Stay updated with the latest Other news, articles, and insights from trusted sources. Explore in-depth coverage and expert analysis on Other topics.
Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 5 (ANI): Easter is being celebrated with religious fervour and devotion at the Sacred Heart Church in Udaiyarpatti of Tirunelveli district, where thousands of Christians have gathered to participate in special prayers and Mass on Sunday. Devotees assembled in large numbers at the church to take part in the Easter Mass. During the ceremony, worshippers shared the light of candles with one another, symbolising hope, faith, and renewal. They also renewed their baptismal vows and offered prayers while holding candles, creating a spiritually uplifting atmosphere. Easter, one of the most significant festivals in Christianity, is being celebrated across Tamil Nadu and different parts of the world with joy and devotion. Churches are holding special Masses and prayer services to commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who was crucified and rose again on the third day. Christians observe a 40-day Lenten period in preparation for Easter each year. This year, Lent began on February 18 with Ash Wednesday. During this period, devotees engaged in various spiritual practices such as fasting, Lenten walks, special meditations, pilgrimages, and participation in the Way of the Cross, reflecting on the sufferings and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The final week of Lent is observed as Holy Week and holds special significance among the faithful. It began with Palm Sunday last week, followed by Maundy Thursday on April 2 and Good Friday on April 3, during which the crucifixion of Jesus Christ was commemorated. Good Friday is followed by Easter, which marks the resurrection of Jesus Christ and is considered the most important festival in Christianity. As part of the ongoing celebrations at the Sacred Heart Church in Udaiyarpatti, special prayers and rituals are being conducted. In a symbolic observance, the lights inside the church were turned off, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ was reenacted through candlelight, adding to the spiritual essence of the ceremony. The programme also included a special sermon delivered by Parish Priest Michael Rasu and pastoral worker Rajesh, following which the Holy Mass concluded. Thousands of devotees took part in the Easter celebrations, marking the occasion with devotion and unity. (ANI)
Filmmaker Jayan K Cherian; stills from his latest film 'Rhythm of Dammam', on the Siddi Community of Yellapur in Uttara Kannada (north Karnataka). The stunningly shot and evocative Rhythm of Dammam, in Siddi Bhasha, is the first fictional feature ever to be made on the Indian Siddi community that traces its ancestry to Africa. In the film, the pre-teen Jayaram, who lives in Karnataka's Yellapura, is afflicted by his dead grandfather's visions, as his impoverished family fights over supposed buried treasure. But Jayaram is a chosen one, the visitations will lead him to discover his community's ...Read More >
Angul (Odisha), June 27 (SocialNews.XYZ) The sacred festival of Rath Yatra was celebrated with great devotion and traditional splendor at Jagannath Temple in Dev Bhumi, Jindal Nagar, Angul, drawing thousands of devotees to witness the divine journey of the Chaturdha Murti -- Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, Devi Subhadra, and Sudarshan. The day commenced with Mangala Arati at the Anasara Bedi, followed by a series of age-old rituals like Mailam and Tadapa Lagi. Devotees thronged the temple premises from early morning, immersing themselves in spiritual chants and devotional hymns. The highlig ...Read More >
Puri, Jun 27 (PTI) Lord Jagannath devotees will get another chance to pull the chariots tomorrow as none of them reached their destination on Friday after Balabhadra's Taladwaja chariot got stuck while negotiating a turn, causing delays that prevented the others from arriving at Gundicha Temple, 2.6km away from the 12th-century shrine. "There is no major issue. It is not unusual for chariots to be pulled on the following day. All rituals were conducted on time. There have been no accidents or untoward incidents," Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said. When Lord Balabhadra's chario ...Read More >
Digha: A sea of devotees swamped the road as the wheels of chariots rolled for the maiden Rath Yatra in Digha on Friday. In keeping with the tradition followed for the chariot festival in Puri, chief minister Mamata Banerjee took part in rituals, washed the road where the three chariots were parked, performed aarti with earthen lamps, and swept the path with a gold broom to set off the Rath Yatra from Jagannath Dham. The rain could not dampen the festive fervour of devotees who started thronging the temple area with umbrellas since 6 am. The priests began the rituals around 9 am and the crowd ...Read More >
Puri: Lord Jagannath and his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra will be dressed up in Rajarajeswar Besha, also known as Suna Besha on Sunday. The Trinity will be adorned with over 208 kg of gold ornaments on their chariots in front of the Singhadwar. Devotees will be allowed to witness the ritual from 6.30 pm to 11 pm. The temple and district administrations have made elaborate arrangements to ensure smooth darshan of the Trinity. Chief Administrator of Shri Jagannath Temple Administration Arabinda Padhe said, discussions were held with all nijogs of Srimandir to ensure all rituals a ...Read More >
Jhansi: A bomb threat delayed the Durg-bound Chhattisgarh Sampark Kranti Express on Friday night, when it was halted at Virangana Laxmibai Jhansi railway station for nearly an hour. The threat turned out to be a hoax, and the train resumed its journey after a thorough inspection. According to SP, GRP, Vipul Srivastav, after the train left Hazrat Nizamuddin railway station in Delhi around 6pm on Friday, a call was recieved at the railway helpline 139, claiming that a bomb had been planted in a sleeper coach of the train. The railway control room in Lucknow started preparations for search of the ...Read More >
Nagpur: The city is preparing for Muharram with Ashura, 10th day of the Islamic month, set to be observed on Sunday by Shia and Sunni Muslims.The Dawoodi Bohra community solemnly observed Ashura, the 10th day of Moharram, on Saturday to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Husain (AS), the beloved grandson of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), who laid down his life in the historic battle of Karbala upholding values of justice, truth and righteousness, as per their calendar. Each group commemorates the day with distinct rituals, reflecting their spiritual tradition and devotion.For the Shia community, Ashu ...Read More >
Karachi-born Shane Sabastian Pereira entered India to live in his ancestral village in Goa just four months after his birth, but it has taken him 43 years to obtain Indian citizenship. IMAGE: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant hands over the Indian citizenship certificate to the Karachi-born Shane Sabastian Pereira. Photograph: @DrPramodPSawant/X Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday handed over the Indian citizenship certificate to the Pakistan-born Christian man under the Citizenship (Ame ...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 >
New Delhi [India], July 5 (ANI): Ahead of the upcoming Muharram procession, the Delhi Police has made detailed traffic arrangements across the national capital to ensure smooth vehicular movement and public safety, a senior officer said. Muharram will be observed in the capital on June 6, he said. Also Read | Centre Notifies Waqf Management Rules 2025; Portal, Database, Audit of Waqf Properties. Speaking to ANI, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Dinesh Kumar Gupta said, " As Muharram is on June 6 in Delhi, we have set up detailed arrangements for traffic. It will be our job to pro ...Read More >
Mumbai (AsiaNews) - The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam (TTD), the body that manages the Sri Venkateshwara Swamy temple in Andhra Pradesh - an important Hindu pilgrimage destination - has suspended one of its senior officials, assistant executive director A. Rajasekhar Babu, for participating in Christian prayers. The suspension came after the organisation discovered that the man regularly attended Sunday prayers at a local church in his hometown of Puttur, in the Tirupati district. 'He did not adhere to the organisation's code of conduct and behaved irresponsibly as an employee representing a ...Read More >
December 2024 Festivals: December 2024 will be a month full of Hindu celebrations. Key dates include Vinayaka Chaturthi, Gita Jayanti, Karthigai Deepam, and Saphala Ekadashi. The month also features important vrats like Rohini Vrat and Pradosh Vrat. World AIDS Day and the shortest day of the year also fall in December. The article lists dates for these and other events.December 2024 is packed with significant Hindu festivals, offering a blend of spiritual observances, rituals, and community celebrations. The month begins with notable events like Ishti and Vinayaka Chaturthi and continues with ...Read More >
Panaji, Dec 10 (PTI) Karachi-born Shane Sabastian Pereira entered India to live in his ancestral village in Goa just four months after his birth, but it has taken him 43 years to obtain Indian citizenship. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday handed over the Indian citizenship certificate to the Pakistan-born Christian man under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Shane is the second person from the coastal state to receive the certificate, after Joseph Francis Pereira, another Pakistani citizen who was granted Indian citizenship in August this year. Shane, originally from Demello Wado ...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 >
MADURAI: Likening the custodial murder of Ajith Kumar in Tiruppuvanam to an 'organised crime by police where the state kills its own citizens,' Madras high court lambasted the Tamil Nadu police and said the action against the perpetrators should be more stringent than in normal murder cases.A division bench of Justice S M Subramaniam and Justice A D Maria Clete pointed to 44 external injuries on the person of Ajith Kumar and said no part of the body was spared by the delinquent cops. "Even an ordinary murderer would not have inflicted such kind of injuries," the bench said on Tuesday.The natur ...Read More >
New Delhi, Jul 18 (PTI) The Supreme Court has said money cannot be recovered by filing an FIR and seeking help of police as it quashed a cheating case against the producer of Bollywood movie "Tanu Weds Manu". A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan expressed displeasure over the approach of the Allahabad High Court in dealing with the petition of producer Shailesh R Singh for quashing of the FIR against him by complainant Kunal Jain. "Money cannot be recovered, more particularly, in a civil dispute between the parties by filing a first information report and seeking the help of the ...Read More >
Thousands of pilgrims, including foreigners, congregated in Digha, West Bengal, for the Rath Yatra festival. The Chief Minister, along with cabinet members, initiated the chariot procession of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra. Rituals commenced in the morning with 'Pahandi Vijay' at the newly-built Jagannath Dham Temple, followed by the idols being placed on the chariots amid devotional chants and festivities.Thousands gathered from different parts of the state to attend the Rath Yatra fe ...Read More >
Moradabad (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 3 (ANI): Ahead of Muharram and Kanwar Yatra, security has been heightened and CCTVs installed in Moradabad. SP City, Ranvijay Singh, said that arrangements had been made for both occasions using technology. SP City, Ranvijay Singh said, "We have made all the arrangements for the Muharram and Kanwar Yatra. All the homework has been done. All the peace committee meetings have been held in all police stations. We have held a meeting with all the stakeholders. Internal departmental coordination has also been done. We have accessed the route for Tazia, and t ...Read More >
Hyderabad: BRS senior leader T Harish Rao on Wednesday strongly condemned Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's "baseless and misleading" statements regarding irrigation and water rights in Telangana. Harish Rao accused Revanth Reddy and his Congress government of "mortgaging Telangana's rightful share of water resources and attempting to mislead people with fabricated data and staged presentations." Expressing outrage over the Chief Minister's closed-door meeting with Congress legislators at Praja Bhavan, Harish Rao asserted, "Revanth Reddy, your government deserves to be lashed for betraying Telan ...Read More >
Katra, July 13: In a significant step toward promoting spiritual development and preserving cultural heritage, the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) has dedicated five newly constructed temples to the public across Reasi district. The decision was approved during the 75th Meeting of the Board, chaired by Shri Manoj Sinha, Hon'ble Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir and Chairman of the Shrine Board.In addition to the dedication of these temples, the Board has also approved the construction of five more temples in Reasi, further expanding the region's spiritual infrastructure.The ...Read More >
Jammu- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday reviewed the ongoing restoration work of the historic Mubarak Mandi complex, which was the power centre of the Dogra kings in Jammu, and stressed on enhancing its heritage appeal. The Mubarak Mandi Complex is one of Jammu's most significant architectural heritage sites and is envisioned as a comprehensive cultural centre, housing museums, conference venues and heritage hospitality services. Accompanied by Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani and MLA Yudhvir Sethi during the visit, the chief minister was briefed in detail on the multi-phas ...Read More >
Mumbai, July 18: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said that if a person belonging to a religion other than Hinduism, Buddhism or Sikhism has obtained a Scheduled Caste certificate fraudulently, it will be cancelled. Action will be taken against such a person if he or she has secured reservation benefits, such as government jobs. If such a person has won an election using a fraudulently obtained SC certificate, their election will be declared null and void, Fadnavis said in the legislative council. Replying to a calling attention motion, he also said the state governmen ...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 >
Chandigarh: Punjab chief ministerBhagwant Mann on Thursday said the government will table a bill in the assembly on Friday to introduce harsher punishment for religious sacrilege. However, the law will not be enacted immediately, as the government plans to hold consultations with stakeholders before finalising the legislation.Mann said the decision was taken in a meeting of the cabinet earlier in the day. After the legislation is tabled, Punjab govt will gather suggestions on the law from stakeholders, including religious organisations and people, he added.Sources said said the new legislation ...Read More >
Gorakhpur (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 11 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday performed holy rituals on the first day of the holy month of 'Sawan', at the Gorakhnath Temple. The Chief Minister also performed 'Rudrabhishek' and 'Havan' at the temple to mark this occasion. Also Read | Stocks To Buy or Sell Today, July 11, 2025: TCS, Hindustan Unilever, and Birla Corporation Among Shares That May Remain in Spotlight on Friday. Chief Minister Adityanath is also the mahant (head priest) of the Gorakhnath Math. Meanwhile, devotees queued up in large numbers outside the ...Read More >
Kanpur: With the auspicious month of Shrawan commencing on Friday and the first Shrawan Somwar (Monday) falling on July 14, all major Shiva temples in Kanpur have begun extensive preparations to ensure smooth observance of the rituals and effective crowd management. Temples are not only being decked with decorations but are also coordinating with district authorities to implement effective crowd control measures. Decorations are underway, and temple authorities are working in coordination with th ...Read More >
Mumbai: CM Devendra Fadnavis warned of strict action against those exploiting their official Hindu and reserved caste status to gain educational, job and poll benefits while secretly practising the Christian faith. Dubbing them as 'crypto-Christians', he warned that state govt will take legal action besides revoking their caste/validity certificate, reports Somit Sen.He was replying in the legislative council to a calling attention motion by BJP MLC Amit Gorkhe, who said some 'crypto-Christians' ...Read More >
Jammu, Jul 18 (PTI) Senior officials of the Jammu and Kashmir government reviewed the arrangements for the smooth conduct of the 13-day-long Budha Amarnath pilgrimage in Poonch district that will begin on July 28. Deputy Inspector General of Police Tejinder Singh reviewed security in Poonch and stressed ensuring the safety of the devotees. "The first batch will depart from the Bhagwati Nagar basecamp in Jammu on July 28, moving towards the Mandi tehsil in Poonch in a regulated convoy amid full security arrangements," a spokesperson said. Jammu Divisional Commissioner Ramesh Kumar and Inspec ...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 >
Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 3 (ANI): The UP government's move to make it mandatory for all shops along the Kanwar Yatra route to have proper licenses and clearly display the owner's original name has come in for criticism from the opposition. However, the state government has defended the move, with senior minister Sanjay Nishad saying that the accusation holds no weight. Also Read | Karnataka Slapgate: Additional SP Narayana Baramani Refuses To Withdraw Resignation, Says 'CM Siddaramaiah Raised His Hand at Me in a Threatening Manner; Harm to My Dignity Can't Be Restored'. Nishad ...Read More >