Festivals

When faith turned to power: Dev Deepawali lights up UP's cultural pride

Once a quiet riverside ritual, Dev Deepawali has evolved into UP's largest soft-power spectacle - merging faith, art, enterprise into a global cultural brand that reflects state's growing confidence

India's festival spending jumps to $68 bn after GST cuts as demand rises

Spending between Sept 22 and Oct 21 - the period between the Hindu festivals of Navratri and Diwali - increased 8.5 per cent from the same time last year

Chhath Puja 2025: Delhi police issues traffic advisory for October 27-28

The Delhi Traffic Police has issued an advisory ahead of Chhath Puja, anticipating heavy traffic near major roads and ponds from the afternoon of October 27 to the morning of October 28

Chhath Puja gives message of unity, cooperation in society: President Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday greeted citizens on Chhath Puja and said the festival gives the message of unity, cooperation and collective participation in the society. During Chhath Puja, devotees worship and offer 'arghya' to the Sun, she said in a message. "On this festival, we express our gratitude to nature. We worship the rivers and ponds, and pray for the well-being of our families. This festival also conveys a message of cleanliness and environment conservation," the President said. Chhath Puja also gives the message of unity, cooperation and collective participation in the society, Murmu said. "On this sacred occasion, I pray for happiness and prosperity of all citizens," she said, and extended wishes to all her fellow citizens. Chhath Puja, a four-day festival dedicated to the Sun God and Chhathi Maiya, is being celebrated and it will conclude on October 28.

PM Modi shares Chhath songs, extends greetings to devotees across India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended greetings on the occasion of Chhath, a four-day festival to worship the Sun god celebrated across the country, especially in Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern UP. "With the sacred ritual of 'Nahay-Khay', the four-day grand festival of Chhath begins today. I extend my heartfelt wishes to devotees across Bihar and the entire nation. My respect and salute to all those observing the fast," the prime minister said in a post on X. He also shared a song by noted singer Sharda Sinha, whose soulful renditions add to the festival fervour. Modi said he was in Begusarai on Friday, a place with which Sinha shared a soulful connection. "This magnificent festival of our culture symbolises simplicity and restraint, whose sanctity and adherence to rules are unparalleled. The sights at the Chhath ghats on this auspicious occasion inspire wonderful familial and social harmony. The ancient tradition of Chhath has had a profound impact on our society," Modi

Around 200 special trains to make 12,000 trips between Oct 1 and Nov 30

The Railway Ministry has released a list of 12,011 train trips scheduled between October 1 and November 30, 2025, suggesting that an average 196 special trains are operating daily from various destinations in the country to cater to the heavy festive rush. The highest number of special trains operated so far on a single day was around 280 on October 18, while the lowest was approximately 166 on October 8. Officials said that the ministry worked day and night for months with all the zones and divisions to identify and utilise all available coaches to ensure that passengers could reach their destinations in time to celebrate festivals. Almost all the coaches, including those sent for repair, were retrieved ensuring their fitness from all 70 railway divisions across the country to facilitate 12,011 trips based on passenger movements, a railway official said. However, a section of officials and railway activists claimed that the list includes not only some short-distance local trains b

Datanomics: Festivities choke Delhi's air despite fall in stubble burning

Historically, Delhi's air has turned hazardous near the Diwali week not just because of the burning of firecrackers, but also due to paddy stubble burning and rising vehicular emissions

Central Railway runs 705 festival trains, ferries over 1 mn passengers

The Central Railway has so far operated 705 special trains for Diwali and Chhath, carrying more than 10.6 lakh passengers, a senior official said on Tuesday. Speaking to the media, Central Railway General Manager Vijay Kumar said that the CR plans to operate as many as 1,998 Diwali and Chhath special trains out of the 12,011 special trains scheduled by zonal railways across the country between September 19 and November 30. Of the 1,998 trains, the highest number of special services are scheduled from Pune, followed by Mumbai, he said. "The festival special trains are expected to facilitate travel for more than 30 lakh passengers, offering convenient options to states like Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh," Kumar added. According to Central Railway, over 600 special trains have been notified from Mumbai alone. "More than 100 regular trains and 8 to 10 special trains are being operated from Mumbai daily, the official said. On Tuesday and the following three day

Diwali 2025: Festive season isn't kind to your skin. Here's how to fix it

Too many sweets, sleepless nights, smog, and heavy makeup can trigger festive breakouts. Dermatologists share how to calm your skin, restore its glow, and prevent post-Diwali damage

Why loneliness hits harder during Diwali, and how to cope with it

For singles, and those far from family, Diwali can feel isolating. Experts explain why festive joy often deepens the ache of solitude, and how to ease it

GST reforms drive record festive demand, says FM Nirmala Sitharaman

She said this marginal deviation was due to cases where input taxes remained higher than output rates, leading to small adjustments before products reach consumers

GST cuts boost spending; festive, wedding season sales to cross ₹7 trn

The Centre said that the timing of the GST cuts just before the festival and wedding season proved ideal, boosting consumer sentiment across sectors

How to enjoy Diwali drinks without damaging your liver or your waistline

Doctors warn that even small festive indulgences can strain your liver. Experts share science-backed tips to celebrate responsibly and stay healthy this Diwali

Kolkata metro to run special night services on Blue line for Kali Puja

Metro Railway Kolkata will run special night services on the Blue line on October 20 on the occasion of Kali Puja, an official statement said on Friday. While the last train will leave from Dakshineswar station for Sahid Khudiram at 10:51 pm instead of the normal 9:28 pm, the last train from Sahid Khudiram will depart at 11 pm for Dakshineswar instead of 9:33 pm, the Metro Railway said in a statement. On October 20, 144 services (72 services on UP and DN sections each) will be run along the Blue Line (Dakshineswar-Sahid Khudiram) corridor instead of 272 services on other Mondays, but the special services will be run at night to enable thousands of devotees to attend the puja rituals at the two heritage Kali temples at Kalighat and Dakshineswar.

Delhi roads gridlocked ahead of Diwali, commuters face massive jams

As Delhi gears up for Diwali, city's roads turned into a gridlock on Wednesday with heavy congestion reported from many parts of the city, leaving commuters stuck for hours. Long snarls were reported in central, south, east, northwest, outer and outernorth Delhi, with several stretches witnessing bumper-to-bumper traffic for over half an hour. "The heavy traffic is a result of the festive rush and people returning back to the city for the holidays," a senior police officer said. Several commuters shared pictures of traffic jams on social media platforms. Complaints poured from people stuck for hours as the festive rush combined with office-hour movement brought the capital to a crawl. "Delhi's traffic is unbelievable, I've been stuck on Wazirabad Road for the past 37 minutes!" a netizen posted. "Every road in south Delhi is jammed today. Driving virtually on first gear for an hour now," another wrote. A commuter heading to Gurugram said they had to postpone a meeting three times

Festive, wedding seasons likely to generate ₹7 trn in sales: Trade body

India's festive season and upcoming wedding period are projected to generate a turnover exceeding Rs 7 lakh crore, according to trade body Bhartiya Udyog Vyapar Mandal (BUVM). BUVM national president Babu Lal Gupta said that the festive season has brought robust momentum to markets across the country, and a turnover of Rs 7.58 lakh crore across various sectors is expected. On Tuesday, the national trade body released a report based on a market survey conducted across the country. "A combination of high consumer sentiment, growing preference for local products and improvements in the GST regime have significantly boosted retail and wholesale trade," he said. Gupta said the positive sentiment is reflected across sectors, ranging from automobiles, real estate, and grocery essentials to jewellery, electronics, traditional decor, apparel and dry fruits. He said domestic manufacturers, particularly small and medium enterprises, are witnessing rising demand, especially in tier-2 and tier

K Rammohan Naidu asks airlines to ensure reasonable fares in festive season

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu on Friday held a review meeting with officials of airlines to assess their operational and technical performance, and asked them to keep airfares at reasonable levels during the festive season. Representatives of Air India, Air India Express, IndiGo, Akasa Air, Alliance Air, Fly91, FlyBig and IndiaOne Air, among others, participated in the meeting. They presented their performance metrics, including action taken reports on security incidents and passenger grievances, according to an official release. During the meeting with the airline representatives that went on for more than five hours, Naidu emphasised that they should strictly adhere to safety protocols. The periodic meeting also came against the backdrop of two incidents involving Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Naidu asked airlines to adopt best practices in passenger convenience and service quality. "Detailed discussions were held with each airline on identifying ...

Karwa Chauth 2025 moonrise time today: Know when to break your fast

Karwa Chauth, a cherished festival observed by married women across India, falls today, October 10. Here are the moonrise timings across cities to help you plan your rituals.

Karwa Chauth 2025: Share these warm wishes and messages with loved ones

Celebrate love this Karwa Chauth on October 10, 2025, with heartfelt wishes, quotes, and messages to share with your partner, friends, and family

Karwa Chauth 2025: Top 5 gifts to surprise your wife, from gold to mobile

Karwa Chauth: TThis year, Karwa Chauth falls on October 10.The festival celebrates love and devotion, as women fast for their partners while husbands surprise them with thoughtful last-minute gifts.