Devotees line up to enter the Kashi Vishwanath temple next to the Gyanvapi mosque (background) in Varanasi on February 3, 2024. | Photo Credit: AFP The story so far: The Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, is once again in focus, albeit in a context in which its objectives are being ignored. Civil suits … Read more
Varanasi: Gyanvapi Mosque, in Varanasi, Friday, July 21, 2023. A Varanasi court on Friday ordered a scientific survey of the Gyanvapi mosque located next to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. | Photo Credit: PTI A team from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) arrived here on Sunday to conduct a scientific survey to determine if the … Read more
Over the past two decades and some, I have been invited to innumerable launches and have attended just as many. People in the writing space—and more recently, online influencers—are the first on any party list to be invited when a new place ups shutters. The idea is that when a new place opens, it needs … Read more
Every region in India has its own version of paan and almost everyone in India eats, if not loves, it. But there is something about Banarasi paan that sets it apart. Is it the leaf, the ingredients, or is it the preparation? It is hard to pick but one thing is clear, there is no … Read more
The two-day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Tourism Ministers’ meeting began on Friday in Varanasi with a likely joint action plan on the development of cooperation in tourism to be adopted during the gathering. The plan will include promotion of the cultural heritage of the SCO member states, promotion of the SCO tourism brand, sharing and … Read more
The Samajwadi Party and its allies on Tuesday alleged that two trucks laden with electronic voting machines have gone missing in Varanasi after the March 7 voting. The SP along with its allies Suheldev Bhartiya Samaj party and Janwadi Party (Socialist) made the allegation in a memorandum submitted to the office of Chief Electoral Officer … Read more
Over 55 per cent voter turnout was recorded in the seventh and last phase of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections for 54 seats on Monday. Voting started at 7 am. It ended at 4 pm in the Chakia (Chandauli), Robertsganj and the Duddhi (Sonbhadra) seats, while in the rest of the segments, it continued till … Read more
Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav Saturday took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying those who were “defaming” the SP’s red cap have been “forced by people” to wear a cap, although of a different colour. Yadav made the comment at an election rally here apparently referring to Prime Minister Modi donning a saffron … Read more
With the campaigning coming to an end on Saturday evening in Varanasi district, BJP’s booth committees started focussing on voter management and are working to ensure maximum turnout on the polling day. Within the BJP organisation, the main task of the booth committees is to ensure the delivery of “parchi” (voter’s slip) to every voter … Read more
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday described the Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls as “pro-incumbency”, saying the people themselves are fighting for continuation of the government. Addressing an election rally at Khajuri village in Varanasi, the prime minister said that due to their aversion towards him, “dynasts” were making fun of ‘vocal for local’ and the … Read more