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Devotess on the first day of Navratri on Sunday thronged temples in Sambhal and Varanasi sending the markets abuzz with a religious fervidness ahead of Eid, which through its month-long run-up, has already primed sellers for an increased sales and footfall. Tight security arrangements have been made to maintain peace and order in the state, which has seen communal confrontations in the recent past. In Sambhal, devotees thronged the Chamunda Devi temple and the Durga temple at Rambagh Dham in Chandausi to offer prayers. Chanchal Sunny Gupta, a municipal member from Ward 18, said, "There is enthusiasm among devotees in Sambhal. All temples have been cleaned, and the police have made excellent security arrangements." Bal Mukund Gupta, a devotee at Chamunda temple, said "It took me an hour to get darshan because of the heavy crowd." With Eid just a day away, markets are a hive of business activities, with shoppers thronging readymade clothing and footwear stores. "Markets are bustlin
Extensive preparations are underway in Ayodhya to ensure a seamless experience for devotees arriving for Ram Navami, with special arrangements including mats, shaded camps, and enhanced sanitation measures, officials said on Saturday. The Uttar Pradesh government in a statement said that to provide relief to devotees, mats will be laid from Shringarahaat to Gate Number 3 of Rampath, with regular water sprinkling. Shaded temporary camps will be set up along Dharampath, with drinking water facilities at 243 locations, it said. The Ayodhya Municipal Corporation has intensified efforts to make the celebrations grand and well-organized, with a dedicated team, equipped with machinery, to ensure hygiene across the city, it added. Temporary toilets, including 34 mobile units, have been installed, and an enforcement team is working to keep the fairgrounds encroachment-free, the statement said. According to the statement, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is personally monitoring
Ahead of the commencement of the nine-day Chaitra Navratri festival on Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh government has directed the closure of illegal slaughterhouses and a ban on the sale of meat within 500 metres of religious places. Special restrictions will be imposed for Ram Navami on April 6, when animal slaughter and the sale of meat will be completely banned. Principal Secretary of the Urban Development Department Amrit Abhijat has directed all the District Magistrates, Police Commissioners and Municipal Commissioners to immediately close the slaughterhouses and enforce the ban on meat sale near religious places, the UP government said in a statement on Saturday. Citing the orders issued in 2014 and 2017, the Yogi Adityanath government has clarified that illegal animal slaughter and sale of meat near religious places will be completely prohibited. To make this decision effective, district-level committees have been formed under the chairmanship of district magistrates. These will
In a first, the Delhi Government has announced grand celebrations for the Hindu new year 'Chaitra Shukla Pratipada Nav Samvatsar' with a series of cultural and religious events, including a large-scale 'Falahar Party' during Navratri. The celebrations will begin on March 30 with an event at the Delhi Assembly, where the entire building will be illuminated with lamps, reminiscent of Diwali. The event, presided over by Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta, will have Chief Minister Rekha Gupta as the chief guest, with Minister of Art and Culture Kapil Mishra in attendance. Several ministers and legislators are also expected to participate. The evening will feature a musical performance by renowned singer Kailash Kher and his Kailasa band. As the occasion coincides with the first day of Navratri, the government has planned a Falahar (fruit-based meal) programme for attendees who observe fasting. Additionally, the Delhi government will organise multiple 'Falahar' events across the cit
With Navratri festivities drawing to a close, quick commerce firm Zepto co-founder and CEO Aadit Palicha took to LinkedIn to inform that the platform sold over 1 Lakh dandiya sticks during the season. "What a day! Closing out Navratri 2024 with a grateful heart, seeing the beauty of India's diversity through our users, sellers, brands, and every Zeptonian, who made it all happen. From essentials to festive picks, thank you for making us part of India's celebrations across nine incredible days," he wrote on LinkedIn. Through graphics, he shared that the Mumbai-headquartered firm sold 1,00,000 plus dandiya sticks during the season. He further said sales for fasting-friendly chips, Kattu and Rajgira atta, grew significantly compared to last year's Navratri sales. Palicha also shared how Zepto's dark stores indulged in Navratri festivities across the country. In Coimbatore, Kochi, Chennai, and Bangalore, the stores celebrated Ayudha Puja, honouring tools and equipment. The Bhawanipore