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Maha Kumbh Mela
The Magh Mela to be held in Prayagraj next year is expected to draw about 15 crore pilgrims, and will cover an 800-hectare area, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Saturday after reviewing preparations on the ground. Adityanath said, "We aim to ensure the Magh Mela is conducted with full grandeur and divinity." Key bathing dates begin early this time. The first "snan (holy dip)" of the Magh Mela will be on Paush Purnima on January 3, while the second will be on Makar Sankranti on January 15, he added. The third holy bath will be on Mauni Amavasya on January 18, the fourth on Basant Panchami (January 28), the fifth on Maghi Purnima (February 1) and the sixth on Mahashivratri (February 15), he said. "We estimate that during one-and-a-half month-long Magh Mela, 12-15 crore pilgrims, including the 20-25 lakh 'kalpvasis', will take part in it," the chief minister told reporters. "Kalpvas" is a month-long Hindu ritual practised by devotees, known as "Kalpvasis", at the
Chronicles from the 2025 Mahakumbh, rise of Indians in America, works of National Book Award finalist Megha Majumdar and renowned authors Amish Tripathi and Devdutt Pattanaik will take centre stage at a leading literary festival here that will celebrate Indian voices in world literature. The Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) will host the IAAC Literary Festival 2025 on November 15-16 bringing together a constellation of acclaimed authors, thinkers, and storytellers from across the globe to explore South Asia's rich literary and cultural landscape, from myth and mysticism to modern identity, innovation, and global citizenship. Across borders and generations, Indian literature continues to redefine the global imagination. The IAAC Literary Festival is where those voices meet; bold, questioning, and alive with possibility. Voices that remind us that literature is not only art, but also the architecture of understanding, IAAC Literary Festival Director Preethi Urs said in a statement. T
"Sounds of Kumbha", a spiritual album inspired by the Mahakumbha festival and presented by singer-composer Siddhant Bhatia, has been nominated for the 68th Grammy Awards in the Best Global Music Album category. The nominations for the 68th Annual Grammy Awards were announced last week. Commissioned by the Uttar Pradesh government as a cultural initiative, the album has been produced in partnership with Network18 and HistoryTV18, and is globally distributed by Universal Music India. The 12-track project, featuring over 50 artists from India and abroad, aims to capture the spirit of the Mahakumbha, the mega religious gathering in Uttar Pradesh's Prayagraj that drew over 60 crore pilgrims during its 45-day run in January and February this year. Described by critics as a sonic memoir of the Mahakumbha, the album blends live field recordings from Prayagraj, ancient mantras and contemporary compositions by Bhatia and SoulTrax Studios in New Delhi, a press release said. It also incorpora
All references to Mughals and Delhi Sultanate have been dropped from class 7 NCERT textbooks, while chapter on Indian dynasties, 'sacred geography,' references to Maha Kumbh, and government initiatives like Make in India and Beti Bachao, Beti padhao are among the new additions. The new textbooks released this week have been designed in line with the new National Education Policy (NEP) and the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCFSE) 2023, which emphasise incorporating Indian traditions, philosophies, knowledge systems, and local context into school education. When contacted, NCERT officials said these are only first part of the book and second part is expected in coming months. They, however, did not comment on whether the dropped portions will be retained in the second part of the book. While NCERT had previously trimmed sections on the Mughals and Delhi Sultanate including detailed account of dynasties like Tughlaqs, Khaljis, Mamluks, and Lodis and a two-page ..
As the Lok Sabha was briefly adjourned amid opposition protests after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement on the Mahakumbh, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday said the LoP should be allowed to speak according to the democratic structure but is not given permission in "new India". Gandhi told reporters outside Parliament that he also wanted to speak in the House on the issue and pointed out at that PM Modi should have paid homage to those who lost their lives in the January 29 stampede at the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj. The Lok Sabha was briefly adjourned till 1 pm on Tuesday following protests by opposition members over Modi's remarks on the success of the Mahakumbh, which was held from January 13 to February 26. Many opposition members were on their feet protesting after the prime minister spoke. "I wanted to support what he was saying. Kumbh is our tradition, history and culture. There was also a complaint that he did not pay homage to those who lost their lives (in th