Devotees Look for Their Loved Ones in Prayagraj After the Stampede-Like Situation During the Maha Kumbh Mela.

PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA, January 30, 2025 (Indian Express): It’s after 9 pm – a day of chaos since daybreak, marked by panic and grief, is winding down. Outside the morgue of the Motilal Nehru Medical College in Prayagraj, there are relatives still looking for their loved ones who have gone missing but this is now a thinning crowd. Compared to the…

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NASA Astronaut Captures Stunning Images of Maha Kumbh Mela

HOUSTON, TEXAS, January 27, 2025 (India West): NASA astronaut Don Pettit, aboard the International Space Station (ISS), has shared mesmerizing photos of the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, from a vantage point 248 miles above Earth. The images, posted by Pettit on X, highlight the illuminated tent city near the Sangam, where the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers converge. “2025…

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Jakarta’s First Temple Dedicated to Lord Murugan Officially Opens February 2

JAKARTA, INDONESIA, January 24, 2025 (VIVA): The Jakarta Murugan Temple, also known as Shri Sanathana Dharma Aalayam, has been inaugurated as the first temple in the city dedicated to Lord Murugan. This monumental establishment symbolizes Indonesia’s cultural diversity and spiritual unity. The temple’s grand inauguration ceremony, known as the Maha Kumbhabhishekam, is set to take place on Sunday, February 2,…

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India-China Agree on Kailash Mansarovar Yatra Resuming This Year

NEW DELHI, INDIA, January 27, 2025 (India West Journal): Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri’s visit to China from January 26 to 27 marked a significant step forward in India-China relations, with several key developments underscoring the two countries’ commitment to strengthening ties. One of the major highlights was the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, which is set to take place…

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Maha Kumbh Overview

PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA, January 25, 2025 (The Hindu, by Ishita Mishra): On a cloudy day in January, millions of saffron-clad people stand on the banks of the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of the rivers Ganga and Yamuna and the mythical river Saraswati in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. They wait patiently to immerse themselves in the icy waters. The pilgrims believe that taking…

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Kumbh Mela’s Drone Show a Hit

PRAYAG, INDIA, January 24, 2025 (Hindustan Times): Over 2,500 drones depicted the Samudra Manthan, churning of the ocean, in the sky over the Kumbh Mela site today. It the scene above, Lord Siva is drinking the poison unexpectedly released during the churning which ultimately released amrita, the nectar of immortality. The drones displayed many other things, such as “Happy Uttar…

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Sabarimala Pilgrimage Season Draws to Close

INDIA, January 20, 2025 (The Hindu): Marking the conclusion of a pilgrimage season that witnessed an unprecedented influx of devotees, the Ayyappa temple at Sabarimala closed its portals on Monday after a Pandalam Palace representative visited the temple and offered prayers here in the morning. The temple was opened in the morning at 5am and a Ganapati homam was performed.…

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Satellite Images of Kumbh Mela

PRAYAG, INDIA, January 24, 2025 (nrsc.gov.in): See spectacular satellite photos of the Sangam area here. Pull down the blue dot at top to compare the photos from September, 2023, and December 29, 2024: https://www.nrsc.gov.in/sites/default/files/Swipe_Kumbhmela2025/slider_kumbh_mela.html

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Temples Prepare for Kavady Festival

SOUTH AFRICA, January 16, 2025 (South Coast Herald): During Thai Poosam Kavady, a Hindu religious festival, the Hindu Deity, Lord Muruga, is worshipped. The festival is one of the biggest on the South African Indian festival calendar. The Umbango Sri Siva Soobramoniar Temple invites all to their annual Thai Poosam Kavady festival from February 2 to 16. The flag hoisting…

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