Page 2 - Varanasi

Cruise tourism will unlock river economy: Modi launches 'MV Ganga Vilas'

Government planning initiatives to develop inland waterways across country, he says

32 foreign tourists to be part of MV Ganga Vilas cruise in Varanasi

Thirty-two foreign tourists who will go on the world's longest river cruise, MV Ganga Vilas, on its maiden journey were accorded a warm welcome in Varanasi on Tuesday

Ganga Vilas cruise opportunity to connect with our cultural roots: PM Modi

Set to sail from Varanasi, Modi's parliamentary constituency, the cruise will cover 3,200 km over 51 days while navigating through several states before ending its journey at Dibrugarh in Assam

PM Modi to flag off luxury cruise 'MV Ganga Vilas' from Varanasi on Jan 13

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the world's longest river cruise 'MV Ganga Vilas' from Varanasi on Friday, according to an official statement. The statement said the luxury cruise will cover a distance of more than 3,200 kilometre across 27 river systems in 5 states in India and Bangladesh. MV Ganga Vilas will put India on the river cruise map of the world, the statement said quoting Union Port, Shipping and Waterways Minister Sarbananda Sonowal.

PM Modi to flag off Ganga Vilas Cruise from Varanasi on January 13

Excitement is high among the people of Varanasi over the Ganga Vilas Cruise which is scheduled to be virtually flagged off by PM Modi from Varanasi on January 13

Allahabad High Court reserves verdict in Gyanvapi mosque case

The Allahabad High Court on Friday reserved its judgement on a civil revision petition filed by the Gyanvapi mosque committee challenging a Varanasi court order turning down its objections to the maintainability of a plea seeking permission to offer regular prayers to idols of deities in the mosque compound. Justice J J Munir reserved its order after hearing the counsel of both sides at length. On Friday, the counsel for the petitioner, Senior Advocate SFA Naqvi, contended before the court that the claim of the Hindu side that the devotees were restrained from worshipping Shringar Gauri and other deities on the outer wall of Gyanvapi in the year 1993 is an artificial claim and an example of clever drafting. According to him, no order was passed by the then state government in writing in 1993. According to him, the aforesaid claim has been made only to avoid the application of the Places of Worship Act, 1991, which bars filing of a suit for conversion of any religious place as exist

2,000 km in 30 days: NBT's 'bookshop on wheels' is at Kashi Tamil Sangamam

Thirty days, more than 2,000 km, 600 book titles and two people managing a bus-turned-bookshop -- the display and sale of "books on wheels" are grabbing eyeballs at the month-long Kashi Tamil Sangamam at the BHU campus here. The bus left for a month-long journey from Delhi on November 15, a day before the mega conclave began. Navigating the lanes of Varanasi to reach hotspots, visiting various schools and multiple places at the Banaras Hindu University campus, the bus was stationed at a different location everyday to help visitors enjoy the collection of books inside. The unique library-cum-bookshop is an initiative by the National Book Trust, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Education. "We have travelled over 2000 km so far and today is the last day post which the bus will return to Delhi. We had overwhelming response from students and public. Books worth over Rs 4 lakh have been sold during the journey and we have also received orders for certain books which were availabl

Era of neglect of temples is behind us, says EAM Jaishankar in Varanasi

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said that temples are "keepers of our culture and history" and the Modi government is focused on creating, rebuilding and restoring India's rich traditions for the benefit of the entire world. Stressing that the era of "neglect of temples is behind us", he said that the "wheel of history is turning, it is coming back. It is the rise of India". "It is not enough just to hold our own, we have to promote, present, we have to take our culture to the rest of the world," Jaishankar said, stressing that the Modi government is committed to ensuring Indian culture and heritage gets the right place. He was addressing the Kashi Tamil Sangamam on the subject 'contribution of temples in society and nation building' being held here. Global rebalancing is being expressed in culture as much as in politics and economics. A truly democratic and pluralistic world order must see a full expression of India's heritage, abroad as much as at home, Jaishanka

Gyanvapi case: Court to hear plea seeking survey of tahkhanas on Jan 23

A Varanasi court on Monday fixed January 23, 2023 as the next date of hearing in a Gyanvapi mosque-Shringar Gauri case pertaining to the Hindu side's demand for a survey of two underground places (tahkhanas) on the mosque premises. District government advocate Mahendra Pandey said that District Judge A K Vishwesh fixed January 23 for the next hearing in the matter in view of an Allahabad High Court order passed on November 30 in a related case. The high court had fixed January 18, 2023, for hearing a revision petition filed by Laxmi Devi and others challenging the Varanasi district judge's order by which the lower court had refused the demand of carbon dating of a 'Shivling' claimed to have been found in the Gyanvapi mosque complex. In the case of Gyanvapi-Shringar Gauri, the counsel of Hindu side had demanded to get the locks of closed cellars on the Gyanvapi premises opened and conduct a survey. On November 2, the Gyanvapi mosque management committee filed its objection to the ..

Varanasi court to hear plea seeking worship of Shivling at Gyanvapi mosque

A court here is likely to hear on Friday a plea seeking worship of 'Shivling' in the Gyanvapi mosque complex, Assistant District Government Counsel Sulabh Prakash said. On November 17, the fast-track court had rejected the Gyanvapi Masjid committee's objection to a petition seeking right to worship the 'Shivling' claimed to have been found in the mosque complex and fixed December 2 for hearing the case. Fast-track court Judge Mahendra Kumar Pandey found the petition filed by Kiran Singh worth hearing and fixed December 2 for taking up the matter, The court rejected the objection filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee questioning the maintainability of Singh's plea. The mosque committee had objected to the plea citing the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991. The Act states that the religious character of any place of worship as it existed on August 15, 1947, must be maintained. Prakash said lawyers of the Hindu side argued that the Waqf Act is not applicable t

Explained: How 'Digi Yatra' reads one's face as the boarding pass

At the launch, Scindia said Digi Yatra will be one of the most efficient systems in the world

HC fixes Dec 5 for hearing on Gyanvapi mosque committee's plea

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday fixed December 5 for further hearing on a Gyanvapi masjid management's revision petition challenging a Varanasi court order on the maintainability of a plea seeking permission to offer regular prayers to idols of deities in the mosque complex. On Tuesday, the high court, after a brief hearing, had adjourned the hearing in the case till Wednesday. During the hearing on Wednesday, the counsel for the Hindu side argued that the case before the lower court was drafted honestly. He was arguing with the counsel for the Anjuman Intejamia Masjid, the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, who alleged that the case was cleverly drafted. The Hindu side counsel further submitted that the provisions of the Places of Worship Act would not apply in the present case. However, after a brief hearing, Justice J J Munir directed the matter to be heard next on December 5. The Gyanvapi mosque management committee had challenged the Varanasi court order rejecting its

Gyanvapi row: HC fixes Dec 5 for hearing on mosque committee's plea

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday fixed December 5 for further hearing on a Gyanvapi masjid management's revision petition challenging a Varanasi court order on the maintainability of a plea seeking permission to offer regular prayers to idols of deities in the mosque complex. On Tuesday, the high court, after a brief hearing, had adjourned the hearing in the case till Wednesday. The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid, the Gyanvapi mosque management committee, had challenged the Varanasi court order rejecting its objection to the maintainability of the suit filed by five Hindu women who sought permission to worship Shringar Gauri and other deities whose idols are located on an outer wall of the mosque. The district judge of Varanasi had on September 12 dismissed the plea. The high court also fixed January 18, 2023, for further hearing on another revision petition filed by Laxmi Devi and others challenging the Varanasi district judge's order by which the lower court had refused the demand

Gyanvapi row: HC reserves verdict on plea against court's order for survey

The Allahabad High Court on Monday reserved its verdict on a petition challenging a Varanasi court order directing the Archaeological Survey of India to conduct a survey of the Gyanvapi mosque complex. Justice Prakash Padia reserved judgment on the petition filed by the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Central Waqf Board and the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee that manages the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, after hearing the parties concerned. On April 8, 2021, a Varanasi court had directed the ASI to conduct a comprehensive survey of Gyanvapi mosque complex. The masjid committee and UP Sunni Central Waqf Board filed the petition in the high court challenging the order of the Varanasi court. Subsequently, the high court had on September 9, 2021 stayed the lower court order. On November 11 this year, senior advocate C S Vaidyanathan appearing for plaintiff (Hindu side) of the suit pending before a Varanasi court argued that for reaching a logical conclusion, the inquiry should be done. In this

Littering streets in Varanasi may now attract fines of upto Rs 1 lakh

Alarmed over reports of streets dotted with litter and garbage at Varanasi, raising health concerns in the city, the local municipal corporation has swung into action and announced penalties

Gyanvapi row: Allahabad HC to hear Shivling carbon dating plea on Nov 30

The Allahabad High Court on Monday fixed November 30 for hearing a revision petition challenging the Varanasi district judge's order by which the lower court had refused the demand of carbon dating of a 'Shivling' claimed to have been found in the Gyanvapi mosque complex. Justice J J Munir passed the order on the revision plea filed by Laxmi Devi and others. On October 14, Varanasi District Judge A K Vishvesh had turned down the plea seeking scientific investigation and carbon dating of the 'Shivling', citing Supreme Court directives for its safe keeping so that no tampering can be done. When the matter was taken up in the high court on Monday, counsel for Archaeological Survey of India submitted that an application has been moved for extension of time for the survey. However, the court commented that there should be no damage to the 'Shivling'. Then the ASI's counsel said that there are more ways to determine the age and no damages could be caused. On behalf of the Anjuman Intezam

LIVE updates: PM Narendra Modi holds roadshow in Gujarat's Vapi

PM Modi is scheduled to hold rallies in Gujarat's Saurashtra for three consecutive days from Nov 20 to Nov 22. Stay tuned for LIVE updates

PM pays tributes Subramania Bharathi at Kashi Tamil Sangamam inauguration

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday while highlighting the strong bond between Kashi and Tamil Nadu referred to links of eminent poet and freedom fighter Subramania Bharathi with the city. In his inaugural speech at the Kashi Tamil Sangamam here, he also said Bharthi was attached with Kashi in such a way that it became his part. "There is a great personality from Tamil Nadu, Subramania Bharathi, a great poet and freedom fighter, who lived for a long time in Kashi and studied here," Modi said and added "it is said that it was here (in Varanasi) that he (Bharathi) sported his popular moustache". The prime minister, who paid rich tributes to the poet, hailed the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) for establishing a chair dedicated to Bharati, which, he said, enhanced its pride. Born in Ettayapuram of Tirunelveli district (present-day Thoothukudi) in 1882, Bharathi had his early education in Tirunelveli and Varanasi. Popularly known as "Mahakavi Bharathi", he was a pioneer of modern

Kashi and Tamil Nadu are timeless cultural centres: PM Modi in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hailed Kashi and Tamil Nadu as timeless centres of culture and civilisation. The two regions are also the centres of the world's oldest languages Sanskrit and Tamil, Modi said in his inaugural speech at Kashi Tamil Sangamam here. "If in Kashi there is Baba Vishwanath, then in Tamil Nadu there is the blessing of Lord Rameshwaram. Both Kashi and Tamil Nadu are 'Shivmay' (drenched in the devotion of Lord Shiv) and 'Shaktimay' (drenched in the devotion of Goddess Shakti)," he said at the event in his Lok Sabha constituency. There is a Dakshin Kashi in Tamil Nadu too, the prime minister noted. More than 2,500 delegates from Tamil Nadu are visiting Varanasi and will participate in seminars and interact with local people of similar trade, profession and interest. A month-long exhibition of handlooms, handicrafts, books, documentaries, cuisine, art forms, history and tourist places of the two regions will also be organised here. The Tamil Sangamam

PM Modi inaugurates month-long Kashi Tamil Sangamam programme in Varanasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the Kashi Tamil Sangamam, a month-long programme to celebrate, reaffirm and rediscover the age-old links between Tamil Nadu and Varanasi. More than 2,500 delegates from Tamil Nadu are visiting Varanasi and will participate in seminars and visit to interact with local people of similar trade, profession and interest. It aims to provide an opportunity for people from all walks of life, including scholars, traders and artisans, from the two ancient seats of learning to share their knowledge, culture and best practices, and learn from each others' experience. A month-long exhibition of handlooms, handicrafts, books, documentaries, cuisine, art forms, history and tourist places of the two regions will also be put up in Varanasi. The endeavour is in sync with National Education Policy's emphasis on integrating the wealth of Indian knowledge systems with modern systems of knowledge. IIT Madras and the Banaras Hindu University are the t