriage.
Eight days after devastating floods in Nepal, families of the missing are resorting to symbolic funeral rites using effigies due to diminishing hopes of finding their loved ones and the destruction of their homes. The disaster has also led to a severe shortage of facilities for traditional mourning rituals in Kathmandu, forcing many to seek alternative arrangements or travel.
Bollywood's biggest names gathered at the Ambani family's Antilia residence for grand Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations.
The Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust has invited applications for the first Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. This new position aims to strengthen administrative and financial management following alleged embezzlement concerns. The CEO will be appointed for a three-year term, overseeing various aspects from finance to pilgrim facilities, and must be an actively practising Hindu with specific managerial experience.
The Supreme Court questioned the chief priest of the Sabarimala Ayyappa Temple regarding the constitutionality of preventing believers from touching the deity, during hearings on discrimination against women at religious sites.
We journey to 10 famous Maa temples, each devoted to a different form of Devi or the female force...
This marks a significant step towards legally safeguarding the cultural and spiritual identity of one of Hinduism's most revered pilgrimage centres.
A state-level 'Temple Land Protection Conference' was held in Mumbai on Monday, during which participants passed a resolution demanding immediate and unconditional withdrawal of the proposed legislation, the Maharashtra Mandir Mahasangh state in a release.
The chariots of Lord Jagannath and his siblings resumed their journey to the Gundicha Temple in Puri, Odisha, a day after the annual Rath Yatra festival began, following delays in rituals and adverse weather conditions.
The Supreme Court observed that Hinduism is a way of life, stating that mandatory temple visits or rituals are not necessary to be considered a Hindu; even lighting a lamp at home suffices.
Rescue teams led by the Nepal army continue search operations to locate survivors from the August 26 disaster. 4,873 people remain missing.
Under the lens over serious lapses in the donation management system at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the treasurer of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, Govind Dev Giri, has said that all audit reports were "safe" and that he had no role in the daily donation collection process at the temple.
Unidentified miscreants vandalised a Hanuman temple in Shillong's Garikhana locality, stealing idols, silver ornaments and cash after disabling CCTV cameras, police said on Sunday.
Following public outrage, she reportedly deleted the post and issued an apology.
A Lucknow-based jeweller has raised concerns about the untraceable status of a three-kg silver lamp and other silver items he and his association donated to the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. His claims come amidst allegations of fund embezzlement at the temple, prompting a state-level SIT investigation ordered by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
