Allahabad Maha Kumbh

The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated Rs 4,200 crore for the Kumbh Mela being held in the 'sangam' city of Allahabad, which is over thrice the budget of the Maha Kumbh in 2013, making the mega pilgrimage perhaps the costliest ever.

Accompanied by a team of officials and two ministers, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today left for the US to deliver a lecture at the Harvard Business School on organising the Maha Kumbh Mela and the challenges faced by the administration.

The successful hosting of Maha Kumbh 2013 has earned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav an invite from Harvard University to speak on how the 55-day religious congregation, which attracted tens of millions of people from India and around the world, went off like clockwork and was praised by organisation worldwide.

The penultimate bathing day of the 55-day Maha Kumbh - Maghi Poornima - began early Monday at the Sangam in Allahabad, with lakhs taking an early holy dip in the Ganga.

Yet another fire broke out at the Kumbh Mela area here this afternoon, injuring two sadhus, an official said.

Top Uttar Pradesh cops were today caught flouting an Allahabad High Court order, which forbids VIPs from visiting the Maha Kumbh in their official vehicles.

Tons of trash left behind by the crores of pilgrims visiting Allahabad for the mela pose a health hazard, and cleaning up the venue is a major challenge for mela administrators.

One person has died in a fire that broke out early this morning at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. Almost 30 make-shift tents set up to house pilgrims were gutted by the fire that broke out at around 2 am.

After 36 people died in a stampede at the Allahabad railway station, the union and state governments have denied that their lapses may have contributed to the tragedy; they blame the massive rush of passengers, returning from a dip in the waters of the Ganga and Yamuna, at the Maha Kumbh, the world's largest religious festival.

Thirty-six people have died in a stampede at the Allahabad Railway station. The toll, however, may go up with several of the injured in critical condition. They have been admitted to the Swaroop Rani Hospital and the Railway Hospital in Allahabad.

BJP President Rajnath Singh today condoled the loss of lives in the stampede at Allahabad Railway station and urged Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to strengthen the arrangements in the city during the Maha Kumbh.

Two people were killed in a stampede at the Mahakumbh mela here today as three crore pilgrims converged for a holy dip at Sangam on the auspicious occasion of 'Mauni Amavasya'.

The proposed visit of Congress President Sonia Gandhi to the ongoing Maha Kumbh here has been cancelled due to "want of cooperation" of the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh in making security arrangements, the party's state unit alleged today.

Ekta Kapoor, who took the holy dip at the ongoing Maha Kumbh mela in Allahabad, says she was there not to promote her upcoming venture Ek Thi Daayan but to seek blessings for the film.

Lakhs of devotees today took a holy dip on the auspicious occasion of 'Mauni Amavasya' in the ongoing Maha Kumbh congregation at the Sangam in Allahabad.

The Uttar Pradesh government has allocated Rs 4,200 crore for the Kumbh Mela being held in the 'sangam' city of Allahabad, which is over thrice the budget of the Maha Kumbh in 2013, making the mega pilgrimage perhaps the costliest ever.

Accompanied by a team of officials and two ministers, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today left for the US to deliver a lecture at the Harvard Business School on organising the Maha Kumbh Mela and the challenges faced by the administration.

The successful hosting of Maha Kumbh 2013 has earned Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav an invite from Harvard University to speak on how the 55-day religious congregation, which attracted tens of millions of people from India and around the world, went off like clockwork and was praised by organisation worldwide.

The penultimate bathing day of the 55-day Maha Kumbh - Maghi Poornima - began early Monday at the Sangam in Allahabad, with lakhs taking an early holy dip in the Ganga.

Yet another fire broke out at the Kumbh Mela area here this afternoon, injuring two sadhus, an official said.

Top Uttar Pradesh cops were today caught flouting an Allahabad High Court order, which forbids VIPs from visiting the Maha Kumbh in their official vehicles.

Tons of trash left behind by the crores of pilgrims visiting Allahabad for the mela pose a health hazard, and cleaning up the venue is a major challenge for mela administrators.

One person has died in a fire that broke out early this morning at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. Almost 30 make-shift tents set up to house pilgrims were gutted by the fire that broke out at around 2 am.

After 36 people died in a stampede at the Allahabad railway station, the union and state governments have denied that their lapses may have contributed to the tragedy; they blame the massive rush of passengers, returning from a dip in the waters of the Ganga and Yamuna, at the Maha Kumbh, the world's largest religious festival.

Thirty-six people have died in a stampede at the Allahabad Railway station. The toll, however, may go up with several of the injured in critical condition. They have been admitted to the Swaroop Rani Hospital and the Railway Hospital in Allahabad.

BJP President Rajnath Singh today condoled the loss of lives in the stampede at Allahabad Railway station and urged Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav to strengthen the arrangements in the city during the Maha Kumbh.

Two people were killed in a stampede at the Mahakumbh mela here today as three crore pilgrims converged for a holy dip at Sangam on the auspicious occasion of 'Mauni Amavasya'.

The proposed visit of Congress President Sonia Gandhi to the ongoing Maha Kumbh here has been cancelled due to "want of cooperation" of the Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh in making security arrangements, the party's state unit alleged today.

Ekta Kapoor, who took the holy dip at the ongoing Maha Kumbh mela in Allahabad, says she was there not to promote her upcoming venture Ek Thi Daayan but to seek blessings for the film.

Lakhs of devotees today took a holy dip on the auspicious occasion of 'Mauni Amavasya' in the ongoing Maha Kumbh congregation at the Sangam in Allahabad.