Culture & Heritage Editor, Peepals Sanskriti
Ishita Sen
Ishita Sen is a pen name of the Peepals Global Editorial Team, which researches, fact-checks and publishes every story. The portrait is an illustration. About the team · Editorial policy
68 recent articles on Peepals Sanskriti
UP's Rs 83 crore plan upgrades 20 Devi shrines as Navratri crowds rise
Uttar Pradesh says 22 projects worth about Rs 83 crore are under way at 20 Devi shrines in 19 districts, as temples reported bigger Navratri crowds in October 2026.
FSSAI drafts tea pesticide limits: acetamiprid 20 mg/kg, imidacloprid 50 mg/kg
FSSAI's draft, published in the Gazette on October 16, 2026, sets tea limits for two insecticides; comments are open for 60 days.
Tirumala: TTD stops darshan recommendation letters during Andhra civic poll code
TTD said on 20 October 2026 it will not accept recommendation letters for Tirumala darshan or rooms while Andhra Pradesh's local body poll code is in force.
Nashik Simhastha Kumbh: President Murmu invited to October 31 flag hoisting
Maharashtra invited President Murmu on 21 October 2026 to the Simhastha Kumbh flag hoisting at Ramkund and Trimbakeshwar on 31 October, at 12.02 pm.
Iodine deficiency day: officials urge iodised salt, under 5 g daily
On October 21, 2026, health officials urged iodised salt in daily meals but under 5 g of salt a day; about a quarter of households lack adequately iodised salt.
Rs 93.94 crore plan to redevelop Kharar's Maharaja Ajj Sarovar approved
The Tourism Ministry approved a Rs 93.94 crore Swadesh Darshan plan to redevelop Maharaja Ajj Sarovar in Kharar, Punjab, with a Ramayana centre, an MP said on Oct 22.
Devaragattu Banni festival: one dead, over 100 hurt in Kurnool stick fight
One person died and over 100 were injured at the Devaragattu Banni stick-fight ritual in Kurnool, Andhra Pradesh, on the night of October 21, 2026.
Vijayawada's Kanaka Durga Teppotsavam returns on Krishna after two flood years
The Teppotsavam float festival closing Dasara at Vijayawada's Kanaka Durga temple was held on the Krishna on October 20, 2026, after floods stopped it in 2024 and 2025.
Shivamogga Dasara procession halted as elephant Somanna turns back, Ambari falls
Shivamogga's Dasara Jamboo Savari was stopped midway on October 21, 2026 after elephant Somanna, carrying the silver Ambari with Goddess Chamundeshwari's idol, turned and ran.
Padmanabhaswamy Alpashi Arattu: Thiruvananthapuram runway paused for temple procession
Thiruvananthapuram airport scheduled a five-hour halt to flights on October 20, 2026 so Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple's Alpashi Arattu procession could cross its runway to the sea.
Sirpur, two Andaman volcano sites join UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List
Sirpur in Chhattisgarh and two Andaman geological sites were added to UNESCO's World Heritage Tentative List on October 20, 2026, a first step to nomination.
US Postal Service unveils rangoli Diwali stamp at India's embassy
The US Postal Service unveiled a rangoli-themed Diwali Forever stamp at India's embassy in Washington on October 21, 2026, its second Diwali stamp after 2016.
FSSAI asks Nestle, Complan maker to prove infant formula and growth claims
FSSAI has asked Nestle India to prove claims on two infant formulas and Zydus Wellness to justify Complan's '2X Faster Growth' claim, notices reported on October 21, 2026.
Supreme Court: State is custodian, not owner, of temple land
The Supreme Court on October 16, 2026 voided a gift of Erode temple land to Tamil Nadu for a taluk office, holding the State is only a custodian of temple property.
Delhi sweet shop inspections find pests, poor hygiene before Diwali
Delhi's Food Safety Department found pests and hygiene lapses at sweet shops before Diwali and sent khoya, barfi and rasmalai samples for tests, officials said Oct 20, 2026.
Bijoya Dashami: Durga Puja ends with Sindoor Khela, immersions till October 24
Durga Puja ended on Bijoya Dashami, October 21, 2026, with Sindoor Khela; Bengal set immersions from October 21 to 24 under senior police officers.
Sabarimala Thulam rush: 65,000 pilgrims a day, minister flags gaps
About 65,000 pilgrims reached Sabarimala on the first darshan day of the Thulam month pooja; the temple closes on October 22 after a rush that exposed transport gaps.
Srinagar Dussehra: Kashmiri Pandits, tourists watch Ravan Dahan together
Kashmiri Pandits, tourists and residents of several faiths watched effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna and Meghnad burn in Srinagar on October 20, 2026.
Mysuru Jamboo Savari today: Prashantha carries golden howdah after Abhimanyu
On October 21, 2026, elephant Prashantha carries Goddess Chamundeshwari's 750-kg golden howdah in Mysuru's Jamboo Savari, as Abhimanyu, now 60, leads the march.
Pune FDA seizes 9,440 kg of paneer, khoya ahead of Diwali
Maharashtra's FDA seized 9,440 kg of paneer and khoya worth Rs 28.40 lakh in Pune on 19 October 2026 over unsafe transport and storage.
Diwali On The Square returns to Trafalgar Square on October 25
London's free Diwali On The Square returns to Trafalgar Square on 25 October 2026, opening with 200 dancers, two weeks before Diwali on 8 November.
Dussehra 2026: why Bisrakh village prays for Ravan instead of burning him
On Dussehra, October 20, 2026, Bisrakh in Greater Noida again skips Ravan effigy burning; by local tradition it is Ravan's birthplace and villagers pray for his soul.
Diwali at Times Square returns October 24 for its 11th edition
Diwali at Times Square, New York's public Diwali festival, holds its 11th edition on October 24, 2026, with free entry, a concert, diya lighting and a bazaar.
Dasara festival 2026: Mysuru's 3,473-drone peacock sets Guinness record
A 3,473-drone peacock over Bannimantap on October 18 won Mysuru Dasara its second Guinness World Record, certified for CESC.
Kulasai Dasara: Kulasekarapattinam readies 4,000 police for Soorasamharam on October 20
Kulasekarapattinam's Mutharamman temple holds Soorasamharam, the climax of Kulasai Dasara, on October 20, 2026, with over 4,000 police and extra buses deployed.
Khajuraho Vishnu idol's missing head found in ASI store, to be reattached
The ASI says the missing head of the 11th-century Vishnu idol at Khajuraho's Javari temple was found in its store and will be reattached.
Muslim artists from Meerut build Shimla's Jakhu Ravan effigies, as for 20 years
A Muslim artist family from Meerut is making the Ravan, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad effigies at Shimla's Jakhu temple for Dussehra on October 20, 2026.
Sharad Purnima 2026 on October 25: tithi, moonrise and the kheer tradition
Sharad Purnima falls on Sunday, October 25, 2026; the tithi runs 11:55 am Oct 25 to 9:41 am Oct 26, and kheer is kept in moonlight that night.
Dussehra 2026 on October 20: Ravan Dahan time, and why Bengal, Kerala mark it a day later
Dussehra falls on October 20, 2026, for most of India, with Ravan Dahan after sunset; Bengal, Kerala and Mysuru hold Vijayadashami rituals on October 21.
Navami 2026: Maa Siddhidatri worshipped today as Navratri ends; tithi timings
Maha Navami is on 19 October 2026, with Maa Siddhidatri worshipped as Navratri's ninth form; the tithi runs to 12:50 pm on 20 October. UP and Uttarakhand declared holidays.
Kolkata's Santosh Mitra Square wins Bengal's first Devi Durga Samman as best puja
Kolkata's Santosh Mitra Square puja won the top 'Serar Sera' prize in Bengal's Devi Durga Samman 2026, announced on October 16; 23 committees were honoured.
Bastar Dussehra: Phool Rath rolls in Jagdalpur; President to attend Muria Darbar
Bastar Dussehra's Phool Rath began its rounds in Jagdalpur on October 13, 2026; President Droupadi Murmu will attend the festival's Muria Darbar on October 23.
Delhi Ramlila to burn 30-foot cockroach effigy beside Ravan on Dussehra
Pitampura's Shri Keshav Ramlila Committee will burn a 30-foot cockroach effigy with Ravan on October 20, 2026, saying it stands for filth, not politics.
Kolkata pandal recreates a coal mine and shows Durga as a labourer for its 56th puja
Thakurpukur SB Park Sarbojanin in Behala, Kolkata, has turned its 2026 Durga Puja pandal into an underground coal mine and shows the Goddess as a labourer.
Tridhara Durga Puja turns 80 with 'Sur-Asur' theme and giant dragons at its gate
South Kolkata's Tridhara Sammilani marks its 80th Durga Puja in October 2026 with a 'Sur-Asur' theme on good and evil, with giant dragons guarding the pandal.
Ultra-processed food linked to silent brain injury on MRI in study of 8,700 adults
Adults eating the most ultra-processed food had about 40% higher odds of silent brain lesions on MRI, a McMaster study in JAMA Network Open said on October 15, 2026.
Durga Puja begins in Bangladesh at over 33,000 mandaps under tight security
Bangladesh's Hindus began Durga Puja with Maha Shashthi on October 16, 2026, at more than 33,000 mandaps, with border guards deployed and a five-day holiday ahead.
Brain-eating amoeba death shuts six lakes in Mexico; Kerala has seen 155 cases this year
Mérida in Mexico suspended water contact at six lakes after a fatal Naegleria fowleri infection; Kerala logged 155 cases from January to July 2026.
Saddula Bathukamma on October 18: Tank Bund procession, timings and immersion points
Saddula Bathukamma falls on October 18, 2026; a 4 pm procession leads to Tank Bund for a 5-10 pm programme, with immersion at Bathukamma Ghat and Necklace Road.
Tirumala Garuda Seva tonight: two-wheelers barred as Navaratri festival peaks
Tirumala's Navaratri Brahmotsavam Garuda Seva is on 16 October 2026, 6.30-11.30 pm; TTD has barred two-wheelers on ghat roads and cancelled VIP darshans.
World Spine Day 2026: move every 30-45 minutes, eat ragi and curd, doctors say
On World Spine Day, 16 October 2026, a Hyderabad spine surgeon urged breaks every 30-45 minutes, yoga or walking, and calcium-rich foods like ragi and curd.
Aurora Hindu temple near Chicago was target of foiled shooting plot, prosecutors say
A 19-year-old accused of plotting a mass shooting at the Sri Venkateswara Swami (Balaji) Temple in Aurora, Illinois, was ordered detained on October 14, 2026.
Mysuru Dasara 2026: Kambala buffalo race comes to the festival for the first time
Kambala, coastal Karnataka's buffalo race, joins Mysuru Dasara for the first time on 18-19 October 2026; trial runs began this week amid activist protests.
Processed food and colon cancer: big US study finds what you eat matters more
A PLOS Medicine study of 461,682 US adults, published 15 October 2026, found no overall link between ultra-processed food and colorectal cancer; meat raised risk.
Tamil Nadu eases temple phone ban: carry phones switched off, photos still barred
Tamil Nadu's HR&CE Department now lets devotees carry switched-off phones into temples, easing a September 1 ban; photos and videos stay banned.
World Food Day 2026: FAO theme pairs innovation with traditional food knowledge
World Food Day on October 16, 2026 carries the FAO theme 'Innovate today. Nourish tomorrow.', with 2.69 billion people unable to afford a healthy diet.
Kullu Dussehra 2026: 300 deities, troupes from 24 nations, Oct 21-27
International Kullu Dussehra runs 21-27 October 2026 with 300-plus valley deities and troupes from about 24 countries, organisers said at a Delhi curtain raiser on 14 October.
Bengal approves 12,400 new Durga Pujas this year, taking total to about 57,500
West Bengal has approved 12,400 new community Durga Pujas for 2026, taking the total to about 57,500 from 45,000 last year, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said.
Navratri vrat foods: UP seizes 20,924 kg in drive on kuttu, ghee adulteration
Uttar Pradesh's FSDA seized 20,924 kg of suspect ghee and fasting foods like kuttu flour on 8-9 October 2026, ahead of Navratri, and sent 176 samples for tests.
Mysuru Dasara 2026: Prashantha to carry golden howdah as Abhimanyu, 60, steps aside
Tusker Prashantha, 54, will carry Mysuru Dasara's 750-kg golden howdah in the Jamboo Savari on 21 October 2026, replacing 60-year-old Abhimanyu.
UP to hold Navratri music, Durga Saptashati recitals at 26 Devi temples
UP minister Jaiveer Singh on 14 October 2026 launched Navratri cultural events at 26 Devi temples, to be held on Saptami, Ashtami and Navami.
Gujarat CM opens Vibrant Navratri Festival in Ahmedabad; Garba till October 20
Gujarat CM Bhupendra Patel opened the Vibrant Navratri Festival 2026 at Ahmedabad's GMDC Ground on October 11; traditional and modern Garba run till October 20.
Going vegan from lacto-vegetarian altered liver metabolism in days, mouse study finds
A University of Geneva mouse study, reported October 13, 2026, found a switch from lacto-vegetarian to vegan food changed liver glucose and ammonia handling within days.
Cauvery Theerthodbhava 2026 at Talacauvery set for 7.50 pm on October 17
The Kaveri's sacred spring at Talacauvery is expected to rise at about 7.50 pm on Saturday, October 17, 2026, at Tula Sankramana.
Meat-heavy 'sulfur microbial' diet linked to higher lung cancer risk in 95,612 adults
A US study of 95,612 adults, reported October 13, 2026, links diets high in red and processed meat and low in whole grains and fruit to more lung cancer.
Hyderabad's 81-foot Durga made of grass and mud draws thousands this Navratri
An 81-foot Durga idol of grass, mud and water-based paint at Koti, Hyderabad, is drawing thousands daily this Navratri; organisers will dissolve it on site, not in a lake.
Durga Puja 2026: Bengal pandals take on climate, devotion and city noise
Rajdanga's 'Shodhan' on environmental damage and Siliguri's 'Adi Shakti' were unveiled for Durga Puja 2026, reports on 13 October said; Chorebagan's 'Beyond Sound' opened 12 October.
Ayodhya Ram temple gets FSSAI 'Eat Right Place of Worship' tag for prasad
FSSAI certified Ayodhya's Ram temple trust as an 'Eat Right Place of Worship' on Oct 10, 2026, covering prasad for two years to Oct 2028.
Times Square Durga Utsav honours six US groups that kept the puja going for 50 years
The second Times Square Durga Utsav, held on 10-11 October 2026 in New York, honoured six US Bengali groups that have run Durga Puja for at least five decades.
Navaratri idols leave Padmanabhapuram Palace for Thiruvananthapuram under royal sword
The Navaratri procession of the Saraswathi and two other idols left Padmanabhapuram Palace on October 9, 2026, for Thiruvananthapuram after the royal sword handover.
Thigh muscles go quiet after 25 minutes of unbroken sitting, Swinburne study finds
Swinburne University research reported on October 12, 2026 found thigh muscle activity falls to its lowest after about 25 minutes of unbroken sitting.
London Durga Puja to honour Akashvani centenary at Ealing festival, October 16-18
London Sharad Utsav, run by the Bengal Heritage Foundation, will mark Akashvani's centenary at its Durga Puja in Ealing from 16 to 18 October 2026.
Fermented protein foods may help muscles through the gut, review says, but proof is thin
A 2026 review in Communications Biology, publicised on October 9, says fermented protein foods may aid muscle health via the gut, but direct human evidence is still limited.
Low-fat vegan diet cut liver fat by a third in type 2 diabetes, 16-week study finds
A PCRM-Yale study made public on Oct 8, 2026 reports a 16-week low-fat vegan diet cut liver fat 33% and HbA1c by 1 point in type 2 diabetes; it had no control group.
Mallakhamb, Kalaripayattu share stage with Capoeira at BRICS traditional games
Ahmedabad hosted medal-free BRICS Traditional and Indigenous Demonstration Games on October 12, 2026, with Mallakhamb, Kalaripayattu and Yogasana.
Supreme Court raps ASI, MCD after Lodhi-era monument in Delhi found used as cow shed
The Supreme Court on 7 October 2026 criticised the ASI and Delhi's civic body after finding a Lodhi-era monument used as a cow shed and dumping yard.
Kerala HC seeks work-by-work Sabarimala readiness report, calls TDB engineer Oct 14
On 8 October 2026 the Kerala High Court told the Devaswom Board's Chief Engineer to report on 14 October on every Sabarimala pilgrimage work due by 31 October.
Bastar Dussehra enters Navratri phase with thorn-swing Kachhan Gadi ritual
Bastar's 75-day Dussehra reached its Navratri phase with the Kachhan Gadi thorn-swing ritual on October 10 and Jogi Bithai on October 12, 2026.