India's political landscape is ablaze with activity! From the ongoing debates surrounding the new farm bills and their impact on rural India, to the upcoming state elections shaping the national narrative, the stakes couldn't be higher. Key political figures are maneuvering strategically, with alliances shifting and power dynamics constantly in flux. The opposition's challenge to the ruling party is intensifying, sparking vigorous debates on crucial policy matters including economic reforms and social justice initiatives. Parliamentary proceedings are filled with heated exchanges, reflecting the deep divisions within the nation. This evolving political climate directly impacts the lives of every Indian citizen, influencing everything from economic opportunities to social welfare programs. Stay informed about the latest developments in Indian politics, from crucial legislative decisions to grassroots movements, by exploring Abtak.com for in-depth analysis and breaking news updates. Understanding the intricacies of our political system is crucial; stay engaged, stay informed, and stay ahead.
KOCHI: A month ahead of the Mandala festival season, the Sabarimala Lord Ayyappa temple selected the melsanthi (chief priest) on Saturday. E D Prasad of Erannoor Mana at Mattathur Kunnu in Chalakudy has been selected the chief priest. M G Manu Namboothiri of Mayyanad in Kollam district will serve as the melsanthi of Malikappuram temple. The new melsanthis will assume charge on November 17, the first day of the Malayalam month of Vrischikam. The two-month-long Mandala Makaravilakku season will commence on November 17 and conclude on January 21. The melsanthis were selected through a draw of lots held early on Saturday morning in front of the sanctum sanctorum in the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple.
Ayodhya: A total of 45 kilograms of pure gold has been used in the construction of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, according to Nripendra Mishra, the chairman of the Ram Temple Construction Committee. He said the estimated value of the gold, excluding taxes, is around Rs 50 crore. Gold has been used extensively in the doors on the ground floor of the temple and the throne of Lord Ram.He added that gold work is still ongoing in the Sheshavatar Temple. While the main structure of the Ram Temple has been completed, other parts of the temple complex, including the museum, auditorium, and guest house, a ...Read More >
Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Friday pulled up the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for removing the gold-plated copper coverings from the Dwarapalaka idols at Sabarimala without informing the Special Commissioner. A Division Bench comprising Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K V Jayakumar, while considering the Sabarimala Special Commissioner's report, expressed concern over repair works being carried out in Chennai in violation of procedures and court oversight. Installed in 2019 with a 40-year guarantee, the gold-plated coverings developed defects within six years. Sponsored by d ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 10 (ANI): In a scathing attack on the Kerala government amid the escalating Sabarimala gold plating controversy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V Muraleedharan on Friday accused the state administration of betraying the trust of devotees and demanded the immediate dismissal of the Devaswom Minister along with the dissolution of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Muraleedharan said that the Kerala High Court's intervention in the matter was a "clear indictment" of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijay ...Read More >
Puri: A day before the :Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, thousands of devotees thronged Puri to witness the reappearance of sibling deities at the 12th-century shrine here on Thursday. They reached the 'Singha Dwar' (Lion's Gate) of the temple before the sun rose to have a 'Nabajouban darshan' (youthful appearance) of Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath on the 'Ratna Bedi' (sacred platform in sanctum sanctorum). The deities appeared before the devotees after a fortnight. The public 'darshan' of the sibling deities was stopped after bathing rituals on June 11. "It is believed that t ...Read More >
Ahmedabad, July 14 (PTI) The Gujarat High Court on Monday directed a man, facing contempt of court for attending a virtual court hearing while relieving himself on a toilet seat, to deposit Rs 1 lakh with the court's registry after observing that he was ready to tender an unconditional apology. The incident occurred on June 20 when Justice Nirzar S Desai was hearing a case. A video of the man soon went viral, prompting the high court to initiate suo motu contempt proceedings. On Monday, the division bench of Justices AS Supehia and RT Vachhani directed the man, identified as Samad Abdul Rehm ...Read More >
Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], September 16 (ANI): Heavy rainfall lashed Dehradun district on Monday night, causing the Tamsa river to swell and inundate the Tapkeshwar Mahadev temple, one of the city most prominent shrines. Water entered the temple courtyard and rose to the statue of Hanuman, though the sanctum sanctorum remained safe. Speaking to ANI, Temple priest Acharya Bipin Joshi said that the river started flowing heavily since morning, and the entire temple premises were submerged. The river started flowing heavily since 5 AM, the entire temple premises were submerged... This kind ...Read More >
Bhubaneswar: Nearly 600 new khondalite stones and 15 steel beams have been used for the ongoing repair of Ratna Bhandar, according to Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA). The conservation measures, which commenced on Dec 17, 2024, are expected to conclude by Niladri Bije on July 8. Puri's titular king and Lord Jagannath's principal servitor Gajapati Dibyasingha Deb inspected the work progress on Thursday and expressed contentment with the restoration results. "Ratna Bhandar, which was in urgent need of repair, is completely safe now. It looks beautiful now. The ASI has replaced about ...Read More >
Puri: Lord Jagannath's 'Bahuda Yatra' or return car festival began here on Saturday with thousands of devotees pulling the chariot of Lord Balabhadra's 'Taladhwaja' after ceremonial 'pahandi' and Gajapati Maharaja Dibyasingha Deb performing 'chhera pahanra' (sweeping) rituals. Though the pulling of chariots was slated to start at 4 pm, it began at about 2.45 pm much ahead of the schedule amid chants of 'Jai Jagannath', 'Haribol' and beating of cymbals. The chariots of Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath followed Lord Balabhadra's Taladhwaja. Earlier, the sibling deities, Lord Balabhadra, Devi S ...Read More >
Kanpur/Lucknow: A serial criminal accused of raping and murdering an 18-year-old girl was killed in an encounter with UP Police in Mohammadabad area in Farrukhabad's Fatehgarh on Friday.The accused, identified as Manu Subhash (55), was carrying a reward of Rs 1 lakh on any information leading to his arrest. He sustained bullet injuries during a gunfight with police and was taken to a local hospital, where doctors declared him dead during treatment. According to police, Manu was a habitual offender with a history of targeting minors. "He had a criminal mindset and was involved in several heinou ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 6 (ANI): The General Secretary of Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, Vellappally Natesan has heavily criticised Kerala's temple administration system, questioning whether "Devaswom Boards have become a curse." Criticising the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for sending gold-plated panels from the temple's Dwarapalaka idols to Chennai for repair without informing the High Court, Natesan wrote in 'Yoganadam', the official mouthpiece of the SNDP Yogam, that such an incident is "deeply painful for Ayyappa devotees" and highlighted that the a ...Read More >
Kochi, Sep 12 (PTI) The Kerala High Court on Friday ordered immediate seizure of the entire records related to the gold-plating of the 'Dwarapalaka' (guardian deity) idols in front of the Sabarimala sanctum sanctorum, saying there were a lot of "unanswered questions" regarding it. The direction by a bench of justices Raja Vijayaraghavan V and K V Jayakumar came during hearing of a plea initiated by the court on its own with regard to the removal of the gold-plated copper coverings of the 'Dwarapalaka' idols located on either side of the Sreekovil without prior intimation to the Special Commis ...Read More >
The high-powered management committee, constituted on Supreme Court orders, has directed a special audit of the Banke Bihari temple's movable and immovable assets covering a three-year period (2013-16), opening of a long-sealed room in the basement of the temple in Vrindavan and an end to the practice of VIP darshan. The committee, headed by Justice (retired) Ashok Kumar of the Allahabad high court, took these decisions at its fourth meeting on Thursday evening and said the details of the specia ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], June 8 (ANI): BJP MP Gulam Ali Khatana, who was part of the all-party parliamentary delegation to Europe, said that during their recently conclued visit they successfully communicated India's development story and its resolute stand against terrorism, particularly emanating from Pakistan. Highlighting the delegation's key discussions during the tour, Khatana told ANI, 'We discussed how we dismantled the terrorism factory in Pakistan by responding... We also talked about tourism infrastructure, G20 Summit, and projects like the six-lane roads, bridges, solar initiatives, our ...Read More >
Guwahati: The sacred doors of Kamakhya temple's sanctum sanctorum reopened for devotees at 5.00am on Thursday, marking the conclusion of the annual Ambubachi Mahayog. Approximately 20,000 devotees had gathered in the early hours to offer prayers to Maa Kamakhya after the four-day long religious congregation.The Ambubachi Mahayog, which celebrates the annual menstruation cycle of goddess Kamakhya, traditionally draws lakhs of pilgrims from across India and beyond. However, this year witnessed a notable decline in the number of visitors due to newly implemented night-time entry restrictions.The ...Read More >
Puri, Jun 27 (PTI) The 'Pahandi' ritual in which Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath are being carried in a procession from the 12th-century temple to their respective chariots for the Rath Yatra started on Friday. Though the Pahandi ritual was earlier scheduled to begin at 9.30 am, it started one hour late and the ritual will continue for three hours. In the Pahandi the trinity - Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath - are being carried in a procession to their respective chariots parked in front of the Lion's Gate for journey to Shree Gundicha Temple, about 2.6 ki ...Read More >
Varanasi: A dedicated corridor between Prayagraj and Kashi Vishwanath Dham in Varanasi was created by reserving one lane of the Prayagraj-Varanasi national highway and internal roads of the city to facilitate movement of kanwariyas, with the auspicious month of Shrawan commencing on Friday.After ensuring enforcement of traffic diversions and briefing the police and paramilitary forces deployed for Shrawan security and crowd regulation exercises, police commissioner Mohit Agrawal said on Thursday ...Read More >
According to the latest reports, a cloudburst occurred early this morning at the iconic tourist spot of Sahastradhara. The receding monsoon is wreaking havoc in the hill state of Uttarakhand. Heavy rains lashed parts of Dehradun and nearby areas since last night. According to the latest reports, a cloudburst occurred early this morning at the iconic tourist spot of Sahastradhara. As a result, the Tamsa River has risen above the danger mark. A video posted by news agency ANI shows the famous Ta ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], October 10 (ANI): In a scathing attack on the Kerala government amid the escalating Sabarimala gold plating controversy, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader V Muraleedharan on Friday accused the state administration of betraying the trust of devotees and demanded the immediate dismissal of the Devaswom Minister along with the dissolution of the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB). Muraleedharan said that the Kerala High Court's intervention in the matter was a "clear indictment" of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijay ...Read More >
Puri, Jul 8 (PTI) Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath on Tuesday returned to the 12th-century shrine here through a ritual called 'Niladri Bije', 12 days after the start of the annual Rath Yatra. Niladri Bije ritual marks the culmination of the annual Rath Yatra which started on June 27 this year when the trinity rode chariots to travel to their birthplace at Shree Gundicha Temple, nearly three kilometres from the main temple. The deities, waiting for the Niladri Bije ceremony by sitting on their respective chariots since Saturday (Bahuda Yatra on July 5), were taken inside the ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand's Dehradun on Tuesday caused the Tamsa river to overflow, inundating the historic Tapkeshwar Mahadev temple, while local authorities conducted relief operations and monitored the situation closely.Temple priest Acharya Bipin Joshi said, "The river started flowing heavily since 5 AM, the entire temple premises were submerged... This kind of situation had not taken place in a very long time... Losses have been incurred at various places... People should avoid going near rivers at this time... The sanctum sanctorum of the temple is safe... No human loss ha ...Read More >
Dehradun cloudburst LIVE Updates: Heavy rainfall on Tuesday triggered a massive cloudburst in the outskirts of Dehradun, causing the Tamsa River to overflow and submerge the historic Tapkeshwar Mahadev Temple. The downpour led to landslides and flash floods in the Sahastradhara area, washing away houses, roads, cars, and shops. Authorities confirmed that two people are missing, with SDRF and NDRF teams deployed for rescue and relief operations. Temple priest Acharya Bipin Joshi told ANI, "The river started flowing heavily since 5 AM, submerging the entire temple premises. Such a situation ha ...Read More >
Tirumala: As a mark of devotion and royal legacy, Mysore Rajmata Pramoda Devi Wadiyar donated two large silver Akhandas (eternal lamps) to Lord Venkateswara at the Tirumala temple. The offering was received by Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) Chairman B.R. Naidu on behalf of the temple administration at an official handover ceremony held at Ranganayakula Mandapam. Weighing approximately 50 kilograms each, the akhandas make for a total silver usage of 100 kilograms. The akhanda lamps being lit in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple through day and night, are considered a symbol of eternal ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Ayodhya Ram Mandir was open to the public in January last year. The first floor of the temple will have Raja Ram installed in his grand, kingly form. This step also involves performing Pran Pratishtha for several deities throughout the complex, including those in seven nearby shrines and seven additional mandapams. As the second phase of the consecration ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir has started, let us tell you about the beautiful golden top (Shikhar) and the new first floor of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir. About the First Floor of Ayodhya Ram Mandir The Ram Mandir T ...Read More >
Odisha: A tide of devotion swept through Odisha's pilgrim city of Puri on Thursday as Lord Jagannath's iconic Ratha Yatra -- the annual celestial chariot festival -- unfolded in all its ancient splendour. Nearly 13 lakh devotees from across India and abroad thronged the holy city as Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra embarked on their annual nine-day divine sojourn. An overcast sky and intermittent drizzle set a mystical canvas for this timeless spectacle, offering devotees the perfect weather to immerse themselves in the Lord's sacred journey. From dawn, the coastal city witne ...Read More >
Kochi, Sep 12 ( IANS) The Kerala High Court on Friday came down heavily on the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) for removing gold-plated copper coverings from the Dwarapalaka (guardian) idols at Sabarimala without informing the court-appointed Special Commissioner. A Division Bench of Justice Raja Vijayaraghavan V and Justice K.V. Jayakumar, while hearing the Special Commissioner's report, expressed concern that the TDB bypassed procedure and court oversight by sending the ornaments for repairs to a Chennai-based firm, Smart Creations. The gold-plated coverings, guaranteed for 40 years when i ...Read More >
Malappuram (Kerala) | Leader of Opposition in the Kerala assembly, V D Satheesan on Tuesday accused the ruling CPI (M) of having an "unholy alliance" with the BJP and cited a message from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, which was read out at the recent Global Ayyappa Sangamam, as the latest example of this partnership. Continuing to criticise Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan over the Sangamam held in Pampa, he alleged that the Marxist party veteran tried to showcase a "pseudo devotion" during the event. "By showing pseudo devotion... by creating an impression of devotion, he tri ...Read More >
KOCHI: Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan on Thursday reiterated that the UDF and the Congress had taken the correct political stand by staying away from the CPM-backed Ayyappa Sangamam, saying the Opposition's role was to expose the government's "false bhakti." Addressing reporters in Kochi, Satheesan said the government's sudden display of devotion was only a desperate attempt to recover from the looming defeat in 2026. "It is the Opposition's duty to reveal the truth when the government tries to misuse Sabarimala politically. We had three clear questions: Will the government withdraw the ...Read More >
Thiruvananthapuram [Kerala], October 2 (ANI): The Sabrimala gold-plating controversy has intensified, with investigators struggling to trace key records linked to the 30.3 kg of gold and 1,900 kg of copper donated by industrialist Vijay Mallya in 1998 for cladding the sanctum sanctorum and wooden carvings of the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple in Kerala. Also Read | Mohan Bhagwat Says 'Pahalgam Attack Revealed India's True Friends' During Public Address on RSS 100th Anniversary (Watch Video). Devaswom Minister V N Vasavan, in response to ANI, said a detailed probe was underway under High Court sup ...Read More >
Puri, Jul 8 (PTI) Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra and Lord Jagannath on Tuesday returned to the 12th-century shrine here through a ritual called 'Niladri Bije', 12 days after the start of the annual Rath Yatra. Niladri Bije ritual marks the culmination of the annual Rath Yatra which started on June 27 this year when the trinity rode chariots to travel to their birthplace at Shree Gundicha Temple, nearly three kilometres from the main temple. Also Read | PM Narendra Modi Conferred With Brazil's Highest Honour, the Grand Collar of the National Order of the Southern Cross, During His State Visit ...Read More >
Kollam: A 13-year-old student of Class 8 died of electrocution at Thevalakkara Boys' School while playing on the school grounds on Thursday morning in the Kollam district of Kerala. The deceased, Midhun, came in contact with a live electrical wire in the cycle shed of the school. According to initial reports, another student threw Midhun's slipper onto the shed's roof. While attempting to retrieve his slipper by climbing over a wall to reach the shed, he reportedly touched the live wire of Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB). Mithin was immediately brought down and rushed to the taluk hospi ...Read More >