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MUMBAI, India, April 2, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - An Indian oil painting by celebrated 19th century artist Raja Ravi Varma has sold for a record $17.9 million at auction in Mumbai, the highest price ever paid for a modern Indian artwork. Mumbai-based auction house Saffronart said the painting, "Yashoda and Krishna", depicting the Hindu god Krishna with his mother while she milks a cow, was also the highest paid for a Varma artwork in an auction worldwide. The oil on canvas painting was put up for auction on Wednesday, far surpassing its estimated price of $8.6 million-$12.9 million. "It is... the highest value work by an Indian artist sold at auction globally," Saffronart said. The Times of India newspaper said the painting was bought by industrialist and vaccine tycoon Cyrus Poonawala. "This national treasure deserves to be made available for public viewing periodically," Poonawala told the newspaper, adding that he would "endeavour to facilitate this". Varma, born in 1848, is known for his use of European technique in the context of Indian narratives. "Painted in the 1890s, when Ravi Varma was at the height of his career, 'Yashoda and Krishna' ranks as one of the artist's most accomplished works," Saffronart said, adding that the listed "national art treasure" had been part of a private collection. The painting "exemplifies the artist's unparalleled mastery of oil painting and his pioneering naturalistic portrayal of Indian deities that helped define how modern India imagines its sacred narratives," Saffronart said.
NEW DELHI: Axiom-4 crew members, including Shubhanshu Shukla, were welcomed with hugs and drinks as they stepped into the International Space Station on Thursday. The newly launched spacecraft -- the fifth in the Dragon series and named Grace -- successfully completed a soft docking with the International Space Station at 4.01pm while orbiting above the North Atlantic Ocean."At 6:31 am EDT (4:01 IST) on Thursday, the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft docked to the International Space Station for the fourth private astronaut mission to the orbiting laboratory, Axiom Mission 4," the National Aeronautics ...Read More >
Puri (Odisha) [India], June 27 (ANI): Devotees from across the world have gathered in Puri to witness the annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath, as the grand chariots of the three deities--Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Lord Balabhadra, and sister Goddess Subhadra--make their way to the Gundicha temple, where the deities will reside for a week before returning to the Jagannath Temple. A woman devotee of Ecuadorian origin, currently residing in the United States, expressed her joy at attending the Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri for the first time. Calling it a 'dream come true,' she said she fe ...Read More >
Puri (Odisha) [India], June 27 (ANI): An Odissi dancer set to perform at the commencement of the annual Jagannath Rath Yatra in Puri on Friday described the performance as a form of 'seva' (service) to Lord Jagannath. While speaking to ANI, the dancer said, 'This is a form of 'seva'. I will be performing before Lord Jagannath today. The experience of this service, of performing before Lord Jagannath, is something different.' Describing their attire, the dancer said, 'This is Lord Krishna's form. Devotees get to witness the Lord in this form and express their devotion.' Another Odissi dancer ...Read More >
NEW DELHI -- Three people were killed and more than a dozen hospitalized Sunday following a sudden crowd surge at a popular Hindu festival in eastern India, a senior government official said. "There was a sudden crowd surge of devotees for having a glimpse of the Hindu deities during which few people either fainted, felt suffocated or complained of breathlessness," said Siddharth Shankar Swain, the top government official in Puri. MAD DASH Police personnel and relatives of victims, who lost their lives in a crowd surge at a Hindu religious procession, wait at a hospital in Puri, India, on Ju ...Read More >
PATNA: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is all set to embark on 'Vote Adhikar Yatra' from Bihar's Rohtas district on August 17 to register a protest against how the ongoing special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls was being conducted in the state. This comes at a time when the Opposition is ratcheting up its protest against the SIR and casting aspersions on the integrity of elections. AICC general secretary (organisation) and MP KC Venugopal held a meeting with the INDIA bloc leaders at Sasaram in Rohtas district on Wednesday and reviewed preparations for Rahul Gandhi's visit to Bi ...Read More >
Jaipur: Police in Didwana have stepped up their probe into a cross-border smuggling case in which they arrested two arms and drug smugglers on June 27 for supplying Austrian Glock and Chinese Norinco pistols. It has emerged that the case has links to a massive Rs 300-crore heroin consignment seized by Punjab's Amritsar police near the India-Pakistan border in Barmer on June 30. Canada-based Joben Kaler was identified as the main overseas handler of the heroin consignment. Didwana-Kuchaman police had arrested Mohammad Ilyas from Khunkhuna and Amarjeet Singh Takhar, alias Prince, from Jalandhar ...Read More >
Krishna Janmashtami 2025 will be celebrated with devotion and joy on Friday, 15 August 2025 across India. According to the Hindu Panchang, this sacred festival marks the divine birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, born to Devaki and Vasudeva in Mathura. This year will mark the 5,252nd birth anniversary of Lord Krishna. For devotees in different parts of the country, the auspicious Nishita Puja hours vary slightly: The Nishita Puja is believed to be the precise moment of ...Read More >
MUMBAI: ICICI Bank has rolled back its rule requiring new savings accounts opened after Aug 1 to maintain a monthly average balance (MAB) of Rs 50,000 and has revised the threshold to Rs 15,000. The move follows a social media backlash against the higher balance requirement, which was criticised for making banking exclusive.The bank said it has revised its schedule of charges and MAB requirements following customer feedback. The changes do not apply to salary accounts, senior citizens above 60 years, basic accounts/PM Jan Dhan Yojana accounts, or those opened before July 31, 2025.Meanwhile, HD ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: The National Organ and Tissue Transplant Organisation (NOTTO) has suggested prioritising women in allocation of deceased donor organs.In a letter to the states/UTs, the apex authority for regulating organ donations and transplants in the country, has said a provision should be made to mark additional points for women recipients of donor organs, to address gender disparity. Studies have shown that while women make up a large percentage of donors, they receive fewer organs than men. "Women are equally vulnerable when it comes to end-stage organ failure due to illness, and it is import ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 26 (ANI): Responding on the arrest and denial of bail of Chinmoy Krishna Das the Ministry of External Affairs on Tuesday urged Bangladeshi government to ensure the safety and security of Hindus. "We have noted with deep concern the arrest and denial of bail to Shri Chinmoy Krishna Das, who is also the spokesperson of the Bangladesh Sammilit Sanatan Jagran Jote", the statement said. "This incident follows the multiple attacks on Hindus and other minorities by extremist elements in Bangladesh. There are several documented cases of arson and looting of minorities' ho ...Read More >
On the occasion of World Environment Day, Delhi Minister of Development and Tourism Kapil Mishra visited Shri Krishna Gaushala in Sultanpur Dabas, Bawana, in the Northwest District. The minister, who was accompanied by Model Town MLA Ashok Goyal, environmentalists and gaushala caretakers, took part in a tree plantation drive at the cow shelter, one of the largest gaushalas in the Delhi-NCR region. During the visit, Mishra reviewed the arrangements at the cow shelter. He held extensive discussio ...Read More >
New Delhi: The Puri Jagannath Rath Yatra is not just one of the biggest festivals in the world but also a timeless tribute to devotion, courage, and cultural pride. The Rath Yatra is an ancient festival. The Ratha Yatra in Puri is the world's oldest and largest Hindu chariot festival. It happens every year during the bright half of the lunar month of Ashadh, which falls in June or July. The Puri Rath Yatra is approximately 3 kilometres long and spans from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple in Puri. The three chariots carrying Lord Jagannath, his brother Balabhadra, and his sister Sub ...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 >
Hyderabad: The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), Attapur, grandly organized its 4th annual Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra in Attapur on Sunday. As part of this spiritually uplifting event, the deities of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra were taken out of the sanctum sanctorum and placed on their magnificently decorated chariots to bless the devotees during the sacred procession. The Rath Yatra began at 1 PM from ISKCON Temple, Attapur, and concluded at 6 PM near Pillar No. 173, Sama Bhoopal Reddy Gardens. Post-procession, vibrant cultural programs includin ...Read More >
Prayagraj (UP), Jul 4 (PTI) The Allahabad High Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking a direction that the word "disputed structure" be used in place of "Shahi Eidgah Mosque" of Mathura. The application was moved with a prayer to direct the stenographer concerned to use the word "disputed structure" in place of "Shahi Idgah Mosque" in the entire further proceedings of this original suit along with other connected matters. The application was supported by an affidavit of advocate Mahendra Pratap Singh. On the other hand, a written objection was filed on behalf of defendants. The order was ...Read More >
BENGALURU -- Police in India are trying to piece together the story of a Russian woman who was found living in a cave in the southern state of Karnataka with her two young daughters. Nina Kutina was rescued on 9 July by policemen who were on a routine patrol near Ramteertha hills in the Gokarna forest, which borders the tourist paradise of Goa. Authorities say the 40-year-old and her daughters - six and five years old - do not have valid documents to stay in India. They have been lodged in a detention centre for foreigners near Bengaluru, the state capital, and will be deported soon. Kutina ...Read More >
Patna, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a major action against corruption, the State Vigilance Unit (SVU) on Saturday arrested Sub-Inspector Putul Kumari, the SHO of the Women's Police Station in Samastipur, for accepting a bribe of Rs 20,000. Her driver was also arrested in the case. The arrest has created a stir within the police department. According to an official, Putul Kumari was caught red-handed while taking the bribe from Rajiv Ranjan, a resident of Chhatauna village under Mufassil police station limits, in connection with an assault case. Rajiv Ranjan had filed a written complaint with ...Read More >
New Delhi: Delhi govt has prepared a plan under which Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) bus drivers and conductors will receive regular training, with a focus on ethical values, customer service and safe driving, transport minister Pankaj Singh said on Friday. The move is for improving the public image of DTC buses.The minister mentioned that DTC bus drivers who fail to halt at designated stops or are found speeding will face strict departmental action.Several commuters have complained about the behaviour of DTC bus drivers. There have alleged that the buses often fail to stop at the designate ...Read More >
NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta took to X on Wednesday to address the attack on her during a public hearing at her Civil Lines camp office earlier in the day.In her statement in Hindi, Gupta said the assault "was not just an attack on me, but a cowardly attempt on our resolve to serve Delhi and work for the welfare of the public." She added that she was initially in shock but is now recovering and urged well-wishers not to visit her, promising to return to her duties soon. "Naturally, I was in shock after this attack, but I am now feeling better. I request all my well-wishers not t ...Read More >
New Delhi [India], November 28 (ANI): India has expressed its concern over the escalating incidents of violence against Hindu minorities in Bangladesh and desecration, and damage to their places of worship, and has also called on the interim government there to ensure the safety of minorities. In a response to question asked by RJD MP AD Singh, Minister of State for Ministry of External Affairs, Kirit Vardhan Singh in a written reply to Rajya Sabha, stated that the "primary responsibility" for the protection of life and liberty of all citizens of Bangladesh, including minorities, "rests with ...Read More >
Digha: A day after Rath Yatra, the festive fervour continues in Digha as the seaside town is now gearing up to host Ulta Rath or the return journey of the deities from the 'Masir Bari' or the old Jagannath temple. On July 5 -- the Ulta Rath day -- hotels are hoping for fresh tourist influx. Though the deities are currently in Masir Bari, a large queue of devotees visited the newly-constructed Jagannath temple on Saturday. They offered prayers to the stone idol permanently installed there. It is the wooden idols of Jagannath, Balaram and Subhadra that have taken the chairot rides. Bipradash Cha ...Read More >
Patna, July 2 (SocialNews.XYZ) A political controversy has erupted in Bihar after RJD MLC Urmila Thakur compared party supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav with Lord Shiva during an event in Muzaffarpur on Tuesday evening. Her remarks have drawn sharp criticism from the Janata Dal United (JDU). Party MLC Neeraj Kumar on Wednesday condemned the comparison as "absolutely inappropriate." "Lord Shiva is the one who does the welfare of the world, but Lalu Yadav is among those who created havoc in Bihar. Lalu Prasad's corruption dragged his entire family into legal trouble. Lord Shiva removes everyone's sor ...Read More >
BERHAMPUR/JEYPORE: In a rerun of the Rayagada shocker involving public punishment for marrying against community norms, a tribal couple of Koraput district was tied to a yoke and paraded like bullocks through the streets of Pedaitiki village in Narayanapatana block on Sunday. The victims, Narendra Pidika (22) of Pedaitiki and Asanti Pidika (21) of Nadimitiki village under Narayanapatana block, are reportedly from the same clan. The duo, from the Kondh community, fell in love and got married. They eloped to Andhra Pradesh during the Rath Yatra festival and returned to their respective villages ...Read More >
CJI Gavai NEW DELHI: Days after an advocate hurled a shoe at Chief Justice of India BR Gavai, Punjab Police on Wednesday registered several FIRs over objectionable social media post targeting Gavai.According to Punjab Police, the FIRs were registered after several complaints were received in various districts of the state against more than 100 social media handles.A Punjab Police spokesperson said social media content relating to attacks on high constitutional authority, caste-based vilification and incitement, public mischief with a direct attempt to disturb peace and public order by unjustly ...Read More >
A violent clash between Bangladeshi security forces and supporters of Hindu leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari resulted in one fatality on Tuesday. The incident occurred after Brahmachari, an outspoken monk and spokesperson for a newly-formed Hindu advocacy group, was denied bail on sedition charges. According to AFP, citing Nurul Alam, a police inspector stationed at Chittagong Medical College Hospital, public prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif succumbed to injuries sustained during the altercation. "He had deep injuries on his head," confirmed hospital director Taslim Uddin. The clashes erup ...Read More >
Gurgaon: MCG additional commissioner Yash Jaluka directed bulk waste generators (BWG) across the city to ensure proper disposal of waste by private agencies who are assisting them. Giving these instructions in a meeting held on Friday, he said it is often observed that BWGs hand over their waste to private agencies, which only sort valuable items and dump the remaining waste on roads, drains, vacant land or public places. This, he said, not only affects cleanliness of the city but also poses a threat to public health."Under the Solid Waste Management Rules-2016, it is the legal and moral respo ...Read More >
Haridwar: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sakshi Maharaj on Sunday demanded that hotel, dhaba and eatery owners on the Kanwar Yatra routes should display their names and identities on boards outside their business establishments. The owners, who hide their identities under fake names, on the Kanwar Yatra routes should not be spared, he told reporters here. "Tampering with faith of the Hindu devotees during the Kanwar Yatra will not be tolerated," said the Unnao MP. The food shops on the Kanwar Yatra routes should have a board outside with the names of their owners clearly written on them, h ...Read More >
Agartala, July 19 (SocialNews.XYZ) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Saturday that the state's traditional 'Ker Puja' is a symbol of faith and unity, and it reflects the rich cultural heritage of the state. "On this occasion of the Ker Puja, I had the opportunity to take blessings near Ujjayanta Palace in Agartala," the Chief Minister told the media after observing the century-old puja from outside the notified areas of the puja ground. As per the customs of the 'Ker Puja', no outsiders are allowed to enter the notified areas of Ker Puja, held in Agartala, different parts of Tripura, ...Read More >
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 19 (ANI): A contingent of 23 athletes supported by Reliance Foundation look to compete at the World University Games across six cities in Germany, with events running until July 27. Representing athletics, archery, and judo, these young talents aim to improve international rankings, achieve personal bests, and bring home laurels. The athletics team forms the backbone of the foundation campaign, with 18 athletes competing in sprints, jumps, throws, hurdles, relay, long jump, decathlon, among other events, beginning July 21, a release said. James Hillier, Di ...Read More >
Puri: Despite travel uncertainties due to recent conflicts in some parts of the world, people from Europe and elsewhere have reached Puri to witness the annual Ratha Yatra of the sibling deities.As non-Hindus are not allowed inside the 12th-century Jagannath Temple, the Ratha Yatra provides a rare opportunity for devotees across the world to see the deities in their full glory atop their majestic wooden chariots."Back home, we are surrounded by uncertainty and fear. But here, I found peace. I came because this is my only chance to see Lord Jagannath. He comes out for the whole world. This is v ...Read More >