Page 3 - Festivals

150 Puja special trains from Sept 21 to Nov 30 to handle passenger rush

The Railway Board has issued notifications regarding the operation of 150 Puja special trains from September 21 to November 30, which will make a total of 2,024 trips to handle the extra rush of passengers. Railway officials said that under the Puja special train series, South Central Railway will run the maximum number of 48 trains, completing 684 trips. "These trains will be operated mainly from major stations like Hyderabad, Secunderabad and Vijayawada," a press note from the Railways said. "East Central Railway has notified 14 trains which will pass through major stations of Bihar like Patna, Gaya, Darbhanga and Muzaffarpur and will make a total of 588 trips." Officials said that Eastern Railway zone, which is among the busiest routes, will run 24 special trains from crowded stations like Kolkata, Sealdah and Howrah, managing 198 trips. "While Western Railway has announced 24 special trains from cities like Mumbai, Surat, Vadodara to operate 204 trips, Southern Railway has als

Front seat view: Luxury cars and bikes rev up for the festival season

Luxury carmakers are shifting into high gear with a mix of product launches, personalised experiences & lifestyle-led engagement

Celebration getaways: Diwali under the stars or Pujo in a Rajbari

For those looking to celebrate India's biggest festivals away from home, boutique hotels, heritage properties are curating immersive experiences steeped in tradition, with all the comforts of luxury

Spirit of the festival season: Hosting an unforgettable gathering at home

Unsurprisingly, global brands are once again turning up to be part of the festival season, right through Onam, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Dussehra, and Diwali

Silver linings: Why silver remains a symbol of prosperity and permanence

Known for blending contemporary aesthetics with vintage charm, Singh says that silver is finding new life in homes - not just in traditional ways, but in repurposed, innovative formats

Looms of luxury: Textiles to celebrate with this festival season

From jacquard cashmere to artisanal alpaca blends, textiles as heirlooms or work of art are all the rage this celebration season

Festive code: Leading designers share notes on the look of the season

"Our bestseller is sculpted womenswear and tailored kurta sets with tonal embroidery for men," says Rahul Khanna

Time to sparkle: A festival style guide from jewellery designers

Jewellery designers offer a style guide on mixing Meenakari with metallics, and brooches with blazers

Heritage watches to rare books: A curated bouquet of exquisite gifts

The collection includes: Jaipur Watch Company's limited-edition watch, Baccarat's Rouge 540 and more

Drone diyas to moving rangolis: Tradition meets theatrics at festivals

Whether it's Diwali in Delhi, Dussehra in Pune, Durga Puja in Kolkata, or Ganesh Chaturthi in Mumbai, event planners agree on one thing: the soul must remain Indian, even if the stage feels global

Amazon boosts festive delivery with 12 fulfilment, 6 new sort centres

E-commerce giant Amazon on Thursday announced the launch of 12 new fulfilment centres (smart warehouses) and half a dozen new sort centres -- its network expansion aimed at bolstering delivery capabilities in the festive season. The expansion adds a combined 8.6 million cubic feet of incremental storage capacity, it said citing an analogy of it being equivalent of 100 Olympic-sized swimming pools. "Ahead of the upcoming festive season, Amazon today announced a major expansion of its operations network with the launch of 12 new fulfillment centers (FCs) and expansion of 6 FCs," Amazon said in a release. The expansion brings the first Amazon fulfillment center to five cities including Hooghly, Tiruvallur, Krishnagiri, Visakhapatnam and Hubballi. The company also announced the launch of six new sort centres (SCs) in Hubli, Trivandrum, Rajpura, Gorakhpur, Moradabad and Prayagraj with a combined area of 500000 sq. feet, it informed. Explaining the rationale, Amazon said the expansion wi

Meat sale banned in Indore ahead of upcoming festive days of Hindus, Jains

The authorities in Madhya Pradesh's financial capital Indore have banned the sale of meat completely on certain days of the upcoming festivals celebrated by Hindus and Jains, the city Mayor has said. In a statement on Tuesday, Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said the sale of meat will be completely banned in the city on Ganesh Chaturthi (August 27), Dol Gyaras (September 3), Anant Chaturdashi (September 6) celebrated by Hindus, and Paryushan festival of Jains. He said, I have instructed the municipal corporation officials to ensure strict compliance of this ban. Appropriate action will be taken against those who violate the ban. Officials said many people from the Hindu and Jain communities had sought a ban on the sale of meat during the festive period to safeguard their religious sentiments.

PM Modi greets everyone on Janmashtami; calls its festival of faith

Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu extended warm greetings to all Indians in the country and abroad on the eve of Shri Krishna Janmashtami

President Murmu extends greetings to citizens on eve of Krishna Janmashtami

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday greeted citizens on the eve of Krishna Janmashtami and asked all to take a pledge to make the nation stronger. The life and teachings of Bhagwan Shri Krishna inspire us towards self-development and self-realisation, she said in a message. Bhagwan Shri Krishna enlightened humanity about attainment of ultimate truth by following the path of 'dharma', the president said. This festival inspires us to adopt eternal values embodied by Lord Krishna, Murmu said. "On this occasion let us all take a pledge to follow the teachings of Bhagwan Shri Krishna and make our society and nation stronger," she said. Murmu extended best wishes to all the Indians living in India and abroad on the festival. "On the occasion of Shri Krishna Janmashtami, a festival filled with joy and enthusiasm, I extend my warm greetings and best wishes to all the Indians living in India and abroad," she added.

August 15 or 16? Here's when Janmashtami 2025 will actually be celebrated

The auspicious Hindu festival of Janmashtami, or Krishna Janmashtami, falls on the 8th day of the Ashtami Tithi of Krishna Paksha in the month of Shraavana. So, in 2025, devotees will mark on Aug 16

Air India Express launches 'freedom sale' with fares starting from ₹1,279

Passengers can avail of 25% off Xpress Biz fares and 20% off extra baggage with Air India Express, as part of their special Freedom Sale to celebrate India's 79th Independence Day

Festival bonanza: Railways offers 20% rebate on confirmed return tickets

Railway Board's August 8, 2025 circular offers 20% rebate on base fare for confirmed return tickets booked for the same passengers, class, and origin-destination pair

Raksha Bandhan decoded: Here's why Rakhi is always tied on the right hand

Raksha Bandhan is an important Hindu festival that celebrates the bond between siblings. Have you ever wondered why Rakhi is only tied on the right hand? Let's know the science behind it

When is Rakhi in 2025? Check date, time and meaning of Raksha Bandhan

Raksha Bandhan: This year, Raksha Bandhan, a cherished Hindu festival, will be observed on Saturday, August 9, 2025. Celebrate the sacred sibling bond with fun, good food, traditions, and blessings

Friendship Day 2025: Wishes, quotes & greetings to share with your friends

Friendship Day is a day dedicated to the bonds of friendship. Countries, like India and the US, celebrate Friendship Day on the first Sunday of August