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Amarnath Yatra 2025: Devotees arrive with enthusiasm, undeterred by security concerns Jammu: As preparations for the Amarnath Yatra 2025 enter the final stages, devotees from across India and abroad began arriving early Monday morning at Saraswati Dham to collect their tickets for the annual pilgrimage, which is scheduled to begin on July 3. Despite recent incidents, including a terror attack near Pahalgam, pilgrims stood firm in their resolve to undertake the sacred journey. Speaking to IANS, many expressed unwavering faith in India's security forces and emphasised that fear would not deter them from fulfilling their spiritual aspirations. Shakshdeep Jha, who arrived from Mumbai with a group of 15 pilgrims, shared his excitement, saying, "I am very happy to be here. We will carry on the Yatra through the Pahalgam route." When asked about any apprehensions following the recent attack, he replied firmly, "We do not fear anything. Our forces are there to protect us. Till we have our forces, we can go anywhere without any fear. People should come here in large numbers without any fear." Another pilgrim, Deepak Sharma from Uttar Pradesh, spoke of his determination despite the rainy weather. "Even though it's raining here, we are very excited to be here. Right now, we will collect our tickets and proceed for the Yatra through the Pahalgam route," he said. He added that the large turnout of pilgrims would send a message of unity and resilience, "a slap on the faces of terrorists." Maya Kaul, another devotee, echoed similar sentiments. "We are six people here and will go through Pahalgam. We are very confident in our forces, and there is no need to be afraid of anything. I urge people to come in large numbers to the Amarnath Yatra." Among those standing in long queues amid the heavy rain was a group of 120 people from Bihar. A devotee from Darbhanga said, "We are so excited to be here. We cannot express our joy. All the arrangements are very nice. We have all our belief in the Indian Army, and we are confident that they will ensure this Yatra goes smoothly." Kajal Wangmare from Maharashtra said she had been standing in line since 3 a.m. "It's raining; however, we are just happy to be here. We know that we will have a very good pilgrimage and will take along happy memories with us," she told IANS. Vikramjeet from Delhi also shared his thoughts, saying, "We are very excited. I also want to give a message to the people that there is no need to be afraid. The arrangements here are very nice, and we are not facing any problems. We believe in our Army, and we are not afraid of anything." Meanwhile, security forces on Monday carried out an extensive joint mock drill along the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway, as part of final preparations ahead of the annual Yatra. The exercise was aimed at ensuring the safety and preparedness of the security forces and civil administration ahead of the pilgrimage. Buses were sent under full security cover during the drill to test the readiness and coordination of various security units. The exercise simulated emergency scenarios such as landslides and other natural disasters, with a focus on prompt response, evacuation, and medical aid for stranded pilgrims. The simulation involved rescuing trapped vehicles, providing immediate first aid to the injured, and coordinating swift relief through integrated efforts by disaster response and security teams. According to officials, the first batch of pilgrims will be flagged off from the Jammu base camp on June 2. The Yatra will commence the next day via both the Pahalgam and Baltal routes.
PRAYAGRAJ, India (AP) -- Millions of Hindu devotees, mystics and holy men and women from all across India flocked to the northern city of Prayagraj on Monday to kickstart the Maha Kumbh festival, which is being touted as the world's largest religious gathering. Over about the next six weeks, Hindu pilgrims will gather at the confluence of three sacred rivers -- the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati -- where they will take part in elaborate rituals, hoping to begin a journey to achieve Hindu philosophy's ultimate goal: the release from the cycle of rebirth. Here's what to know abo ...Read More >
Katra (J-K) | Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate on Friday the world's tallest bridge over Chenab river ahead of dedicating to the nation the much-awaited Kashmir rail service here. After his arrival at the Air Force station in Udhampur, the prime minister left in a chopper to inaugurate the bridge over Chenab. A multi-tier security setup has been put in place for the prime minister's visit, his first to the Union Territory post Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian Armed Forces across the border to hit terrorist infrastructure during the intervening night on May 6 and 7 in ...Read More >
Katra (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], June 7 (ANI): Jammu and Kashmir Minister Satish Sharma on Friday said that the railway bridge over the Chenab river, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was a long-pending project and demand. The Minister said that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are development-oriented and that the much-awaited project would boost tourism. Speaking to ANI about the Chenab rail bridge inauguration, Sharma said a day earlier, 'Today, the Kashmir valley has been connected with the rest of the nation. This was a long-pending project and demand. I congratulate Prime M ...Read More >
Kanpur, January 27: Due to the massive influx of devotees for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025, Varanasi's District Magistrate in Uttar Pradesh has announced that all schools in the district will be closed from Monday, January 27, 2025, to Wednesday, February 5, 2025. The decision is aimed at ensuring the safety of students and managing traffic congestion caused by the large number of pilgrims arriving in Varanasi for the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025. Despite the school closures, online classes will continue as usual to maintain the academic schedule, News18 reported. This directive applies to all CBSE, ICSE ...Read More >
Uttarakhand (Dehradun) [India], May 19 (ANI): The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange alert for heavy rain in the hilly districts of Uttarakhand, effective today and tomorrow. In light of this warning, the Uttarakhand Police have issued a safety advisory for pilgrims undertaking the Chardham Yatra. Pilgrims are advised to exercise caution while travelling, consider the weather conditions, and call 112 in case of any emergency." Authorities are working to ensure public safety and minimise disruptions," said the police authorities. In light of the forecast, the Uttarakh ...Read More >
Katra: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate on Friday the world's tallest bridge over Chenab river ahead of dedicating to the nation the much-awaited Kashmir rail service here. After he arrived at the Air Force station in Udhampur, the prime minister left in a chopper to inaugurate the bridge over Chenab. A multi-tier security setup has been put in place for the prime minister's visit, his first to the Union Territory post Operation Sindoor launched by the Indian Armed Forces across the border to hit terrorist infrastructure during the intervening night on May 6 and 7 in retaliat ...Read More >
Katra, June 06: The Chamber of Tourism, Trade and Industry Katra (CTTIK) Friday extended heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for inaugurating and flagging off the much-anticipated Vande Bharat Express on the Katra-Srinagar railway line. This significant milestone is hailed as a transformative development for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, promising enhanced connectivity, economic growth, and spiritual resurgence. In addition to launching the Vande Bharat service, the Prime Minister also inaugurated two of India's most remarkable engineering feats: the Chenab Rai ...Read More >
New Delhi, Dec 18 (PTI) The Pakistan high commission on Wednesday said it issued 84 visas to Indian pilgrims to visit the Shree Katas Raj temples in Punjab province's Chakwal district. The group has been given visas to visit the Katas Raj temples from December 19 to 25. The temples are also known as Qila Katas. It is a complex of several Hindu temples connected to one another by walkways. Under the provision of a bilateral protocol on visits to religious shrines, Sikh and Hindu pilgrims from India visit Pakistan every year.Pakistani pilgrims also visit India every year under the protocol. ...Read More >
Ladwa (Haryana) [India], May 22 (ANI): Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday carried out the Tiranga Yatra to honour armed forces for Operation Sindoor. The CM, in his address to the people, stated that the rallies were occasions to pay true homage to the sense of patriotism and sacrifice. "Tiranga Yatra is being organised in Ladwa today. Tiranga Yatras are being organised across the country...These Yatras are not just events but occasions to pay true homage to the sense of patriotism and sacrifice...This Yatra is not just of the tricolour, this is a Yatra of our pledge, brave ...Read More >
New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) The PM SVANidhi scheme, which started off as a micro-credit scheme during the Covid-19 pandemic, to help the street vendors and small businesses survive and sustain their ventures in trying times, has another side to it. Many beneficiaries, who got funds under this scheme, utilised it to build lasting enterprises, [...] Andhra launches efforts to evacuate Telugus stranded in Sikkim Amaravati, June 1 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh government has initiated measures for the evacuation of Telugu families stranded in Sikkim due to floods and landslides. The state government sa ...Read More >
New Delhi: Three Indian citizens vanished mysteriously in Tehran. Darkness closed in as hope seemed lost. A ruthless Pakistani gang with potential links to ISI snatched them away, casting a shadow of fear. But relentless Indian diplomats refused to back down. Against all odds, a daring rescue mission ignited. Now, the captives are free, and a chilling game of espionage comes to light. The Punjab-based trio - Amritpal Singh from Hoshiarpur, Jaspal Singh from SBS Nagar and Hushnapreet Singh from Sangrur - had landed in Iran on May 1. Promised a clandestine route to Australia via Dubai and Tehra ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused Pakistan of attacking 'insaniyat' and Kashmiriyat by targeting tourists in Pahalgam, saying the intent was to trigger communal clashes in India and rob Kashmiri people dependent on tourism of their livelihoods. The prime minister was speaking after flagging off the first train service to the Kashmir Valley, and inaugurating several development projects, including the world's highest railway bridge over the Chenab river and India's first cable-stayed Anji bridge. He said tourism provided employment and acts as a connecting link between ...Read More >
Srinagar: Before towering cranes and cutting-edge engineering transformed the Himalayan landscape, the monumental dream of connecting "Kashmir to Kanyakumari" by rail began with the plodding footsteps of humble mules. This extraordinary backstory underpins the official realization of the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 6, 2025, a project crowned by the awe-inspiring Chenab Bridge. According to Afcons Infrastructure Limited, the company behind the Chenab Bridge, the earliest and most formidable hurdle wasn't just the design of ...Read More >
New Delhi, December 5: Uttar Pradesh's Tourism and Culture Minister Jaiveer Singh expressed confidence that Mahakumbh 2025 will play a pivotal role in showcasing India's rich cultural heritage and Sanatan traditions globally. Speaking on the progress of preparations, he told IANS, "The arrangements for Mahakumbh are progressing in full swing. We are committed to welcoming all devotees, irrespective of their origin -- whether from different states of India or other countries. We aim to host them with unmatched arrangements that combine magnificence, divinity, and cultural vibrancy." "This gran ...Read More >
Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi stated that the army has shifted Jammu and Kashmir's focus from "terrorism to tourism" while working towards 'Viksit Bharat 2047.' He emphasized the army's contribution to national security, development, and disaster relief, highlighting its role in achieving a "Progressive" and "Peaceful" India.Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Upendra Dwivedi said that while moving towards the goal of 'Viksit Bharat 2047,' the army has been able to transform the idea of Jammu and Kashmir from "terrorism to tourism." While addressing an event at Savitribai Phule Pu ...Read More >
Guwahati, June 5 (SocialNews.XYZ) The flood situation in Assam marginally improved on Thursday, while the situation further improved in other northeastern states, an official said. With two more fresh deaths in Assam, the death toll in seven states, excluding Sikkim, of the region increased to 48. According to the disaster management officials of different northeastern states, out of 48 deaths during the current spell of rain and floods since May 29, at least 21 people died in Assam, followed by 12 in Arunachal Pradesh, six in Meghalaya, five in Mizoram, two in Tripura and one each in Nagalan ...Read More >
NEW DELHI (AP) -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday inaugurated one of the most ambitious railway projects ever built in India, which will connect the Kashmir Valley to the vast Indian plains by train for the first time. Dubbed by government-operated Indian Railways as one of the most challenging tracks in the world, the 272-kilometer (169-mile) line begins in the garrison city of Udhampur in Jammu region and runs through Indian-controlled Kashmir's main city of Srinagar. The line ends in Baramulla, a town near the highly militarized Line of Control dividing the Himalayan region between ...Read More >
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday visited the flood-ravaged districts of Hailakandi and Sribhumi in the Barak Valley. He assured affected residents of providing timely disbursement of rehabilitation grants and swift repair of damaged infrastructure.This marks Sarma's second visit to the flood-hit region within four days, underscoring the gravity of the situation. Speaking to the media in Sribhumi after inspecting multiple relief camps, the CM said, "Flood-related problems may persist till July. I will return before Durga Puja to ensure that roads and infrastructure ar ...Read More >
Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 27 (ANI): The ongoing Mahakumbh in Prayagraj has witnessed an extraordinary surge in devotees, with over 6.019 million pilgrims taking the holy dip at the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers as of 12 pm on Monday, as per Uttar Pradesh government. Earlier today, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday took a holy dip at the Sangam Triveni in Prayagraj in the ongoing Mahakumbh Mela. Also Read | Uttarakhand Becomes First State To Implement Uniform Civil Code; CM Pushkar Singh Dhami Launches UCC Portal, Credits People for Implementatio ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 5 (ANI): The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday announced that it would streamline its technology-driven system for generating Index Cards and various other post-election statistical reports. The new system will ensure faster reporting through automation and data integration. "This upgraded mechanism replaces the traditional manual methods, which were often time-consuming and prone to delays. By leveraging automation and data integration, the new system ensures faster reporting," the press note issued by the Election Commission read. Also Read | Delhi: Hig ...Read More >
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Thursday took strong action against the police officers allegedly responsible for the Bengaluru stampede, suspending several high-ranking officials, including the city's police commissioner. Addressing a press conference, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also announced a one-man commission to probe the lapses that triggered the deadly stampede. "Cubbon Park Police Station police inspector, station house master, station house officer, ACP, Central Division DCP, cricket stadium in-charge, additional commissioner of police, commissioner of police have been susp ...Read More >
Pakistan's former Foreign Minister and Chairman of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, recently faced public embarrassment at a United Nations press briefing after he was fact-checked by a reporter for making unsubstantial claims that Muslims were being 'demonised' in India. Bilawal Bhutto, part of Islamabad's diplomatic team at the UN, made the remarks during a press conference to clarify Pakistan's stance on Kashmir. Pahalgam attack was politicised to demonise Indian Mus ...Read More >
KATRA, Jun 6: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said that the dream of a truly united India -- from Kashmir to Kanyakumari -- is no longer a mere slogan, but a lived reality, thanks to the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has dedicated the Kashmir rail project to the nation. Addressing a gathering after PM Modi inaugurated Chenab Bridge, Anji Bridge and flagged off train to Kashmir, LG Sinha said, "By flagging off the Vande Bharat trains and dedicating the Kashmir rail project to the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has physically and emotionally united t ...Read More >
Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 26 (VOICE) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Thursday, paid his final respects to the mortal remains of the soldiers in Belagavi who died in an accident in Jammu and Kashmir. At the War Memorial in Belagavi, the CM offered floral tributes to the mortal remains of Subedar Dayanand Tirukannavar and Mahesh Marigond. Speaking to the media afterwards, the Chief Minister said, "The lives and careers of soldiers are of the highest honour. It is deeply saddening that soldiers from our state have been martyred in an accident. I pray for the peace of the souls of the f ...Read More >
Jaipur: Chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma Friday flagged off the first air-conditioned 'Rajasthan Vahini Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train' from Durgapura railway station under the Devasthan department's Senior Citizens Pilgrimage Scheme-2025. This initiative marked the beginning of the pilgrimage to Rameshwaram, carrying around 800 passengers.Under the scheme, 50,000 senior citizens will travel to 13 different pilgrimage sites via AC trains for the first time this year. The eight-day journey is the longest among the Devasthan department's pilgrimages, including visits to the Ramanathaswamy Jyotirlin ...Read More >
Chaten (Sikkim) [India], June 3 (ANI): In a successful rescue operation, a group of 34 stranded individuals, including injured Army personnel, their family members, and tourists, were air evacuated from Chaten and safely landed at Pakyong Greenfield Airport. The evacuation mission was carried out by two MI-17 V5 helicopters, marking a crucial step in providing relief to those affected, as per the Government of Sikkim. Meanwhile, on June 2, Stranded tourists in Lachung were actively evacuated through a coordinated effort involving the police, residents, forest personnel, and the Lachung Hotel ...Read More >
Katra: Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Thursday said the political will shown by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in over a decade led to the completion of the 272-km Udhampur-Baramulla-Srinagar Railway link (USBRL) project to connect Kashmir with rest of the country. On Friday, the prime minister is scheduled to inaugurate the world's tallest railway bridge over Chenab and the country's first cable-stayed railway Anji Bridge before flagging off two Vande Bharat trains - one from Katra to Srinagar and another from Kashmir to Katra. Modi will also lay the foundation of and dedicate to the na ...Read More >
KATRA: The Chairman of Guru Nanak Sewa Charitable Trust (GNSCT), Parvinder Singh Happy on Friday hailed the Prime Minister's visit to the holy town of Katra as a historic milestone for Jammu and Kashmir. The Prime Minister inaugurated a flagship railway line that will now directly connect Kashmir to the national railway network-an achievement the Chairman called a "remarkable step" by the Modi government. According to the Chairman, the direct rail connectivity to Kashmir will not only bridge physical distances but also open up vast economic opportunities for the region. The enhanced connecti ...Read More >
Nagpur: Warrior king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj belonged to the entire country, but British history tried to confine him as a regional icon, said BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, who was in Nagpur on Friday to attend an event marking the 351st anniversary of Shivaji Maharaj's coronation. Trivedi told TOI at the event organized by Shivaji Maharaj Kruti Samiti that Shivaji Maharaj's contribution in 'safeguarding' the southern part of India from Mughal invasion must not be forgotten.Trivedi said, "Shivaji Maharaj belonged to all of us, entire country. Unfortunately, the British p ...Read More >
Dehradun, Jun 5 (PTI) Lt Gen Anindya Sengupta, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) Central Command, on Thursday flagged off a motorcycle expedition 'Kumaon Quest' aimed at engaging the youth, promoting women empowerment and border tourism in Kumaon hills. The nine-day expedition will navigate through the rugged and picturesque terrain of the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand with focus on promoting national initiatives such as the Agnipath Scheme, Join Indian Army and the Vibrant Village Programme, a press release issued by the PIB's defence wing said. Led by a woman officer, the rally ...Read More >