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Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 30 (ANI): This time, the 91st year of Durga Puja at Mudi Ali Club in Kolkata has emphasised the theme of 'Atmashuddhi', which means 'self-purification'. The club highlighted the use of natural elements, such as clay and terracotta, in the pandal's construction, symbolising purity and cultural heritage. Shantanu Banerjee, a Member of the Mudi Ali Club Durga Puja Committee, described the serene and spiritually enriching atmosphere created by the natural materials and traditional decorations. Speaking to ANI, Shantanu said, "I welcome you all for the 91st year of Durga Puja at Mudi Ali Club. The theme of the pandal is 'Atma Shuddhi'. 'Atma Shuddhi' involves a deliberate and often challenging inward journey, a process through which individuals confront and dispel personal darkness to rediscover the innermost self." He explained further about self-purification, "Life, by its very nature, is awash with complexity, and the myriad temptations intrinsic to the human experience often obscure the fundamental purity of the soul. This moral and existential crisis inevitably prompts a period of critical reflection." Shantanu also shared how this pandal was made. He said, "The pandal highlights the use of natural elements like clay and terracotta in the pandal's construction, symbolising purity and cultural heritage. The idol, crafted by the third generation of a family, is decorated in the traditional Daakir style, honouring Bengali craftsmanship." He also stated that preparations began immediately after last year's Durga Puja, involving 50-75 people working in stages. He said, "The third generation of a family crafts the idol, which is decorated in the traditional Daakir style, honouring Bengali craftsmanship." The pandal attracted large crowds and necessitated extra security. Today marks the eighth day of Durga Puja, known as Mahaasthami. On the eighth day of Navratri, also known as Maha Ashtami, devotees in some parts of India worship Goddess Mahagauri, the eighth of Durga's nine forms. (ANI)
Heavy rains in Kolkata caused electrocution deaths. Mamata Banerjee visited waterlogged areas and promised jobs for victims' families. Many parts of the city are inundated, disrupting transport. Metro services were suspended. The weather office forecasts more rain. Kolkata Municipal Corporation teams are working to drain water. Train services are also affected. The IMD predicts more rainfall in several districts. At least seven to eight persons died due to electrocution as torrential rains hit K ...Read More >

October 2025 is packed with major festivals like Dussehra, Diwali, Chath Puja and Durga Puja In this festive season, several states will observe many bank holidays during the month. In October 2025, there will be a national holiday when banks across all states will remain closed. Due to various local festivals, several bank branches will also remain closed in different states. While online banking services will remain available, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has listed specific days in October ...Read More >

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Governor Rajendra Arlekar has written a strongly worded letter to Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, criticising General Education Minister V Sivankutty for walking out of a function held at Raj Bhavan on June 19. The Governor described the incident as a breach of protocol and an insult to the constitutional office. The letter, dated June 26, refers to an awards ceremony for the Bharat Scouts and Guides, where Sivankutty -- who also serves as President of the Association's Kerala chapter -- objected to the presence of a garlanded portrait of Bharat Mata on the stage, ...Read More >

New Delhi [India], July 4 (ANI): The India tour of Bangladesh, which was scheduled to take place in August, is likely to be cancelled because of the situation prevailing in the country over the last few months, as per sources in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Also Read | Who Is The Current WWE Universal Champion? Does The Title Still Exist?. India is supposed to play a three-match ODI series from August 17, which will then be followed by a three-match T20I series, which will begin from August 26. Speaking about the India tour of Bangladesh, a BCCI source told ANI, "India ...Read More >
Amritsar: BJP MP Nishikant Dubey from Jharkhand has claimed that Britain assisted India in executing the 1984 Operation Bluestar at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, stoking a new controversy.In a post on X on Monday, Dubey alleged that then PM Indira Gandhi "launched an attack on the Golden Temple in collaboration with Britain", with British Army officers present in Amritsar.He uploaded a classified British document, "Sikh Community", claiming that on Feb 23, 1984, the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office mentioned in a letter that the Indian govt had sought British advice over a plan to remove Si ...Read More >

Hyderabad, July 18 (UNI) In view of the ongoing heavy rains in Hyderabad, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed all concerned departments to stay on high alert and ensure swift response to public grievances. The Chief Minister instructed officials from GHMC, HMDA, Water Works, Electricity, and Police departments to work in close coordination to prevent any rain-related disruptions. He also emphasised the need for immediate action in areas facing waterlogging, power outages, or other rain-induced issues. CM Revanth Reddy further directed the deployment of SDRF, NDRF, Hydra teams, and ot ...Read More >
KOLKATA: PM Modi's second rally in seven weeks in West Bengal, in the industrial township of Durgapur Friday, started with a "Jai Ma Kali, Jai Ma Durga" homage to the state's two biggest Hindu deities. He then took Trinamool's campaign for the 2026 assembly polls head-on, vowing that "infiltrators will be investigated as per provisions in the legal system". "We will not allow a conspiracy against Bengal's 'asmita' (pride). It is Modi's guarantee," he said to a cheering crowd. "For the sake of vote-bank politics, TMC is putting Bengal's identity at stake by encouraging and protecting illegal im ...Read More >

New Delhi, Aug 28 (PTI) India's gains from importing discounted Russian oil are estimated to be just USD 2.5 billion per annum, significantly lower than the previously speculated range of USD 10-25 billion, a research report said on Thursday. Stopping Russian oil imports would force India, the world's third-largest oil importer and consumer, to rely on limited alternatives, potentially driving global crude prices up to USD 100 per barrel amid rising demand and tight supply. "Benefit from Russian oil imports is way less than exaggerated media numbers," brokerage CLSA said in a report. While ...Read More >

Kolkata, Sep 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), on Saturday, issued instructions to Durga Puja committees to open parks, which will be used for puja mandap, for the people within 14 days after the idol immersion in the city. A KMC official has said that this condition was imposed from the time permission was given to Durga Puja committees to use parks for their puja mandaps. The decision to give a timeline to open such parks for public was taken after observing that many parks remain closed for a long time after Durga Puja as puja committees delay in removing mandap ...Read More >

New Delhi [India], September 24: GAS Milano, the premium Italian Denim wear brand, introduced its new line of innerwear with a sensuous campaign featuring the Stunning John Abraham. Also Read | Karnataka Hoysalas Beat Karnataka Kadambas As Karnataka Men's T20 Cricket Series for the Blind 2025 Begins in Bengaluru. GAS Milano's innerwear collection redefines the way everyday essentials combine comfort, confidence, and design. Known for its contemporary take on denim and casual-wear, GAS Milano has long stood for effortless style with Italian craftsmanship at its core. This launch marks a bold ...Read More >
Kolkata: Praying Goddess Durga for formation of a new government, which will reestablish 'Sonar Bangla' following 2026 assembly polls, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated a Durga Puja pandal at Santosh Mitra Square, which has been designed on the theme of "Operation Sindoor", following Pahalgam terror attack and paying tribute to the Indian Army. Shah, after inaugurating the "Operation Sindoor" themed Durga puja and offering prayers to Goddess Durga, said, "I have prayed to Goddess Durga for formation of a new government in West Bengal after coming assembly elections, which wi ...Read More >

Srinagar- Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said foreign countries were told clearly during the post-Operation Sindoor diplomatic outreach that in case of a fresh provocation, India would repeat its action. Speaking at a discussion at the Ahmedabad Management Association, Tharoor said Indian delegations which visited foreign countries in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor managed to convey that India acted with restraint and responsibility. "In other places, we actually were able to get some very high-placed people to say not only that they respected and supported India's right of self- ...Read More >

Mumbai, Jul 1 (PTI) Actor Rajkummar Rao on Tuesday said he was looking for an opportunity to step out of the box and he found it in "Maalik" where he essays the role of a gangster. Set against the gritty backdrop of 1980s Allahabad, the action thriller is a hard-hitting tale of ambition, power, and survival that explores the price of rising in a world ruled by guns, greed, and loyalty. It is directed by filmmaker Pulkit of "Bhakshak" fame. "There are very few instances when an actor gets the opportunity to break an image, and I'm always looking for such roles, like I did with 'Srikanth'. "A ...Read More >

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], July 16 (ANI): Following the tragic road accident in the Muwani area of Pithoragarh district on Tuesday that claimed eight lives, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami announced that the state government would provide Rs 2 lakh each to the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 to the injured. This would be in addition to the ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund (PMNRF), announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which would be given to the next of kin of the deceased. Also Read | Weather Forecast Today, July 16: Check ...Read More >

Agartala (Tripura) [India], September 13 (ANI): As the festive fervour builds, Agartala, the capital city of Tripura, is preparing for its most extravagant celebration of the year, Durga Puja, the state's biggest festival after West Bengal. The city transforms into a dazzling spectacle, illuminated like a galaxy with magnificent pandals ranging from fifty lakhs to crores, drawing lakhs of devotees and pilgrims from across the country. Also Read | Mentally Challenged or Craze for Social Media Reel? Man Electrocuted After Climbing Atop Pune-Bound Humsafar Express at Nagpur Railway Station; Dis ...Read More >

Chennai: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said that the Goods and Services Tax (GST) reforms have reduced the tax burden on people. Addressing the Joint Conclave of Trade and Industries Association - 'Tax Reforms for Rising Bharat' in Chennai, she explained that the four-tier GST structure has now been simplified to just two slabs. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's Statement "Earlier, GST had four categories. Now, we have simplified it into two slabs - 5 per cent and 18 per cent. Items that were taxed at 12 per cent and 18 per cent have largely been moved to the ...Read More >

Kolkata, Sep 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) Trinamool Congress state general secretary Kunal Ghosh has taken a swipe at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) after the agency summoned Bengali actress and former TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty in connection with its probe into an illegal betting app. Using his social media handle, Ghosh quipped that the central investigation agency is helping Chakraborty promote her upcoming movie 'Raktabeej 2' by sending the summons. "ED notice to Mimi. The law will take its own course. I am no one to talk about the notice. However, thanks to the central investigation agency on beh ...Read More >

PNN Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 16: Chaltabagan Durga Puja, which was started in 1943, will highlight the spirit of the fading old world charm of north Kolkata culture through its theme 'Mool' or roots. This year's theme alludes to the adverse onslaught of modernity and gentrification on the para (community) culture of north Kolkata. "With the UNESCO heritage tag, Durga Pujas themes send out a very strong global message. Manicktala Chaltaban Durga Puja has been a pioneer and a trendsetter in innovating Puja themes and events. This year's theme 'Mool' is an attempt to highlight t ...Read More >

Kolkata School Holiday on Sept 24, 25 Due to Rain: West Bengal state Education Minister Bratya Basu announced that all government-run educational institutions in West Bengal will remain closed on September 24 and 25, following Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal to keep students off waterlogged roads and prevent electrocution-related accidents. Teachers and non-teaching staff have been directed to work from home to complete pending tasks during this period, before the holidays for Durga Puja take into effect, later-on this week. Basu stated that the decision was taken in view of the 'unpr ...Read More >

Kolkata: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated the Durga Puja pandal of Santosh Mitra Square here, and said he prayed to the goddess that post the 2026 West Bengal assembly polls, there is a new government which restores the state's lost 'Sonar Bangla' glory. Shah said Bengal should once again become safe, peaceful and prosperous, fulfilling the dream of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore. "I have prayed to Maa Durga that after this election, a government should be formed that can build a 'Sonar Bangla' (golden Bengal). Our Bengal should once again become safe, prosperous, peace ...Read More >
New Delhi: Alleging "blatant misuse" of agencies to defame its leaders, AAP on Thursday questioned why the first information report filed against former Delhi ministers Saurabh Bharadwaj and Satyendar Jain was being kept under wraps and "selective" press notes were being leaked to the media.Bharadwaj, who is Delhi AAP convener, alleged that only two former ministers were named in the case without any reasonable cause while all the officers of the health and public works departments, who were actually responsible for executing the hospital projects, were spared. "Is the FIR so baseless that BJP ...Read More >

The shooting of the Telugu film 'The Paradise' began on June 21Actor Nani joined the Hyderabad set on SaturdayA 40-day shooting schedule is underway featuring lead cast The shooting of Telugu actor Nani and director Srikanth Odela's The Paradise' commenced on June 21. The actor joined the team on Saturday in Hyderabad. The makers of 'The Paradise' announced the latest development with a photo of the actor from the movie sets. 'The Paradise' has been making headlines ever since it was announced. ...Read More >

New Delhi: The country's largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki has announced the rollout of its first made-in-India electric vehicle - the e-Vitara SUV - in a major boost to the green segment from its upgraded Gujarat plant, which is now set to become one of the world's largest automotive manufacturing hubs with a projected annual capacity of one million units. Crucially, this facility will serve as Suzuki's global production base for electric vehicles (EVs), exporting to over 100 countries, including advanced markets in Japan and Europe, which is aligned with India's vision of becoming a global aut ...Read More >

Agartala (Tripura) [India], September 14 (ANI): As the festive fervour builds, Agartala, the capital city of Tripura, is preparing for its most extravagant celebration of the year, Durga Puja, the state's biggest festival after West Bengal. The city transforms into a dazzling spectacle, illuminated like a galaxy with magnificent pandals ranging from fifty lakhs to crores, drawing lakhs of devotees and pilgrims from across the country. Also Read | Spycam Row: Ashok Gehlot Hits Out at Rajasthan Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani Over Installing Extra Cameras, Calls It a 'Crime'. With such massi ...Read More >
New Delhi: Traffic in central Delhi will be affected on Thursday as the traffic police has issued an advisory due to the Janmashtami and Tazia processions.According to police, the traffic movement in Paharganj is likely to be affected from 1.30pm in view of the shobha yatra for Janmashtami and the Tazia procession.The Janmashtami procession will start from Mandir Shri Banke Bihari Ji in Paharganj's Sangatrasan Bazar and pass through Desh Bandhu Gupta Road, Chuna Mandi, Main Bazar, Munja Chowk and Arakashan Road. The Tazia procession will start from Ajmeri Gate and proceed through Pul Paharganj ...Read More >

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 28 (ANI): On the first day of the 2025 Ganesh Chaturthi Festival, the Lalbaugcha Raja Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal began counting the donations received from devotees on Thursday. According to Treasurer Mangesh Dattaram Dalvi, 80 people have been assigned the duty of counting and informed that the previous year's donation of Rs 48 lakh was received from the devotees. Also Read | Patna Shocker: Class 5 Girl Found With Severe Burns in Washroom of Amla Tola Kanya Vidyalaya, Dies; Family Alleges Foul Play. "This is the first day's box. Now the counting is j ...Read More >

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 26 (ANI): This year, Chetla Agrani Club has created its Durga Puja pandal inspired by the theme "Amrit Kumbher Shondhane" (In Search of the Nectar). The pandal prominently depicts the scene of Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean) with a huge Shivalinga installed at its centre, creatively constructed using over three crore Rudraksha beads. According to the organisers, this concept pays tribute not only to the Maha Kumbh Mela but also to Bengali author Samaresh Basu's novel, Amrit Kumbher Shondhane. Several artists from Allahabad and Varanasi are perf ...Read More >

Ranchi, Sep 13 (UNI) With Durga Puja festivities approaching, Ranchi district administration and police are on high alert to ensure peaceful and orderly celebrations. A meeting of the Central Peace Committee was held on Saturday chaired by Deputy Commissioner-cum-District Magistrate Manjunath Bhajantri and Senior Superintendent of Police Chandan Kumar Sinha. The meeting saw participation from various Puja committees, peace committee members, social organizations, and administrative officials. The primary objective of the meeting was to ensure Durga Puja is celebrated in a peaceful, organize ...Read More >
Kolkata: The BJP leadership has asked its Bengal unit to engage in a mass contact programme during Durga Puja to counter claims by Trinamool that Bengalis from Bengal are being harassed in states governed by the saffron party, sources said.The direction to organise the campaign, which will see distribution of saris at pandals, came on a day Prime Minister Narendra Modi and defence minister Rajnath Singh were in the city.Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya, Union minister Sukanta Majumdar and the leader of opposition in the Bengal assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, met Modi at the airport on Sunda ...Read More >

Agartala (Tripura) [India], September 26 (ANI): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha inaugurated several Durga Puja pandals across Agartala on Thursday, marking the official commencement of the festive celebrations in the state's capital. The pandals visited and inaugurated by the Chief Minister include Flowers Club at Math Chowmuhani; Shib Nagar Modern Club & Amra Tarun Dal; Gandouse Club; Central Road Yuva Sanghstha; and Netaji Play Centre at Netaji Chowmuhani. The presence of the Chief Minister added enthusiasm and encouragement among the organisers and devotees, who gathered in large number ...Read More >