Anirban Chakraborty

The Lunar New Year, observed in countries like China, Vietnam, and South Korea, begins on January 29 and ushers in the Year of the Snake in China. Although January 1 is a public holiday, it is overshadowed by the week-long Chinese New Year celebrations. Globally, new year festivities occur almost every two months. In July, Muslim-majority countries welcomed 1446 AH on the Islamic calendar, which is 14 days shorter than the Gregorian year. While many regional new years follow lunar calendars and shift dates annually, the Islamic calendar is unique in moving across all months of the Gregorian calendar.

Saudi Arabia introduced January 1 fireworks only in 2021. In Uzbekistan, the Persian New Year, Nowruz, celebrated in March, is favored over the Soviet-era January 1 observance. Nowruz is also the primary festival in Iran and Afghanistan and is recognized as the "Spring Festival" across Central Asia. In Southeast Asia, January 1 coexists with Songkran, which now follows fixed Gregorian dates. Meanwhile, India celebrates several Hindu new years in March and April, though January 1 is widely observed.

4 hours ago | [YT] | 3

Anirban Chakraborty

January 29, a day of great spiritual significance, turned into a scene of devastation.

As sleeping devotees rested near the riverbanks, a sudden surge of pilgrims rushing for their sacred bath at the sangam—the confluence of three sacred rivers—led to chaos around 1:00 a.m.

The Maha Kumbh Mela, held once every 144 years, runs through February 26 and is expected to draw over 400 million people to Prayagraj. Organizers had anticipated up to 100 million participants on Wednesday’s particularly auspicious bathing day. Those who immerse themselves in the sangam—where the Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati rivers meet—believe they receive special powers and absolution from sins.

"They invited devotees through media, channels, phones, newspapers," said Ajay Singh, a farmer who survived the crush but whose family members were injured. "They were inviting us here to die."

Adding to the chaos, authorities had closed most temporary bridges on Tuesday, forcing massive crowds through limited access points.

"People were going in every direction," Ayesha Mishra told the BBC. "They were getting pushed around and falling down. Children were getting crushed."

The tragedy has sparked criticism of the government’s handling of the event. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi blamed "mismanagement and the administration's special focus on VIP movement instead of common devotees."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi called the incident "extremely sad" and announced compensation of $29,000 for each victim’s family. Meanwhile, desperate searches continue. "I lost all my money, my belongings, and I can't find my family anywhere," Poonam Sinah told the BBC.

Uttar Pradesh officials had proudly highlighted an $800 million investment to accommodate visitors.

But the latest disaster raises serious concerns about the festival's infrastructure. Just last July, over 100 people lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh when crowds rushed to exit a preacher’s event.

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1 day ago | [YT] | 10

Anirban Chakraborty

The Chinese AI startup, DeepSeek, launched just last week and has already surpassed competitors like ChatGPT to become the most downloaded free app in the U.S. With a focus on improving problem-solving through its new reasoning model.

DeepSeek offers a fresh approach. Meanwhile, ChatGPT maintains its stronghold as a leader in conversational AI. Which one aligns better with your needs? Swipe to compare and decide!

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1 day ago | [YT] | 8

Anirban Chakraborty

Remembering the sacrifices of our brave freedom fighters. Their legacy inspires us to build a better India. ❤️🇮🇳

5 days ago | [YT] | 21

Anirban Chakraborty

The movement that changed India forever, remembering one of its prominent leaders on his birth anniversary....

1 week ago | [YT] | 24

Anirban Chakraborty

From 2014 to 2024, India’s inflation saw significant fluctuations. Initially, inflation was high, driven by food prices and economic adjustments. By 2016-2017, it began to ease, aided by lower global oil prices and fiscal reforms like GST. However, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 caused supply chain disruptions, pushing inflation up. In 2022-2023, global factors like the Russia-Ukraine war exacerbated inflation, particularly in the food and energy sectors.

The Reserve Bank of India responded with interest rate hikes to control prices. By 2024, inflation began stabilizing but remained challenging due to global economic uncertainties and domestic supply issues.

1 week ago | [YT] | 9

Anirban Chakraborty

Dr. V. Narayanan: A Life Between IIT and ISRO!

Dr. V. Narayanan played a pivotal role in connecting IIT's cutting-edge research with ISRO's ambitious space missions. His expertise helped drive technological advancements, bridging academia and industry, and contributing significantly to India's space exploration and technological growth.

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2 weeks ago | [YT] | 12

Anirban Chakraborty

HMPV the next Corona?!
Here's everything you need to know about the Human Metapneumovirus!

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3 weeks ago | [YT] | 5

Anirban Chakraborty

Let's embrace the new year with warmth. May it bring new opportunities for everyone...

4 weeks ago (edited) | [YT] | 5

Anirban Chakraborty

Manmohan Singh..
Remembering the man behind the biggest economic transformations our country witnessed...
He inked the country's pioneering nuclear deal with the US..
Also the last Prime Minister to hold a press conference in 2014
Here's a glimpse of How India’s 1991 Economic Reforms Transformed Its Destiny...

Watch The Videos : youtube.com/shorts/m8p0e6Az3t...
youtube.com/shorts/xIIW6l9Zqd...

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1 month ago (edited) | [YT] | 21