Latest news with #Amrit
India Gazette
2 days ago
- General
- India Gazette
In a spiritual shift, Nashik Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2027 to replace 'Shahi Snan' with 'Amrit Snan'
Nashik (Maharashtra) [India], June 1 (ANI): The upcoming Nashik Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2027 will witness a significant traditional change, as the age-old practice of 'Shahi Snan' or royal bath will be replaced with 'Amrit Snan' for the first time. This decision was taken during a meeting of the Akhara Parishad and the Kumbh Mela organisers with Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nashik on Sunday. 'The Kumbh Mela is held at four locations across the country Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik and it takes place based on where the drops of Amrit fell. The term Shahi Snan was introduced during the Mughal era. Therefore, this tradition is now being changed, and the Shahi Snan will henceforth be referred to as Amrit Snan. This decision was taken after discussions during a meeting between all 13 Akharas and the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Nashik,' Mahant Bhakti Charan Das, spokesperson of All India Vaishnav Akhara told ANI. The move aims to infuse the event with a deeper spiritual and religious essence, steering it away from the display of grandiosity and power. Saints from various Akharas have stressed that the bathing ritual should symbolize spiritual discipline rather than royal pageantry. 'Referring to the sacred bath as 'Amrit Snan' aligns more closely with the true purpose of the event,' said Mahant Bhakti Charan Das. According to Hindu beliefs, bathing during the Kumbh Mela cleanses one of all sins. The name 'Amrit Snan' draws from the mythological tale of the Samudra Manthan (churning of the ocean), where drops of divine nectar--Amrit--were believed to have fallen at the Kumbh sites, including Nashik. The Akharas view 'Amrit Snan' as a return to the festival's spiritual roots, ensuring the focus remains on devotion, penance, and salvation rather than spectacle. Earlier today, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said preparations have been underway following discussions with chiefs of various Akharas ahead of the Simhastha Kumbh Mela 2027 in Nashik. 'A meeting was organised in relation to the Kumbh Mela of Nashik and Trimbakeshwar, in which the 13 major Akharas were also present. We discussed the event in the presence of all the Mahants, saints, priests... This time the fair is going to be long, so people will get to see many important 'Amrit Snan' dates and holy festivals...,' CM Fadnavis told reporters here. He also said that the government has come up with a plan to ensure the cleanliness of the Godavari River.'A plan has also been prepared to ensure that our Godavari Maa flows clean and uninterrupted... Works worth Rs 2,000 crores are in the pipeline. Overall, preparations have been made here so that a divine and grand fair is held,' CM Fadnavis said. The Nashik Kumbh, one of the largest religious gatherings in India, is held once every 12 years, where devotees come to take a holy bath on the banks of the Godavari River. The Maharashtra government is focused on ensuring smooth arrangements, including sanitation, security, and infrastructure development. Key decisions are expected to be finalized in the coming months. (ANI)
Time of India
7 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Amrit Bharat Scheme: BJP MLA Raises Concerns Over Substandard Construction and Land Encroachment at Agra Railway Stations, ET Infra
Advt Advt The construction work for redevelopment of Agra Division's two railway stations under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme is of substandard quality, Babulal Chaudhary , a BJP MLA from Fatehpur Sikri in Uttar Pradesh, has alleged in a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi . When asked, railway officials from the Agra Division said that it doesn't deal with the said scheme. There was no immediate response from the Railway Ministry to Chaudhary's letter dated May 24, 2025, said that about ₹20 crore were allotted to redevelop two stations, Fatehpur Sikri and Achhnera. However, the ongoing construction work fails to meet the prescribed standards outlined for the scheme, the MLA claimed in the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme has been floated by the Railway Ministry to improve passenger amenities at over 1,300 stations across the country. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated 103 such stations where passenger facilities were enhanced under the said claimed that the ongoing work is more of a formality than a genuine commitment to quality and officials are more focused on "earning commissions" from the project rather than having concerns for creating passenger amenities."It is maligning the reputation of Agra Rail Division," the letter Chaudhary also flagged the blatant encroachment of railway land by influential persons in collusion with the Divisional Railway Manager (DRM), a charge strongly rebutted by the officials."The land encroachment is a decade-old issue under litigation. The lower court order went in favour of land occupiers. Our appeal is pending before the High Court and the DRM or any other officer of the Division has no role to play in this. It is a baseless allegation," an official from the Division added, "So far as substandard construction work of stations is concerned, the DRM cannot be blamed for this because the Amrit Bharat Station Redevelopment Scheme comes directly under the Chief Administrative Officer (Construction/Road Safety Projects)."Chaudhary, in his letter, has urged the prime minister to issue an order to remove the DRM, clear the encroachment, construct boundary walls around railway land to prevent any future encroachment and investigate the station redevelopment work to punish the culprits."I have written this letter and sent their copies to the Railway Minister as well as General Manager of the North Central Railway under which the Agra Division comes," Chaudhary told PTI.
NDTV
7 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Why Nainital Has No Tourists In Its Peak Travel Season This Year
Empty roads. No traffic. Open space parking. When you hear these phrases, several places might spring to mind - but Nainital in Uttarakhand is probably not one of them, especially during this time of year. Usually overwhelmed by tourists, Nainital and its residents are now experiencing something unusual; and for many, it's far from welcome. This shift is the result of a significant drop in the number of tourists visiting the town. According to locals we spoke to, this decline couldn't have come at a worse time - May and June - the summer months, and traditionally the peak season for tourism. '90 Per Cent Drop In Occupancy' Digvijay Singh Bisht, President of the Nainital Hotel Association, informs NDTV of a massive fall in hotel and resort bookings. He says occupancy rates have plunged by as much as 90 per cent in the last month. "Bookings were cancelled even for June. There were no walk-in guests. It's not the same as in the previous years," Bisht tells NDTV. NDTV spoke to other hoteliers, cab service providers and local business owners in Nainital, and nearly all of them echoed the same concern - a sharp and sudden decline in the number of tourists visiting the 'lake district' of India. Rana Singh* (name changed as per request), a hotelier who owns a property in Nainital and has been in the hospitality business for almost 35 years, says his property has also witnessed a 70 to 80 per cent drop in bookings. This, he points out, is despite Nainital having more pleasant weather compared to many other hill stations in Uttarakhand. "People are choosing places like Bhimtal, Mukteshwar and others, but they are skipping Nainital," Singh tells us. Amrit, a local taxi service provider who has catered to tourists in Nainital for more than 10 years, says he has seen a 50 per cent drop in cab bookings over this month. May and June usually contribute to nearly 80 per cent of their annual bookings. This fall has led to a significant loss for him and many others in the same line of work. Amit, who runs a well-known local business in town, adds to Amrit's concerns, "For businesses that rely entirely on tourist footfall, a season like this has a major impact on our income." Tourism during the peak season is crucial for Nainital. Over the years, it has not only been a key driver of economic growth but has also provided employment opportunities for a large portion of the local population. Why There are several factors contributing to the downturn in tourism in Nainital this summer. Let's take a closer look at what has pushed this once-popular destination into the shadows. The Pahalgam Attack In April 2025, a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the popular tourist destination in Jammu and Kashmir, claimed the lives of 26 civilians; most of whom were tourists. The incident sent shockwaves across the country and heightened security concerns. Since then, tensions along the India-Pakistan border have been high, and this has discouraged many from travelling anywhere - including peaceful hill stations like Nainital. Bisht notes that other states have also experienced a decline in tourism. "I got a call from our association members in Kerala. They wanted to know how things were in Uttarakhand. They told me their occupancy rate had also dropped since the conflict began," he says. This climate of uncertainty has made many Indians hesitant to travel to well-known tourist destinations. Communal Tensions In Nainital On May 1, communal unrest broke out in Nainital after a 12-year-old girl was allegedly assaulted by a 60-year-old man. The incident sparked protests and acts of vandalism in the town. Police arrested the accused, Osman, a contractor, and deployed security forces to prevent further violence. As news of the girl's medical examination spread, large demonstrations erupted outside the police station. Several shops owned by members of the Muslim community were vandalised, and a mosque was targeted with stones. Footage of the protests and violence went viral on social media, creating a sense of fear and uncertainty among potential visitors, many of whom cancelled their plans to visit the town. "Even though Nainital is completely safe now, the headlines and social media coverage of the unrest have created fear among tourists," says hotelier Singh. 'They Are Sending Tourists Back' Among the many reasons given by locals for the decline in tourism, one of the most common complaints is the administration's handling of tourist traffic. "They don't allow tourists to bring their own vehicles into the town. They're asked to park at least 10 km away from Nainital, which is inconvenient for many who want to travel in their personal vehicles," Amrit explains. This is the scene at Nainital highway road, just beside police barrier no 1 Aerocity Illegal parking of trucks on both side of the road is creating congestion and are also dangerous for other vehicles. @Uppolice @adgzonebareilly @igrangebareilly @myyogiadityanth @bareillypolice — Kush_Kar (@kartavya_kush) May 19, 2025 He also points out that parking charges in government areas have increased from Rs 130 per day to Rs 500 per day. This was intended to ease traffic congestion, which had been a major issue for tourists. "No one wants to spend 6 to 7 hours stuck on the road when they've come for a relaxing weekend," says local businessman Amit. Amrit, the local taxi service provider, alleges that police at checkpoints have been also advising tourists to avoid coming to Nainital due to traffic concerns. A New Toll Another contributing factor is the sudden introduction of toll taxes. Toll collection booths at Barapather and Fanshi Ghandera were introduced under a new Environment Tax system. This move was initiated during a Nagar Palika Nainital board meeting following directions from the Uttarakhand High Court. The new tolls are aimed at regulating vehicle entry and raising funds for environmental conservation in the region. What The Government Says A spokesperson from the District Magistrate's office in Nainital tells NDTV that the increase in taxes and parking charges is intended to control traffic. Moreover, it is also done to ensure that not too many cars enter the town. These charges include a toll tax of Rs 110, parking charges of Rs 500 per day, and a lake bridge tax of Rs 110, which allows access to the famous Mall Road. "Private vehicles are asked to park a few kilometres away so that we can manage the traffic load. If your hotel has parking, only then you can enter Nainital with your private vehicle," the spokesperson said. The Hope Despite this, locals and hoteliers remain hopeful that the season might still recover and tourists will return to the streets of Nainital. Amit says the new laws and regulations might attract a different kind of traveller - those who are more intentional and willing to spend more within the local economy. The locals we spoke to also mentioned that there was a noticeable return of tourists over the last weekend. Localities are hoping the tourist numbers will increase. Photo: Unsplash "Occupancy increased to 40 per cent last week, and tourists are starting to come back, now that the border tensions have eased," says Bisht. Other hoteliers, like Sonu Chhabra, who owns a property in the town, believe that the upcoming Independence-Day long weekend in August might bring a surge in visitor numbers. "We are hopeful that the tourist count will return to some level of normalcy in June. However, it's still not the same as last year," Bisht concludes.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Health dept calls for vigilance, not panic, over new Covid-19 variants
Patna: Additional chief secretary of the state's health department, Pratyaya Amrit, on Monday appealed to the people not to panic over the emergence of new Covid-19 variants but to remain vigilant and informed. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He was addressing a high-level review meeting at the Vikas Bhawan auditorium to assess the current status of Covid-19 in the state and evaluate preparedness measures. The meeting reviewed the infection's present situation, availability of healthcare facilities, testing and treatment arrangements and the supply of essential resources, including medicines and oxygen. Amrit asked all civil surgeons and medical college superintendents to ensure the early identification of suspected cases, active surveillance and prompt testing. He said all districts must be prepared for any eventuality. The department is ensuring the availability of adequate testing kits, masks, medicines, oxygen and other essential medical supplies in all districts. Special emphasis was placed on maintaining transparency, effective coordination, and accountability in the delivery of health services, he said. Amrit asked the officials concerned to increase public awareness and strengthen the regular monitoring mechanisms. According to the Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG), two new sub-variants — NB.1.8.1 and LF.7 — have been detected in India. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has categorised them as "variants under monitoring" rather than variants of concern. Civil surgeons from all districts, principals and superintendents of govt medical colleges, and representatives from AIIMS, IGIMS, RMRI and ESIC Bihta participated in the meeting via videoconferencing.
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First Post
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- First Post
Cannes 2025: Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan and produced by Karan Johar; story behind Ishaan Khatter & Janhvi Kapoor's Homebound
Inspired by a pandemic era, New York Times essay, the Indian film directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, starring Ishaan Khatter and Janhvi Kapoor's Homebound drew a standing ovation at its premiere but did not take home any awards. All you need to know about this film. read more Neeraj Ghaywan's directorial new film Homebound, which premiered in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, is on a real-life story first told in a New York Times op-ed during India's COVID-19 lockdown. Homebound , which drew a standing ovation at its premiere but did not take home any awards. The film is inspired by journalist Basharat Peer's 2020 essay Taking Amrit Home (now retitled A Friendship, a Pandemic and a Death Beside the Highway). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD About Homebound The story is on two migrant workers, Mohammad Saiyub and Amrit Kumar, friends from Devari village in Uttar Pradesh. Will the urban, educated Indians were fortunate to stay safe at home, their journey was very different. In March 2020 when lockdown was enforced in India, all factories were shut, these two migrant workers Mohammad Saiyub and Amrit Kumar, friends from Devari village in Uttar Pradesh, one Muslim and the other Dalit who were sharing a rented accommodation in Gujrat with very little savings, they didn't know how they would reach home. With public transport suspended and no access to train tickets, they eventually boarded a crowded truck headed for home. During the journey, Amrit fell seriously ill. Rest of the passengers abandoned Amrit, but his friend stood by him. Though Amrit died in a village hospital in Madhya Pradesh, not due to COVID, but dehydration, his friend took his body home. What Basharat Peer, the writer of the essay had to say? 'Friendship at the heart of the story between a Muslim and a Dalit man embodied something profound. They had not set out to represent any ideological coalition; theirs was simply a human bond, formed in their village. In today's world, everything is reduced to categories and identities, but people remain far more complex.' The essay was cinematically conceptualized by filmmaker Neeraj Ghaywan. This is Ghaywan's second time at the prestigious gala where he brought his directorial debut 'Masaan' back in 2015. The critically-acclaimed social drama also premiered in the same section where it won two awards. (With inputs from agencies)
