Latest news with #Ganges
Economic Times
4 days ago
- General
- Economic Times
Knocked down?
When difficulties strike, we commonly think we can never shrug them off. We feel doomed to be in that situation forever. Rising like a phoenix from the ashes is a far- fetched idea. But when we are forced to be in that situation and see darkness everywhere, mythological stories form a guiding light. The story of Bhagirath can form an excellent example of the characteristic of resilience. Bhagirath's ancestors were burnt to ashes due to sage Kapil's curse. He aimed to free his forefathers from the curse and help them achieve moksh by bringing the mighty Ganges down to earth. He had to put in a tremendous effort and face many difficulties to achieve his mission. First, he had to please Ganga through rigorous penance. On her suggestion, he had to channel her flow by again doing rigorous penance for many years to please Shiv. Even when Shiv was pleased and let the Ganges flow from his hair, his woes did not end there. He had to continue his rigorous penance to please sage Jahna, who had kept Ganga captive for flooding his ashram. His resilience paid off after innumerable woes and hurdles, and he achieved his mission. Let alone divine stories, the life of the great English author Helen Keller can be an inspiring journey. Hearing-impaired, visually-impaired, she battled dark times of her life through sheer resilience. Confucius rightly said, 'Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.'
India.com
18-05-2025
- India.com
Uttarkashi's Top 5 Most Beautiful Rivers You Must Visit
Uttarkashi is a place in the picture-perfect Uttarakhand state and is a haven for lovers of nature and seekers of peace in the beauty of Himalayas. There are many rivers originating from glaciers and snow-covered summits, which have made Uttarkashi an enchanting experience for those who want to know its tranquil waterways. We here bring you some of the top beautiful rivers that attract tourists to Uttarkashi with their stunning landscapes and tranquillity. River Bhagirathi River flows graciously through the centre of Uttarkashi but it is more than just a river; it's actually the lifeline of this region. This river originates from Gangotri glacier flowing down the hills cutting across green valleys and rocky terrains. The river assumes great significance to Hindu faithful as they consider this river as the mythological source-stream of Ganges devotees come here value its magnificent views while others enjoy riverside picnics, rafting or go fishing. Ganga River Flowing through Gangotri town, Assi Ganga River is one the silent tributaries joining Bhagirathi from the left side. Enclosed by lush green forested slopes and towering peaks, this quiet stream provides a suitable atmosphere for meditation or introspection exercises for travellers. On these banks strollers can watch many inviting sceneries around them near mountains borders. Moreover, it has been seen as an emblematic symbol of cleanliness where religiously bound people take bath during pilgrimage. River The Yamuna River also forms an important part of rivers in this region since it originates from Yamunotri Glacier in Uttarkashi district. While primarily being known about its course all over North Plains India, at first stretch, Yamuna begins its course in the high mountains of Uttarakhand. This river is pristine and pure, flowing through alpine meadows and dense forests that make a perfect picture capturing one's soul. Besides simply enjoying the tranquillity of the valley, visitors may go trekking along its paths or simply be present to such peace filled settings. River Tons River, also known as Wild Yamuna, starts from Bandarpunch Glacier near Uttarkashi. The entire length of this river bed including the rapids are very challenging so that it attracts adventure seekers who love adrenaline rush. Explorations on rough parts of this water course help people to witness powerful nature while going through far-off gorges and untouched forests all along Toms River's route. In wilderness lovers' quest for stirring experiences, they cannot afford not to try out the thrilling escapade offered by Tons River. River Bhilangana river originates from Khatling Glacier in Garhwal Himalayas and still remains one of those hidden treasures in Uttarkashi district till today. It is surrounded by snowy peaks and lies amidst alpine meadows which creates an aura of virgin beauty and loneliness surrounding it . Famed for its rich biodiversity, this pristine ecosystem boasts of various kinds of plant species as well as animals exclusive to it. Travellers can trace their way around the banks passing through unspoiled hamlets, green valleys while treasuring their time spent among those untapped wonders within this Himalayan terrain. Final Thoughts The beautiful rivers of Uttarkashi are like a sacred connection to nature's most amazing wonders for the tourists who come to explore them. Each one of these rivers possesses its own individuality and charm that attracts people to merge with them in order to get involved in the timeless periods of Himalayas. They offer relief, motivation and even a peep into godliness. The unspoiled water bodies and awe-inspiring landscapes seen around Uttarkashi show how natural beauty can still remain for ages if well preserved as all explorers will find out anytime they wander around this area.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
It's a moo-torbike! Bizarre moment bull steals a scooter and takes it for a spin
This is the bizarre moment an brazen bull steals a motorbike in broad daylight before taking it for a spin. Hilarious footage shows the opportunistic animal sauntering down a road in Rishikesh, India, and stumbling upon the parked scooter. The bull then goes over to inspect the vehicle, giving it a sniff as a passing mother, startled by the stray animal, grabs her child and gives it a wide berth. In an apparent attempt to mount the scooter, the randy beast put its front hooves on it but its weight knocked away the kickstand. The bike is then suddenly propelled forward. It starts to roll down the hill with the animal desperately trying to keep it under control with its hind legs. It gives the impression the bovine is skillfully manoeuvring the scooter. But unable to see where it was going, the bull heads straight into a fence where the bike falls to the ground. The confused animal looks around the street before continuing on its way. The bizarre joyride was filmed in the city of Rishikesh, located in the Himalayan foothills beside the Ganges River, in northern India on May 2. One local said: 'Bro, he isn't stealing it, the bull has another plan in mind.' Dhiren remarked: 'The owner's insurance company would have never believed him if not for this video.' Ravi added: 'Sometimes you need to try something new in life, even if it's just a scooter ride.' The clip was posted on X (formerly Twitter) with a humorous Hindi caption that translates to, 'You've probably seen people stealing scooters many times, but the case of scooter theft in Rishikesh is a bit different. 'Here, even the stray bulls roaming the streets have a fondness for bikes and scooters.' The video since gone viral, racking up 560,000 views and sparking a wave of amused reactions. One person joked: 'If I didn't see it, I wouldn't Bullieve it.' 'It was a Cow-asaki!', added another. A third said: 'How to explain this to insurance, without CCTV.' Local residents have urged the government to restrict the movement of cattle that roam freely in the region. India has hundreds of thousands of bulls roaming its streets. It is partly due to devout locals who follow Hindu customs, with cows regarded as sacred animals that cannot be eaten or slaughtered once they have stopped producing milk. The majority of states ban the sale or slaughter of cows. Instead of dealing with the economic burden of keeping their spent cattle, many farmers let the beasts roam the streets - leading to chaos when the animals become agitated.
Times
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Times
Macron eyes cut to ‘sacrosanct' eight-week summer school holidays
President Macron has ignited an inflammatory debate over France's sacrosanct summer holidays with an announcement that he is planning to reform the school calendar. Macron, who says pupils forget their lessons during the eight-week summer break, is to convene an assembly made up of ordinary citizens to draw up a new calendar for the nation's schools. But in a county where pupils have 16 weeks away from the classroom every year, his idea has generated widespread opposition. President Macron poses for a selfie with children at a middle school in Ganges, southern France DANIEL COLE/POOL/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES Teaching unions are indignant at the idea that their members should have to work more. Tourist industry chiefs are also aghast; political commentators are incredulous. Many say Macron is raising the issue as a smokescreen to divert attention from other problems, such as the country's economic difficulties
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tourist misidentified as Bill Gates at India holy site
"A global icon at a spiritual landmark!" celebrity news page "PinkVilla" posted to its 5.9 million Facebook followers on January 15. "Bill Gates was spotted at the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir during the Maha Kumbh, adding an international touch to this sacred occasion." The video shows a grey-haired man in glasses looking into the distance. Kashi Vishwanath is a temple dedicated to Hindu deity Shiva in the northern Indian city of Varanasi, around 120 kilometres (75 miles) from Prayagraj, the site of Kumbh Mela (archived link). Some 400 million pilgrims are expected to attend the millennia-old sacred show of religious piety and ritual bathing held once every 12 years at the site where the holy Ganges, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati rivers meet (archived link). Coldplay singer Chris Martin, "Fifty Shades of Grey" star Dakota Johnson and Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, have all reportedly attended the festival (archived here and here). The world's largest religious gathering is no stranger to deadly crowd incidents, and a stampede on January 29 killed at least 30 people (archived link). The video was shared by Indian Facebook and X accounts with tens of thousands of followers. However, a reverse image search of the video on Google found it was previously posted online in December 2024 -- two months before Kumbh Mela began (archived link). It was shared in a YouTube video titled: "World richest man bill gates duplicate in kashi." The man recording the video can be heard laughing while saying in Hindi: "Guess who this person is. He is Bill Gates!" Below is a screenshot comparison of the video shared in false posts (left) and the YouTube video (right): The owner of the YouTube channel Dipankar Yadav confirmed he filmed the video in Varanasi in November 2024. "I saw a group of foreigners standing on a parapet near Manikarnika Ghat by the River Ganges and one of them resembled Bill Gates," he told AFP. "So, for fun, I made the video and later shared it on YouTube." Thousands of Hindu faithful travel to the Manikarnika Ghat cremation site in Varanasi every year to spend their final days. Dying beside the banks of the Ganges guarantees they will be cremated there and their ashes scattered in the water along the river's steps or "ghats", which Hindus believe ensures liberation from the cycle of rebirth. The group of tourists was not accompanied by security guards, Yadav added. A spokesperson for the Gates Foundation confirmed to AFP that the man pictured was not Gates. While the billionaire travelled to India in February 2024, when he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, AFP found no news reports that he attended the 2025 edition of Kumbh Mela (archived link). AFP has fact-checked more misinformation about the festival here.
