Page 6 - Diwali

Auto shares lead rise in stock market in 'muhurat' trading session

The NSE Nifty 50 rose 0.41% to 24,304.35, while the BSE Sensex gained 0.42% to 79,724.12, both snapping a two-day losing streak

66% spike seen in noise pollution in Ranchi's silence zone on Diwali night

Sound pollution in Ranchi's silence zone touched 74.65 dB (decibels) on Diwali night on Thursday against a permissible limit of 45 dB, a spike of 65.88 per cent, an official said. It was, however, a 5.27 per cent increase if compared to pre-Diwali levels recorded on October 24, the official said on Friday. Ranchi's Old High Court in Doranda locality, classified as a silence zone, registered an average sound pollution of 74.65 dB between 6pm and midnight, according to a data released by the Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB). On October 24, the area registered a noise level of 70.91dB. In the commercial area of Albert Ekka Chowk, noise levels rose by 21.71 per cent against the average permissible limit of 60 dB. The area recorded 73.03 dB on Diwali night, compared to 68.65 dB earlier in the month. The permissible sound limits are 65 dB during the day and 55 dB at night in commercial areas. The Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board (JSPCB) measured sound levels at four

Festivities trigger gold buying spree, but volumes lag due to high prices

In India, prices jumped to a record high of Rs 79,775 per 10 grams earlier this week, marking a nearly 33 per cent increase since last year's Diwali

Diwali 2024 bank holiday today: Check if your bank is open on Nov 1

Bank holiday today: Many states will have banks closed on November 1 for Laxmi Pujan, Kut, Kannada Rajyothsava, and Govardhan Pooja, depending on the state

Delhi records 300 fire-related incidents on Diwali, none life-threatening

Delhi Fire Services Director Atul Garg said that between midnight and 6 am, 158 fire-related incidents cases were reported and added that there was no major fire as they had increased fire force

Trump vows to protect Hindu Americans from left; strengthen ties with India

In a bid to strengthen ties with India, Trump also expressed his desire to boost partnership with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he referred to as a 'good friend'

Trump extends Diwali greetings, condemns attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh

Sending Diwali greetings, former president Donald Trump, who is the Republican presidential candidate, on Thursday condemned the attack on Hindus in Bangladesh, vowed to strengthen ties with India and described Prime Minister Narendra Modi as his good friend. Bangladesh, he said, remains in a total state of chaos and alleged that his Democratic rival Vice President Kamala Harris and her boss President Joe Biden have ignored Hindus across the world and in America. I strongly condemn the barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities who are getting attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos, Trump said in a post on Truth Social. This is for the first time that Trump has spoken on the issue of Bangladesh. Hundreds of Hindus were killed in July-August in Bangladesh when a students' agitation turned into massive protests leading to then prime minister Sheikh Hasina to flee the country on August 5. It would have never happened

Delhi residents defy firecracker ban, light up sky with Diwali festivities

The Delhi sky lit up on Thursday as people celebrated Diwali defying a ban on firecrackers. Areas including Lajpat Nagar, Kalkaji, Chhatarpur, Jaunapur, East of Kailash, Saket, Rohini, Dwarka, Punjabi Bagh, Vikas Puri, Dilshad Garden, Burari and many other neighbourhoods of east and west Delhi saw firecrackers being burst. At 9 pm, Delhi's Air Quality Index (AQI) was recorded at 327, with Alipur, Anand Vihar, Ashok Vihar, Aaya Nagar, Bawana, Burari, Mathura Road, IGI Airport, Dwarka, Jahangirpuri, Mundka, Narela, Patparganj, Rohini, Shadipur, Sonia Vihar, Wazirpur, Mandir Marg, Nehru Nagar, Najafgarh and other weather-monitoring stations witnessing "very poor" air quality, according to the Sameer app that provides hourly updates of the National AQI published by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). With the 24-hour AQI recorded at 328 at 4 pm, Delhi experienced its worst air quality on Diwali in the last three years. Following the practice of the last four years, the city ...

India's strength lies in its armed forces, no compromise on borders: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said India cannot compromise on even an "inch" of land on its borders, adding the people believe in the strength of its armed forces for defending the country. India's enemies "see the end of their sinister plans" when they see the Indian armed forces, he said at Sir Creek in Gujarat's Kutch district, as he kept up his tradition of celebrating Diwali with personnel of the armed forces. The spot is located close to the Indo-Pak border. "People of India feel their country is safe because of you; when the world sees you, it sees India's strength, when enemies see you, they see the end of their sinister plans," Modi said, addressing personnel of the Border Security Force, Army, Navy and Air Force. "Today there is a government in the country which cannot compromise even on one inch of the country's borders," the prime minister added. His government believes in the strength of the army to defend the country and does not depend on the words of the

UK celebrates Diwali with hopes of a 'magic moment' for India FTA deal

The UK is very keen to clinch the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India and is building towards that magic moment, Britain's minister in charge of the Indo-Pacific said during a special Diwali reception in London. Catherine West, parliamentary under-secretary of state in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), referenced the previous Conservative government's Diwali 2022 deadline to complete the FTA negotiations as she reiterated the recently elected Labour government's commitment to get the deal done. The FTA negotiations, which were paused for general elections in both countries, are aimed at significantly enhancing the estimated GBP 38.1 billion a year bilateral trading partnership. As the new government, we're still extremely keen to be getting on with our trade deal, which was meant to be signed a couple of Diwalis ago. But we don't mind, what's a Diwali between friends, said West, addressing the FCDO's gathering of parliamentarians, community leaders and ...

PM Modi celebrates Diwali with armed forces near Indo-Pak border in Kutch

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday celebrated Diwali with the personnel of the Border Security Force (BSF), Army, Navy and Air Force near the Indo-Pak border in Gujarat's Kutch district. Modi reached Lakki Nala in Sir Creek area after landing at Koteshwar in Kutch from Ekta Nagar, said a BSF official. "He celebrated Diwali by offering sweets to jawans," the official added. In a video shared by officials, Modi, wearing a BSF uniform, can be seen offering sweets to the personnel on board a patrol vessel. Earlier in the day, the prime minister paid floral tributes to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar on the birth anniversary of India's first Home Minister which is celebrated as National Unity Day.

Indian, Chinese troops exchange sweets at LAC border points on Diwali

Troops of India and China exchanged sweets at several border points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on the occasion of Diwali on Thursday, Army sources said. The traditional practice was observed a day after both countries completed the disengagement at two friction points at Demchok and Depsang Plains in eastern Ladakh, bringing a fresh thaw in the Sino-Indian ties. "Sweets exchange between members of the troops of India and China took place at several border points along the LAC on the occasion of Diwali," an Army source told PTI. The exchange took place at five Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points along the LAC, the sources added. On Wednesday, an Army source said that troops of both sides had completed the disengagement at the two friction points and patrolling would commence soon at these points. The verification process after the disengagement was in progress and patrolling modalities were to be decided between ground commanders, the source said then. "Talks will ..

First Diwali after Ayodhya temple Pran Pratishtha is special: CM Adityanath

While addressing a public gathering in Ayodhya the Chief Minister said that the Deepotsav celebration in the Ram temple on Wednesday was the best example of how a society together celebrate a festival

Diwali brings out shared values between India, America: Richard Verma

There is no better holiday than Diwali, the festival of lights, that brings out the shared values between India and the US, a top American diplomat has said. Speaking at a Diwali reception on Wednesday, Indian-American Richard Verma, the Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources, said, I've spoken many times about the shared values between the United States and India and that's really what binds us together." "There is no better holiday, no better celebration than this one that really brings out the shared values between us, said Verma, the former US Ambassador to India. Hosted by the US India Strategic and Partnership Forum (USISPF) at the prestigious Kennedy Center, the reception was attended by senior government officials, members of the diplomatic corps, eminent Indian Americans and corporate executives. This festival of lights, our shared memories, our shared experiences and shared emotions... There is so much that connects our two populations. And it's more than

Delhi Police beefs up security, increases vigil against cracker bursting

Delhi Police keeps a strict vigil against the use of firecrackers in the city and has been on high alert following intelligence inputs. A total of 377 teams of Delhi Police and government officials have been deployed on ground to ensure blanket ban on sale and purchase of fire crackers in the city on Diwali. "Legal actions will be taken against those caught bursting crackers during the festival," a senior police officer told PTI. Police will also be deployed in civil dress seeing that the ban on crackers is followed. On October 14, the Delhi government imposed a ban on production, storage, sale and use of firecrackers across the city, effective till January 1. Meanwhile, the city has also been on a high alert since October 20 when a blast ripped through a wall of CRPF school in Rohini's Prashant Vihar area. The blast hurt no one but damaged hoardings of nearby shops and window panes of parked vehicles. Police will be deployed in markets which see considerable rush on Diwali such

Down to the wire: From mobiles to TVs, last-minute buys add spark to Diwali

Demand failed to pick up in the early part of the festival season because of widespread rain in several parts of the country besides the overall consumption slowdown

Record 2.5 million diyas set the tone for Ram temple's first Diwali

A million tourists expected to visit Ayodhya

Major domestic routes see up to 32% drop in spot airfares for Diwali travel

Travel associations observed that demand for flights on metro routes has eased this year compared to the previous surge, which largely met the pent-up post-pandemic travel appetite

Gold surges Rs 1,000 to breach Rs 82k mark as Diwali sparkles demand

Gold prices saw a steep surge of Rs 1,000 and breached the psychological Rs 82,000 per 10 grams-mark for the fist time in the national capital on Wednesday, amid robust buying by jewellers ahead of Diwali. According to the All India Sarafa Association, the yellow metal of 99.9 per cent purity soared by Rs 1,000 to hit a fresh peak of Rs 82,400 per 10 grams in Delhi. The precious metal of 99.5 per cent purity also climbed Rs 1,000 to hit an all-time high of Rs 82,000 per 10 grams in the local markets. In the previous session, gold of 99.9 per cent and 99.5 per cent purity had closed at Rs 81,400 and Rs 81,000 per 10 grams, respectively. Traders attributed the sharp jump in gold prices to massive buying by local jewellers in order to meet the rising demand during Diwali as well as firm global trend due to uncertain geopolitical situation ahead of the US presidential elections. At Rs 82,400 per 10 gram, gold price has recorded a 35 per cent surge since October 29 last year when it wa

Registration of properties in Mumbai rises in Diwali month: Anarock

Registration of properties in Mumbai so far this month has crossed 12,500 units because of Dussehra and Diwali festivals, according to Anarock. On Wednesday, real estate consultant Anarock said that 12,513 properties were registered in Mumbai in October (till 30th) against 9,736 in November 2023. This is a 29 per cent jump this Diwali over last year, it added. Last year, Diwali was celebrated in the month of November. Anarock Chairman Anuj Puri said, "Considering that housing sales remained tepid in the third quarter of 2024 across Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) including Mumbai, the city's sales in just the first month of the festive quarter is notable." "A major reason for the rise in property registrations this October could also be that both Dussehra and Diwali are being celebrated in the same month," Puri said. Last year, Dussehra was in October and Diwali in November. "Both these festivals are considered the most auspicious for property buying and many buyers time their