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Ayodhya became the spiritual epicentre of India. Tens of thousands of devotees poured into the temple town to mark Ram Navami, the birthday of Lord Ram, with devotion, prayer and celebration. The day began with ritual baths in the Saryu River, a tradition followed by pilgrims before entering the Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. The temple itself had been transformed into a visual spectacle—bright lights, intricate flower arrangements and chants filled the air. A devotee at the site said, “…I am feeling very good after coming here… The arrangements here are very good…” Another, who travelled from Varanasi, shared, “I have come from Varanasi to offer prayers at Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Temple on the occasion of Ram Navami…”

George Clooney's big Broadway debut was filled with excitement, and one unexpected absence. As celebrities packed the theater for Good Night and Good Luck, fans noticed Amal Clooney was missing. Her absence sparked speculation online, but Clooney remained unconcerned and focused on the present. George, ever composed, responded with a simple four-word message that divided fans.

Bhupendra Singh Chaudhary on Saturday said a committee had been formed at the state level to oversee the programmes. The party's state general secretary Sanjay Rai has been made convenor of the committee. The BJP was founded on April 6, 1980. Chaudhary said party workers would decorate offices across the state and hoist the party flag at their homes. An exhibition on the BJP's successful journey will also be held at the district level. On Monday, the party workers will offer floral tributes to Syama Prasad Mookerjee, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and Bharat Mata at each booth. Conferences of active members will be held in each assembly constituency on Tuesday-Wednesday.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. During a recent Iftar get-together at Old Delhi’s grand Jama Masjid, a pair of pants caught my attention: the floor-sweeping farshi salwar, which borrows its name from the Urdu word for floor, farsh. It wasn’t just the bright pink colour that stood out in a sea of heavily embroidered palazzos and slim dhoti- pants; its presence indicated that celebrities and content creators flaunting their love for salwars online is more than just a social media trend.

box office. On its ninth day, the Malayalam action thriller earned around Rs 3 crore, continuing its strong run. Starring Mohanlal and directed by Prithviraj Sukumaran, the film has become one of the highest-grossing Malayalam movies ever made. But what has grabbed the spotlight is that the film charted history by becoming the first Malayalam movie to cross Rs 100 crore in worldwide theatrical share. Released on March 27, L2: Empuraan has now minted Rs 91.51 Cr, its India net collection. Mohanlal celebrated the Rs 100 crore milestone on X, calling it a proud moment for Malayalam cinema.

In 2024, at the India-ASEAN Summit, Modi gifted a vintage brass Buddha statue to Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith, symbolizing shared heritage and India’s commitment to cultural diplomacy. In the same year, India sent several sacred relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples to Thailand. The relics of Lord Buddha and his disciples, Arahant Sariputta and Arahant Maha Moggallana, were taken to Bangkok by an Indian delegation and displayed for 25 days in four cities of Thailand . In 2023, PM Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited the Bal Bodhi Tree at Buddha Jayanti Park in Delhi, reinforcing the deep-rooted Buddhism ties between India and Japan. India also hosted the first-ever Global Buddhist Summit, bringing together scholars and practitioners to discuss contemporary challenges through the lens of Buddhist philosophy, where Modi stressed that Buddha’s teachings provide solutions to global issues. In 2022, PM Modi visited Lumbini, Nepal, on Buddha Purnima and laid the foundation stone for the India International Centre for Buddhist Culture and Heritage, a landmark project promoting Buddhist culture and strengthening Indo-Nepal spiritual ties.

Manoj Kumar, celebrated as 'Bharat Kumar' for his portrayals of patriotic heroes in films such as «Upkar» and «Kranti», was cremated with full state honours and a three-gun salute here on Saturday. Amitabh Bachchan, and Salim Khan were among the prominent personalities from the entertainment industry present at the Pawan Hans crematorium in suburban Juhu. The last rites started at about 11:30 and Kumar's two sons — Vishal and Kunal — lit the funeral pyre of the actor-filmmaker who died on Friday due to age-related issues at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital. He was 87. Abhishek Bachchan, Arbaaz Khan, Subhash Ghai, Anu Malik, Zayed Khan, Prem Chopra and Rajpal Yadav also attended the cremation. A photo of a young Kumar was placed at the entrance of his building premises for everyone to offer their last respects.

chess grandmasters gather under one roof—at a wedding, no less? Naturally, the board is set for celebration, not competition. On April 2, GM Vidit Gujrathi tied the knot with Nidhi Kataria at the picturesque Oxford Golf Resort in Pune, India. Vidit, currently ranked 25th in the world on the live rating list, is one of India’s most prominent chess players, while Nidhi, 28, is a practicing homeopathic doctor. The couple announced their engagement last November, and their wedding has since been one of the most eagerly awaited events in the chess community. However, it was World Champions Viswanathan Anand and Gukesh Dommaraju who took the internet by storm with their moves. A host of grandmasters and top chess players, including 15th World Champion Viswanathan Anand and the newly crowned 18th World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, brought their energy off the board and onto the dance floor. As seen in the video below, the baraat — Vidit’s celebratory wedding procession — turned into a vibrant celebration where strategy gave way to spirited moves. With a combined Elo that would rival any elite tournament, it was a once-in-a-lifetime gathering of chess royalty in full festive swing.

IIM Shillong celebrated its 16th Annual Convocation Friday. The ceremony witnessed the conferment of degrees upon 475 graduating students, including 381 from the Post Graduate Programme (PGP) 2023–25 batch. Around 54 from the Post Graduate Programme for Executives (PGPEx) 2024–25 batch, and 35 from the Post Graduate Programme for Working Executives (PGPWE) 2023–25 batch. In addition, five scholars were awarded the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree. Shishir Kumar Bajoria, Chairman of the Board of Governors, IIM Shillong, extended his heartfelt congratulations to the graduating students and their families.

Aman Gupta, cofounder of wearables brand Boat, asked young entrepreneurs not to do a startup for the sake of it. He urged a more grounded perspective on entrepreneurship, suggesting that it should not be seen as a magic fix. He further highlighted the rise of founder branding, a strategic tool where entrepreneurs leverage their personal image to boost business visibility and trust.

Not for nothing did Geet Dhillon say proudly, “Main aapni favourite hoon!” (I am my favourite). Kareena Kapoor Khan recently gave a lovely message on self-love. At the launch event of celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar’s latest book, the '3 Idiots' actress spoke candidly about her perspective on food and her relationship with it. She revealed that she has always maintained a relaxed approach to eating and never hesitated to indulge in a bag of chips without guilt. Sharing a personal experience, she disclosed that after the birth of her younger son, Jeh, she gained around 45 kilograms. Although there was a fleeting moment when societal expectations made her feel pressured to regain her pre-pregnancy physique, she quickly dismissed the thought and reassured herself that she still looked «fab».

Manoj Kumar, the legendary actor and filmmaker celebrated for his patriotic roles, passed away at the age of 87. Fondly known as «Bharat Kumar,» he breathed his last at 4:03 am on April 4, 2025, at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai. He was admitted to the hospital on February 21, 2025, and has since been under medical care.

Marvel Rivals has been confirmed through an official trailer for the game released earlier today. Among the details revealed by the teaser are the new playable characters that will join the game in Season 2. The upcoming season will go live on April 11.

National Burrito Day is observed every year on the first Thursday of April, and in 2025, it falls on April 3. The annual celebration of the widespread Mexican and Tex-Mex staple known as the burrito takes place every April 3. The burrito evolved substantially as it traveled from Mexico to become thriving in the United States.

Rahul Gandhi on Thursday raised the issue of reciprocal tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump in the House on Thursday and said it will «completely devastate» the Indian economy. Gandhi raised the issue during Zero Hour and said, «Our ally has suddenly decided to impose a 26% tariff, which is going to completely devastate our economy — our auto industry, pharmaceutical industry, and agriculture are all in line.» Trump on Wednesday announced new reciprocal tariffs on several countries, including India, saying that the US has been «looted, pillaged, raped, plundered» by other nations. While the US announcement lists 26% as the tariff levied on India, other documents, including those received by the ministry, show that the rate is actually 27%. Gandhi also claimed that China had taken over 4,000 square kilometres of Indian territory and demanded answers from the government over these issues.

Justin Bieber, the pop singer, has expressed appreciation for his mother, Pattie Mallette, on her 50th birthday celebration. Through his Instagram post on April 2, Bieber honored his mother's golden year birthday by sharing an old, cherished photo of Pattie Mallette, together with an affectionate note. «50 MOMMMMMMMM, I love being your son. Happy bday @pattiemallette,» he wrote. He shared the news through Instagram with the caption «Happy bday @pattiemallette.» In the retro photograph, Mallette could be seen in her young days in what might have been a school photo from years ago. Fans instantly filled the comment section to recognize how Justin shares many physical features with his mother. His wife Hailey Bieber continued the birthday celebration by sharing her Instagram Story update next to the photo while expressing her love to Pattie Mallette through the message «Happy Birthday @pattiemallette I love you so much!!»

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Anurupa Roy, a puppeteer and theatre practitioner, is an integral part of the performing arts ecosystem in India. She set up Katkatha, an organisation for the promotion and preservation of the puppet arts in India, 26 years ago.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. It wasn’t an April Fool’s Day joke after all. As soon as the invite to Vivienne Westwood’s 1 April show in Mumbai landed as a WhatsApp text, many thought it was a prank.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Ever since OpenAI launched ChatGPT in 2022, this chatbot has wormed its way into every other conversation with its wonders of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI). Over the past week, an online frenzy to post photos in the animation style of Japan’s Studio Ghibli has seen this tool’s usage surge.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Just a few months before President Trump took office, families of Israeli hostages held in Gaza started lobbying him to their cause. In one meeting in New York in 2024, Adi Alexander was surprised to realize Trump thought most of the Israeli hostages being held by Hamas were dead.

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