Kolkata: Seven people, including four children and two women, were killed in a gas cylinder blast at a house in Pathar Pratima in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district on Monday night, a senior police officer said. A woman also suffered injuries in the explosion that took place in Dholahat village of Pathar Pratima block…
Mumbai/Thane: Pollution is India’s biggest challenge and the transport sector is a major contributor, Union minister Nitin Gadkari said on Monday, stressing the urgent need to transition from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources. He also said that a reduction in the cost of lithium batteries would significantly lower the price of electric vehicles (EVs),…
Girja Shankar Dixit Chaitra Navratri, one of the most important festivals in the Hindu calendar, marks the victory of good over evil through the divine battle between Goddess Durga and the demon Mahishasura. This festival, devoted to the Goddess of Power—Shakti—is not only a celebration of the triumph of light over darkness but also an…
Nepal is once again on the boil. The small Himalayan nation, which transitioned from a monarchy to a republic in 2008, is witnessing violent protests demanding the reinstatement of the monarchy and a return to its Hindu identity. The unrest, fuelled by frustration over political instability, a struggling economy, and rampant corruption, raises serious concerns…
C Pradeep Kumar Land disputes in India are messy. But when religion, outdated laws, and unchecked powers collide, it becomes a full-blown circus. Enter the Waqf Act—a law that quietly lets an unelected board decide what’s theirs, what’s yours, and what no one even knew was in dispute—until now. You wake up, sip your tea,…
In the dense forests of Kishkindha, the words of Rama, rich with the wisdom of the world’s ways, the duties of kingship, and the ancient codes of conduct as set forth by Manu, sank deep into the heart of Vali. In his final moments, the mighty monkey king grasped a profound truth: the world is…
Udbhava Ganapathi Temple is in GundeGowdana Koppalu, a serene locality in Hassan, Karnataka.The temple is named Udbhava Ganapathi because the idol of Lord Ganesha manifested naturally (Swayambhu) from the earth rather than being sculpted by human hands. The temple features traditional Dravidian architecture with intricate carvings and a majestic tower (gopuram) at the entrance. The…
New Delhi: India’s external debt increased by 10.7 per cent to USD 717.9 billion at the end of December 2024 from USD 648.7 billion in December 2023, as per the data released by the finance ministry. On a quarter-on-quarter basis, there is a 0.7 percent increase in external debt from the level of USD 712.7…
New Delhi: India is expected to experience hotter-than-usual temperatures from April to June, with more heatwave days in central and eastern India and the northwestern plains, the IMD said on Monday. Most parts of the country will see higher-than-normal maximum temperatures, except for some areas in western and eastern India, where the temperatures are expected…
New Delhi: A joint team of the Narcotics Control Bureau and Delhi Police have seized a large cache of narcotics worth Rs 27.4 crore and arrested five persons, Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced on Monday. Shah also said the government’s relentless hunt against drugs trade will continue. “In line with the Modi government’s zero…
