All posts tagged: pilgrimage

Over 6.5 cr devotees visit Braj temples, perform pilgrimages during ‘Purushottam Maas’ in UP

Over 6.5 cr devotees visit Braj temples, perform pilgrimages during ‘Purushottam Maas’ in UP

Published by Parlour News

Mathura , More than 6.5 crore devotees from across the country and abroad visited Mathura during the month-long Purushottam Maas, offering prayers at Braj temples and completing various religious circumambulations, officials said. Over 6.5 cr devotees visit Braj temples, perform pilgrimages during ‘Purushottam Maas’ in UP According to official figures, the maximum number of pilgrims participated in the Braj Chaurasi Kos Parikrama, with around three crore devotees completing the 126-km-long pilgrimage route covering several holy sites of the Braj region. More than 2.5 crore devotees performed the seven-kosi parikrama of the sacred Govardhan hill, with a large number of local devotees also joining the pilgrimage multiple times. A significant number of devotees also visited Mathura and Vrindavan for parikrama and temple darshan, while several others travelled to Barsana to seek blessings at the Ladli Ji temple dedicated to Radha Rani. The Purushottam Maas began on May 17 and concluded on June 15. Officials said such a large gathering within a short span of 30 days put the arrangements made by the district administration and police …

India rejects Nepal’s objection to pilgrimage via Lipulekh Pass

India rejects Nepal’s objection to pilgrimage via Lipulekh Pass

Published by Parlour News

India on Sunday rejected Nepal’s objection to the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra being conducted via Lipulekh Pass in Uttarakhand, saying Kathmandu’s claim on the region was not justified or based on historical facts. Nepal had said that Kathmandu was not consulted before finalising the route for the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra pilgrimage (HT Photo/Representational Image) Earlier on Sunday, the Nepal government sent diplomatic notes to India and China objecting to the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimage’s route through Lipulekh Pass, which Kathmandu claims as its territory. Nepal’s foreign ministry spokesperson Lok Bahadur Poudel Chhetri said his country’s concerns had been conveyed to both neighbours through diplomatic channels. External affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal responded to Nepal’s claims related to border issues in the context of the annual pilgrimage to a holy mountain and lake in Tibet region by saying India’s position on the matter has been consistent and clear. Also read: Number of Indian pilgrims eligible for Kailash Mansarovar Yatra increased to 1,000 “As regards territorial claims, India has consistently maintained that such claims are neither justified nor based …

‘I became unconscious’: Akshay Kumar reveals how a 1969 Vaishno Devi pilgrimage nearly ended in tragedy | Bollywood News

‘I became unconscious’: Akshay Kumar reveals how a 1969 Vaishno Devi pilgrimage nearly ended in tragedy | Bollywood News

Published by Parlour News

3 min readApr 14, 2026 06:47 PM IST Akshay Kumar, who is currently preparing for the release of his upcoming horror-comedy Bhoot Bangla, recently shared a chilling childhood anecdote. In an interview, Akshay revealed that his parents had nearly lost him shortly after his birth. ‘I became unconscious’ In a conversation with HT City, Akshay Kumar recalled that he was born after his parents prayed for a “naughty child” at the Vaishno Devi temple. He shared, “My mother and father prayed at Vaishno Devi, asking for a child. They specifically requested, ‘Give us a child, but let him be naughty.’ And a year later, I was born.” After his first birthday, his parents decided to return to Vaishno Devi to thank the goddess for blessing them with a child. However, things took a drastic turn during the journey. Akshay continued, “My parents took me along, but on the way, I suddenly fell very ill. I had a high fever, first 103°F, then 104°F, and I became unconscious. The doctor in Katra advised them to take …

From Oxford to the Moors: A scholar’s pilgrimage to Brontë country | Books and Literature News

From Oxford to the Moors: A scholar’s pilgrimage to Brontë country | Books and Literature News

Published by Parlour News

With the release of Emerald Fennell’s adaptation of Wuthering Heights, I, like many devoted readers of Emily Brontë’s novel, have found myself thinking again about the discomfort it elicits. The casting of Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff has revived a long-standing debate around the character’s racial identity. In the novel, Heathcliff’s origins are deliberately ambiguous, yet he is consistently marked as non-white. Variously described as a ‘dark-skinned gipsy’, ‘black-eyed’, and even a ‘Lascar’—a nineteenth-century term for sailors from South Asia—these labels intensify his otherness. Heathcliff’s racialised outsider status is central to his social ostracism and alienation. This unease is not incidental. Nineteenth-century British fiction emerged alongside imperial expansion, and novelistic worlds were implicitly shaped by imperial encounters. The Brontës were writing at a time when India occupied a powerful place in the British imagination, not only as a site of economic extraction but also as a moral and religious project. In Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë presents an alternative future for her heroine: marriage to her cousin St. John Rivers and a life of missionary work in …

PM Modi Reviews Somnath Temple Infrastructure In Trust Meeting, Amit Shah Present | India News

PM Modi Reviews Somnath Temple Infrastructure In Trust Meeting, Amit Shah Present | India News

Published by Webster

Last Updated:January 11, 2026, 09:08 IST PM Modi chaired the Shree Somnath Trust meeting and reviewed temple upgrades. He also joined Somnath Swabhiman Parv to mark 1000 years of Somnath Temple. PM Modi reviewed various phases related to the infrastructural upgradation in the temple. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting of the Shree Somnath Trust on Saturday and reviewed various phases related to infrastructural upgrades in the temple premises to ensure a more delightful experience for devotees. Amit Shah and several other dignitaries attended the meeting. Taking it to X, PM Modi wrote, “In Somnath this evening, chaired a meeting of the Shree Somnath Trust. We reviewed various aspects relating to infrastructure upgradations in the temple complex and ways to make the pilgrimage to Somnath even more memorable.” In Somnath this evening, chaired a meeting of the Shree Somnath Trust. We reviewed various aspects relating to infrastructure upgradations in the temple complex and ways to make the pilgrimage to Somnath even more memorable. pic.twitter.com/q9WHJ2crsx— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) January 10, 2026 Union Minister Amit Shah …

Jammu and Kashmir: Security, weather issues hit Vaishno Devi pilgrimage in 2025

Jammu and Kashmir: Security, weather issues hit Vaishno Devi pilgrimage in 2025

Published by Webster

The pilgrim footfall at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine atop Trikuta hills in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir fell below the 70-lakh mark in 2025, marking a significant decline as a series of security-related incidents and prolonged weather disruptions affected the annual pilgrimage, officials said. According to officials, a total of 68.85 lakh pilgrims had paid obeisance at the shrine till December 28 this year, with around 70,000 more expected to visit in the remaining days of 2025, given the heavy influx of pilgrims in view of the New Year. Compared to last year when annual footfall had crossed the 94.84-lakh mark, the over 27.4 per cent drop underscores the cumulative effect of security concerns and natural disruptions on religious tourism in the region, they said. The year saw multiple setbacks, with the Pahalgam terror attack in April that left 26 persons dead and prompted heightened security measures across the region. This was followed by a major counter-terror operation, Operation Sindoor, next month when the Indian armed forces hit terror infrastructure in Pakistan, leading …

Lucky draw for women, bicycles for girls, pilgrimage tours: Freebies distribution by candidates at its peak as PMC polls draw closer | Pune News

Lucky draw for women, bicycles for girls, pilgrimage tours: Freebies distribution by candidates at its peak as PMC polls draw closer | Pune News

Published by Parlour News

With the Pune Municipal Corporation elections around the corner, several wards across the city are witnessing a sharp rise in the distribution of freebies by candidates, along with the organisation of cultural programmes and public events. One notable instance occurred in Lohegaon-Dhanori, where Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Shashikant Tingre, representing the Ajit Pawar group, announced a lucky draw scheme that offers 11 women the chance to win one guntha of land each. Forms were collected for the draw, which Tingre described as a gift for his ‘Ladaki Bahin’, referring to women supporters. Similar trends were observed in the Bavdhan-Bhusari colony area, where BJP candidate Kiran Dagade Patil has offered free pilgrimage trips to residents of the ward. Promotional posts on his social media accounts highlight trips to religious destinations such as Sajjangad and Ujjain. He has also organised inter-society sports competitions with enticing prizes. Besides, a cultural programme featuring the Folk Prabodhan Band was organised in the area. During the event, 500 girls were given bicycles, while several women received sewing machines. Residents say …

Rs 36.35-crore development plan approved for Jain pilgrimage site Namokar Tirtha

Rs 36.35-crore development plan approved for Jain pilgrimage site Namokar Tirtha

Published by Webster

The Maharashtra Government has approved a development plan worth Rs 36.35 crore for the Jain pilgrimage site Namokar Tirtha at Malsane in Chandwad Taluka of Nashik District. The decision was taken at a meeting chaired by Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai. CM Fadnavis directed that all works under the plan be completed in a way that allows devotees to experience not only spiritual fulfilment but also a deep sense of inner satisfaction when visiting the site. He emphasised that all the works must maintain high-quality standards and be completed within the stipulated timeframe. The approved plan allocates Rs 24.26 crore for permanent infrastructure works, including concrete roads, protective boundary walls, boating facilities, a helipad, parking arrangements, electricity supply, and sanitation-related infrastructure. An additional Rs 12.09 crore will be spent on arrangements for the International Panchkalyanak Pratishthan Mahotsav, scheduled at Namokar Tirtha from February 6 to 25, 2026. Minister of State for Finance and Planning, Ashish Jaiswal, and legislator Rahul Aaher were present at the meeting. CM Fadnavis directed all …

Exclusive | Aasif Sheikh fulfils long-held mannat with family Umrah pilgrimage; describes it as a ‘divine experience’

Exclusive | Aasif Sheikh fulfils long-held mannat with family Umrah pilgrimage; describes it as a ‘divine experience’

Published by Parlour News

Actor Aasif Sheikh recently fulfilled a long-cherished wish by performing Umrah with his wife, Zeba Nigar, son Alyjah Sheikh and daughter Mariyam, completing his dream of visiting Mecca and Madina. Actor Aasif Sheikh with his wife, Zeba Nigar, son Alyjah Sheikh and daughter Mariyam during his visit to Mecca and Madina “Two years ago, when I did my first solo Umrah in November, I made a promise to myself that I would soon visit with my family. We take holidays and go on vacations, but I feel it is very important for us to stick to our roots and follow the divine call, especially with family members,” the 61-year-old says. The family planned the trip around his birthday on November 11. “I reached Mecca Sharif on my birthday, and we did ziyarat and all the rituals on the same day as planned. We stayed there for three days, and the hotel we booked months in advance had a room with a direct view of Kaba Sharif. So, the four of us stayed in that room …

AI Meets Almighty: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Pushes Digital Reforms To Ease Persistent Pilgrimage Queues | India News

AI Meets Almighty: Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams Pushes Digital Reforms To Ease Persistent Pilgrimage Queues | India News

Published by Webster

Last Updated:November 06, 2025, 05:58 IST TTD is collaborating with major technology firms, including giants like TCS, Jio, Amazon, and Google, to build customised tech platforms Beyond queue management, the integration of AI and facial recognition technology is intended to verify genuine devotees, prevent fraud and black-marketing of darshan tickets, and quickly locate missing persons. Representational image The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) is embarking on a massive digital overhaul, with Chairman BR Naidu announcing that his second year in office will be fundamentally centred on implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Information Technology (IT) solutions to revolutionise the devotee experience at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple. The core objective is ambitious: to drastically shorten the notorious long queues, minimise physical discomfort, and ensure a seamless, spiritually fulfilling pilgrimage for the millions who visit the sacred hill shrine annually. Speaking at a recent press conference, Naidu stated that the TTD is collaborating with major technology firms, including giants like TCS, Jio, Amazon, and Google, to build customised tech platforms. This push is aimed at making long queue lines …