‘Vikram On Duty’ OTT release: When and where to watch Nikhil Maliyakkal’s crime thriller online?

‘Vikram On Duty’ OTT release: When and where to watch Nikhil Maliyakkal’s crime thriller online?

The newly released crime thriller ‘Vikram On Duty’ is headlined by Nikhil Maliyakkal, who plays police officer Vikram Vasu. He leads a crucial investigation that demands both accountability and visible impact. As the hype is high for this thriller series, let’s look at where you can stream ‘Vikram On Duty’ online. Storyline: A cop who…

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Protests over Ayatollah Khamenei’s killing in Kashmir: Meta blocks media pages, MP Ruhullah Mehdi booked for ‘misleading content’

Protests over Ayatollah Khamenei’s killing in Kashmir: Meta blocks media pages, MP Ruhullah Mehdi booked for ‘misleading content’

Syed Ruhullah Mehdi (File Photo) SRINAGAR: After large-scale protests over the past two days against the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Jammu and Kashmir government extended the closure of schools and colleges across the Valley until Saturday.At the same time, Meta blocked several newspaper accounts in the Valley, evoking condemnation from…

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Uae Residents Return Home: UAE residents return home on 3 exceptional Etihad Rail trains from Saudi border | World News

Uae Residents Return Home: UAE residents return home on 3 exceptional Etihad Rail trains from Saudi border | World News

Etihad Rail operates special services from Ghuweifat to Abu Dhabi amid regional disruptions / Image: file In a historic and rare move, the UAE’s national railway network transformed from a freight giant into a lifeline for citizens and residents. While Etihad Rail is primarily known for transporting sulfur and heavy goods across the desert, it…

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(From left) Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Saraogi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, Bihar deputy CM Samrat Choudhary with party MP Ravi Shankar Prasad at a Holi Milan Samaroh in Patna on Tuesday NEW DELHI: BJP national president Nitin Nabin is set to make his debut in Rajya Sabha from his home state Bihar, with the party naming him as one of its nine candidates for the polls to 37 seats across 10 states in a list which has several first-timers but with considerable organisational experience.While BJP named both candidates from its quota in Bihar, Shivesh Kumar – a Dalit who had lost in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Sasaram – being the second nominee, suspense is building over the choice of JDU, which is yet to officially declare any name amid indications that it will repeat Union minister Ram Nath Thakur but may drop RS deputy chairperson Harivansh. Bihar Buzz: Will CM Nitish Kumar’s Son Nishant Kumar Enter Politics Through Rajya Sabha Route? A strong section within JDU is rooting for Nishant Kumar, the son of party president and CM Nitish Kumar whose nearly five-decade-long public life has been marked by opposition to dynastic politics but is facing pressure to bow to demand of party’s workers amid concerns in some quarters over his own health.Israel attacks IranUS-Israel-Iran War Live Updates: Iran launches ‘massive missile’ strike at US airbase in Bahrain; Israel bombs Beirut’Not happy with UK either’: Donald Trump slams European nations, singles out Spain over Iran campaignIran crisis: Ayatollah’s son Mojtaba Khamenei emerges as front-runner to succeed slain Supreme LeaderBoth Ram Nath Thakur, the son of noted socialist leader Karpoori Thakur, and Harivansh, a former journalist, have been in RS for two consecutive terms.Upendra Kushwaha is set to be repeated as an NDA candidate for the fifth seat, for which opposition parties may force a contest despite the confidence in the governing alliance of its win on the basis of its perceived numerical advantage due to lack of unity among its rivals.Nabin, an upper caste Kayastha and fifth-term MLA from Bihar, will be entering Parliament for the first time, a move that will cement his presence in national politics.Meanwhile, BJP has fielded its two Assam MLAs – Terash Gowalla and Jogen Mohan – from the poll-bound state, former LS MP Sanjay Bhatia from Haryana and its Odisha president Manmohan Samal and its ex-West Bengal president Rahul Sinha from West Bengal. Bhatia had made way from Karnal for former CM Manohar Lal Khattar, who is now a Union minister.Outgoing MP from Odisha Sujeet Kumar, who had quit BJD following the assembly elections in the state, is the only candidate BJP has repeated in this list. It is yet to release its list for Maharashtra, where seven seats are falling vacant and the governing alliance is set to bag six. Laxmi Verma, a Kurmi and someone who has worked her way up the party’s ranks in Chhattisgarh, is the lone woman candidate on the BJP’s list.BJP functionaries said the list is full of seasoned organisational hands emphasising the leadership’s decision to groom a new crop of members for key positions.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’We Saw Missiles..’: Recalls Indian Who Witnessed Dubai Horror Amid US-Iran War, Returns Home SafelyStrike Terror, Avoid Escalation’: Gp Capt Ajay Ahlawat on Op Sindoor DoctrineIsrael Bombs Iran’s Presidential Office, Trump Says Iran’s Leadership ‘Gone’, ‘Too Late For Talks’Mercedes Benz India: Why the FTA Won’t Lower Car Prices in 2026PM Modi Steps Up Gulf Diplomacy Amid US Iran War, India Warns Of Serious Consequences On EconomyBihar Buzz: Will CM Nitish Kumar’s Son Nishant Kumar Enter Politics Through Rajya Sabha Route?As Protests Break Out In India, A Look At Why Ayatollah Khamenei Was Spiritual Anchor For Shia Muslims“Not the Right Choice But The Only Choice”: IAF Veteran on Rafale DilemmaDelhi Police Detain 4,000 In Pre-Holi Crackdown Under Operation Aaghat 4.0Narendra Modi: Global Digital Leader Surpasses 30 Million YouTube Subscribers123Photostories14 types of veg and non-veg deep-fried pakodas to make the Holi party even more flavourfulRevenge bedtime procrastination: Why you stay up late even when you’re exhausted and how to win over this habitIs Gossip Really That Bad? 5 Surprising Reasons Psychology Says It’s Actually Good for YouLab-grown gold vs mined gold: What’s the real difference in price, purity, and investment value?Lunar eclipse 2026: See stunning ‘Blood Moon’ photos from across the worldTotal lunar eclipse 2026: Photos of rare ‘Blood Moon’Holi 2026: From Devoleena Bhattacharjee and husband Shanwaz, Gaurav Khanna-Akanksha Chamola to Divyanka Tripathi- Vivek Dahiya; TV celebs’ colourful pictures from the festivitiesTop 5 tallest residential buildings in Europe (2026)5 of the worst travel crisis the world has seen since 2020From salad to halwa: 8 ways to consume raw papaya to improve gut health123Hot PicksIran droneUS Iran War Impact on Stock MarketMiddle East CrisisGulf Flights UpdateIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays March 2026Bank Holidays MarchTop TrendingNBA Injury UpdateUS Israel Strike IranUS Attack on IranCBSE postpones Class 10 and 12 board examsUS Strike IranLG Hospital AhmedabadMiddle East CrisisIsrael Iran ConflictChandra Grahan 2026 TimeSchool Holiday in March

(From left) Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Saraogi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, Bihar deputy CM Samrat Choudhary with party MP Ravi Shankar Prasad at a Holi Milan Samaroh in Patna on Tuesday NEW DELHI: BJP national president Nitin Nabin is set to make his debut in Rajya Sabha from his home state Bihar, with the party naming him as one of its nine candidates for the polls to 37 seats across 10 states in a list which has several first-timers but with considerable organisational experience.While BJP named both candidates from its quota in Bihar, Shivesh Kumar – a Dalit who had lost in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Sasaram – being the second nominee, suspense is building over the choice of JDU, which is yet to officially declare any name amid indications that it will repeat Union minister Ram Nath Thakur but may drop RS deputy chairperson Harivansh. Bihar Buzz: Will CM Nitish Kumar’s Son Nishant Kumar Enter Politics Through Rajya Sabha Route? A strong section within JDU is rooting for Nishant Kumar, the son of party president and CM Nitish Kumar whose nearly five-decade-long public life has been marked by opposition to dynastic politics but is facing pressure to bow to demand of party’s workers amid concerns in some quarters over his own health.Israel attacks IranUS-Israel-Iran War Live Updates: Iran launches ‘massive missile’ strike at US airbase in Bahrain; Israel bombs Beirut’Not happy with UK either’: Donald Trump slams European nations, singles out Spain over Iran campaignIran crisis: Ayatollah’s son Mojtaba Khamenei emerges as front-runner to succeed slain Supreme LeaderBoth Ram Nath Thakur, the son of noted socialist leader Karpoori Thakur, and Harivansh, a former journalist, have been in RS for two consecutive terms.Upendra Kushwaha is set to be repeated as an NDA candidate for the fifth seat, for which opposition parties may force a contest despite the confidence in the governing alliance of its win on the basis of its perceived numerical advantage due to lack of unity among its rivals.Nabin, an upper caste Kayastha and fifth-term MLA from Bihar, will be entering Parliament for the first time, a move that will cement his presence in national politics.Meanwhile, BJP has fielded its two Assam MLAs – Terash Gowalla and Jogen Mohan – from the poll-bound state, former LS MP Sanjay Bhatia from Haryana and its Odisha president Manmohan Samal and its ex-West Bengal president Rahul Sinha from West Bengal. Bhatia had made way from Karnal for former CM Manohar Lal Khattar, who is now a Union minister.Outgoing MP from Odisha Sujeet Kumar, who had quit BJD following the assembly elections in the state, is the only candidate BJP has repeated in this list. It is yet to release its list for Maharashtra, where seven seats are falling vacant and the governing alliance is set to bag six. Laxmi Verma, a Kurmi and someone who has worked her way up the party’s ranks in Chhattisgarh, is the lone woman candidate on the BJP’s list.BJP functionaries said the list is full of seasoned organisational hands emphasising the leadership’s decision to groom a new crop of members for key positions.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’We Saw Missiles..’: Recalls Indian Who Witnessed Dubai Horror Amid US-Iran War, Returns Home SafelyStrike Terror, Avoid Escalation’: Gp Capt Ajay Ahlawat on Op Sindoor DoctrineIsrael Bombs Iran’s Presidential Office, Trump Says Iran’s Leadership ‘Gone’, ‘Too Late For Talks’Mercedes Benz India: Why the FTA Won’t Lower Car Prices in 2026PM Modi Steps Up Gulf Diplomacy Amid US Iran War, India Warns Of Serious Consequences On EconomyBihar Buzz: Will CM Nitish Kumar’s Son Nishant Kumar Enter Politics Through Rajya Sabha Route?As Protests Break Out In India, A Look At Why Ayatollah Khamenei Was Spiritual Anchor For Shia Muslims“Not the Right Choice But The Only Choice”: IAF Veteran on Rafale DilemmaDelhi Police Detain 4,000 In Pre-Holi Crackdown Under Operation Aaghat 4.0Narendra Modi: Global Digital Leader Surpasses 30 Million YouTube Subscribers123Photostories14 types of veg and non-veg deep-fried pakodas to make the Holi party even more flavourfulRevenge bedtime procrastination: Why you stay up late even when you’re exhausted and how to win over this habitIs Gossip Really That Bad? 5 Surprising Reasons Psychology Says It’s Actually Good for YouLab-grown gold vs mined gold: What’s the real difference in price, purity, and investment value?Lunar eclipse 2026: See stunning ‘Blood Moon’ photos from across the worldTotal lunar eclipse 2026: Photos of rare ‘Blood Moon’Holi 2026: From Devoleena Bhattacharjee and husband Shanwaz, Gaurav Khanna-Akanksha Chamola to Divyanka Tripathi- Vivek Dahiya; TV celebs’ colourful pictures from the festivitiesTop 5 tallest residential buildings in Europe (2026)5 of the worst travel crisis the world has seen since 2020From salad to halwa: 8 ways to consume raw papaya to improve gut health123Hot PicksIran droneUS Iran War Impact on Stock MarketMiddle East CrisisGulf Flights UpdateIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays March 2026Bank Holidays MarchTop TrendingNBA Injury UpdateUS Israel Strike IranUS Attack on IranCBSE postpones Class 10 and 12 board examsUS Strike IranLG Hospital AhmedabadMiddle East CrisisIsrael Iran ConflictChandra Grahan 2026 TimeSchool Holiday in March

(From left) Bihar BJP chief Sanjay Saraogi, BJP national president Nitin Nabin, Bihar deputy CM Samrat Choudhary with party MP Ravi Shankar Prasad at a Holi Milan Samaroh in Patna on Tuesday NEW DELHI: BJP national president Nitin Nabin is set to make his debut in Rajya Sabha from his home state Bihar, with the…

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Mar 04, 2026, 11:33 IST

Mar 04, 2026, 11:33 IST

Cristiano Ronaldo (ANI Photo) Portuguese football legend Cristiano Ronaldo has suffered a hamstring tendon injury, his Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr FC confirmed on Tuesday. Despite the setback, his participation in the 2026 World Cup appears safe.The 41-year-old Portugal captain is expected to be out for two to four weeks, which should allow him to recover…

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IIT Hyderabad invites applications for SURE Internship 2026: Check eligibility, key dates and direct link to apply

IIT Hyderabad invites applications for SURE Internship 2026: Check eligibility, key dates and direct link to apply

The Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad has opened applications for its Summer Undergraduate Research Exposure (SURE) Internship 2026. The programme offers undergraduate and postgraduate students from across India an opportunity to take part in hands-on research at the institute.The last date to apply online is March 10, 2026. SURE Internship 2026: Overview The SURE Internship…

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‘Bring him home’: Singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya requests PM Modi to rescue son stranded in Dubai amid Middle East crisis

‘Bring him home’: Singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya requests PM Modi to rescue son stranded in Dubai amid Middle East crisis

Renowned playback singer Abhijeet Bhattacharya has made a heartfelt plea to the Government of India, urging swift intervention to bring his son back safely from Dubai. The appeal comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia, where ongoing conflicts have heightened concerns for Indian nationals abroad. Abhijeet Bhattacharya’s urgent plea On Instagram, Abhijeet voiced deep concern…

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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman makes it clear to employees at Townhall: You do not get to choose how…

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman makes it clear to employees at Townhall: You do not get to choose how…

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Dubai Airport issues warning over fabricated, digitally altered videos circulating online | World News

Dubai Airport issues warning over fabricated, digitally altered videos circulating online | World News

Dubai Airport/Representative Image Dubai International Airport has issued a warning after misleading videos claiming incidents at the airport began spreading on social media. Authorities say the clips are digitally manipulated and false, urging the public to depend on official updates and avoid sharing unverified material that could lead to legal consequences. Airport authority says circulating…

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(Photo credit: Instagram/Tasveerbaj) Kashi me khele,Ghat me khele,Holi khele masaane mein.This isn’t just a song line echoing across India, it is an emotion that Banaras lives and breathes each year. In most parts of the country, Holi arrives in a riot of colour, gulal in the air, water guns primed, laughter echoing through narrow lanes. But on the ancient ghats of Kashi, Holi does not explode in pinks and yellows. Instead, it unfolds in muted greys, where devotees gather not with pichkaris and gulal, but with sacred ashes lifted from the cremation pyres that symbolise life’s final truth.Here, colour yields to cinder. Laughter melts into resonant chants of Har Har Mahadev. Celebration sheds its carnival skin and turns contemplative, less revelry, more reckoning.Israel attacks IranUS-Israel-Iran War Live Updates: Iran launches ‘massive missile’ strike at US airbase in Bahrain; Israel bombs Beirut’Not happy with UK either’: Donald Trump slams European nations, singles out Spain over Iran campaignIran crisis: Ayatollah’s son Mojtaba Khamenei emerges as front-runner to succeed slain Supreme LeaderThis is Masaan Holi also known as Bhasma Holi or Smashan Holi is the Holi of the cremation ground, where faith dances in the shadow of fire and mortality. Varanasi (PTI Photo)Where fire never sleepsMasaan Holi unfolds primarily at Manikarnika Ghat and Harishchandra Ghat, the two sacred grounds where funeral pyres burn almost continuously.The term “Masaan” comes from the Sanskrit “shmashaan”, meaning cremation ground. In this city of liberation, where life and death coexist without apology and where the funeral pyres burn eternally, the ashes of the departed become the medium of celebration.Masaan ki Holi involves the use of ashes from cremation pyres. Rooted in Shaivite traditions, Masaan Holi draws Aghori sadhus, ascetics, and devoted followers of Shiva-the seekers who choose to confront mortality rather than turn away from it. Devotees gently smear bhasm, or vibhuti (sacred ash) on one another, symbolising the unbroken cycle of birth and death. But why is Masaan Holi celebrated?To understand Masaan Holi, one must first step into mythology.The festivities begin a day after Rangbhari Ekadashi at Kashi Vishwanath Temple. This day is believed to mark Goddess Parvati’s “gauna” following her wedding to Shiva on Mahashivratri. While the divine wedding was celebrated in grandeur, legend says certain celestial beings, yakshas, gandharvas, kinnars were not part of the elite guest list.So what did Shiva do?According to lore, the ascetic god, dancer, mystic, and the original rule-breaker draped in leopard skin with a live serpent as ornament chose to celebrate with his underworld friends, his companions of the cremation grounds. At the Mahashmashana, he played Holi with ashes from burning pyres, dancing amid fire and smoke, chanting “Har Har Mahadev.”And thus began the tradition. Entering the grey zoneAs someone in her mid-20s, raised on stories of India’s layered spiritual traditions, I had long been curious about this praxis, this raw, unsanitised ritual. Social media has turned Masaan Holi into a viral sensation. Aesthetic reels of ash-smeared faces, slow-motion chants, cinematic smoke spirals. But what lies beyond the filtered frames?Determined to find out, I arrived in Banaras a day after Rangbhari Ekadashi. With only two days in hand the modest luxury of a journalist’s week off, I wrapped myself in full clothes, bracing for what most would call “colour play,” except here the colour was absent itself!Walking towards the ghats, the mood shifted. The closer I came to Manikarnika, the denser the throng. A swelling sea of humanity moved in waves, devotees, children perched on shoulders, saffron-clad ascetics, Aghori sadhus with ash-lined foreheads. The air thickened with chants and anticipation.And then the quirky chaos began. (PTI Photo)The human whirlpoolWhat looked from afar like spiritual fervour turned, up close, into a human traffic jam. I could not see the headcount hurricane but gosh it existed!A shoulder-to-shoulder brigade surging toward the same sacred point. Neither could I exit nor could I move!The crowd grew unruly. Elbows nudged, slippers slipped, and personal space evaporated into the smoky air. I found myself caught in a swirling whirlpool of bodies, a buzzing bunch where neither retreat nor advance seemed possible.Were they all devotees? Seekers of the divine? Some, surely. But others seemed to be thrill-chasers, intoxicated more by the spectacle than the sanctity. Pushes became shoves. Chants grew louder. For a moment, I felt less like a pilgrim and more like driftwood in a restless tide.There came a point when I had two choices, hold on to my breath or let go of my slippers.The slippers lost.To this day, they rest somewhere on the ghats of Manikarnika, an unintended offering to ghats in Kashi.In that crush, I remembered news reports of stampedes, of families separated, of chaos turning catastrophic. The thin line between devotion and disorder felt terrifyingly real.Yet, as abruptly as chaos peaked, calm appeared.Breaking free from the human huddle, I finally reached the ghat. The Ganga flowed with her usual indifference to human frenzy. I dipped my feet into the cold water, letting its quiet rhythm steady my racing thoughts.Nearby, the ritual began at the Mahashmashan Nath Temple where aarti flames flickered against the smoky backdrop. Devotees smeared ash on their foreheads and “Har Har Mahadev” rose in unison but not as noise, but as invocation.Ashes gathered from the pyres were handled with quiet reverence. The steady rhythm of drums filled the air, bhajans echoed across the ghats. The procession moved through the narrow pathways of the cremation ground, less a parade and more a pilgrimage.The symbolism is stark yet profound, everything turns to ash. Ego, beauty, status, ambition!In playing Holi with vibhuti, devotees symbolically surrender vanity and embrace impermanence. It is purification not through colour, but through confrontation.Death is not denied here. It is acknowledged, even celebrated as a transition. Devotees celebrate ‘Masan Holi’ at the Manikarnika ghat, in Varanasi. (PTI Photo)A festival, transformed?Locals spoke candidly about change.“Ever since social media made it famous, the essence has shifted,” one elderly resident told me. “There are fewer sadhus now, more artists or performers who dress up for the event.”He wasn’t entirely dismissive, just reflective.Artists now danced around sacred fire, their movements framed by a constant flicker of camera flashes. What was once an intimate, inward ritual now unfolds before an eager audience, its silence occasionally interrupted by the click of lenses and the hum of recording phones.Was he right? Maybe yes. Maybe not. Traditions evolve, after all. But the tension between sacred and spectacle was palpable.This year, for the first time, celebrations were restricted to within the Mahashmashan Nath Temple premises. Authorities did not allow the public to play with pyre ash directly on the ghats. Overcrowding, objections from members of the Kashi Vidwat Parishad and sections of the Dom Raja family, along with ongoing development work, made the situation difficult to manage.The concerns were about following scriptural norms and ensuring safety. With funeral processions moving alongside the celebrations, managing the space became challenging. While standing there with ash floating through the air like ghostly confetti, I realised something. Social media captures moments but there’s a big difference between watching something online and actually experiencing it.Masaan Holi demands immersion” means the festival cannot be understood through a quick video. It has to be felt !A one-minute reel may aestheticise the smoke. But it cannot convey the weight of mortality that lingers in the air. It cannot replicate the discomfort of being crushed in a crowd or the serenity of the Ganga’s touch moments later.Masaan Holi is not entertainment. It is an existential encounter.You arrive curious. You leave contemplative. (Photo credit: Instagram)Why I’d go backDespite the chaos, despite the lost slippers and the human horde, if someone asks whether I would return? The answer is Yes!Because beyond the huge crowd and the performative enthusiasm, there was beauty. Raw, unsettling beauty.If myths are to be believed, Shiva himself dances here each year, carefree, ash-smeared, unbothered by worldly decorum. And in fleeting moments, amid chants and smoke, you almost feel that presence.Banaras has a way of dissolving certainty. It reminds you that life is fragile, ego is temporary, and death is not an end but a passage.Masaan Holi is Kashi’s paradox! Chaotic yet calm, macabre yet magnificent. It is where colourless ash becomes the brightest metaphor of all.And somewhere between the fire that never sleeps and the river that never stops flowing, you understand why this city plays Holi differently.Not with colours. But with impermanence.About the AuthorKanchan YadavKanchan Yadav is a writer at The Times of India, where she covers business, politics, international affairs and social issues. Her reporting also focuses on policy, governance and economic developments, with a close lens on how decisions in corridors of power affect everyday lives and community well-being.Read MoreEnd of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideos’US Seeks To Halt India’s Rise Through Wars’: Khamenei’s Envoy’s Shocking Revelation Blasts TrumpAssam Elections 2026: Congress Releases List Of 42 Candidates, Gaurav Gogoi To Contest From JorhatYouth Congress Chief Uday Bhanu Chib Released By Court After Viral ‘Shirtless’ AI Summit Protest’We Saw Missiles..’: Recalls Indian Who Witnessed Dubai Horror Amid US-Iran War, Returns Home SafelyStrike Terror, Avoid Escalation’: Gp Capt Ajay Ahlawat on Op Sindoor DoctrineIsrael Bombs Iran’s Presidential Office, Trump Says Iran’s Leadership ‘Gone’, ‘Too Late For Talks’Mercedes Benz India: Why the FTA Won’t Lower Car Prices in 2026PM Modi Steps Up Gulf Diplomacy Amid US Iran War, India Warns Of Serious Consequences On EconomyBihar Buzz: Will CM Nitish Kumar’s Son Nishant Kumar Enter Politics Through Rajya Sabha Route?As Protests Break Out In India, A Look At Why Ayatollah Khamenei Was Spiritual Anchor For Shia Muslims123Photostories5 places in India where Holi is not celebrated: Know their storiesSelena Gomez’s fashion journey: From admired teen star to red carpet powerhouseBengaluru UV radiation level hits ‘extreme’ 13: What you need to know14 types of veg and non-veg deep-fried pakodas to make the Holi party even more flavourfulRevenge bedtime procrastination: Why you stay up late even when you’re exhausted and how to win over this habitLab-grown gold vs mined gold: What’s the real difference in price, purity, and investment value?Lunar eclipse 2026: See stunning ‘Blood Moon’ photos from across the worldTotal lunar eclipse 2026: Photos of rare ‘Blood Moon’Holi 2026: From Devoleena Bhattacharjee and husband Shanwaz, Gaurav Khanna-Akanksha Chamola to Divyanka Tripathi- Vivek Dahiya; TV celebs’ colourful pictures from the festivitiesTop 5 tallest residential buildings in Europe (2026)123Hot PicksIran droneUS Iran War Impact on Stock MarketMiddle East CrisisGulf Flights UpdateIncome Tax CalculatorPublic holidays March 2026Bank Holidays MarchTop TrendingNBA Injury UpdateUS Israel Strike IranUS Attack on IranCBSE postpones Class 10 and 12 board examsUS Strike IranLG Hospital AhmedabadMiddle East CrisisIsrael Iran ConflictChandra Grahan 2026 TimeSchool Holiday in March

(Photo credit: Instagram/Tasveerbaj) Kashi me khele,Ghat me khele,Holi khele masaane mein.This isn’t just a song line echoing across India, it is an emotion that Banaras lives and breathes each year. In most parts of the country, Holi arrives in a riot of colour, gulal in the air, water guns primed, laughter echoing through narrow lanes. But on the ancient ghats of Kashi, Holi does not explode in pinks and yellows. Instead, it unfolds in muted greys, where devotees gather not with pichkaris and gulal, but with sacred ashes lifted from the cremation pyres that symbolise life’s final truth.Here, colour yields to cinder. Laughter melts into resonant chants of Har Har Mahadev. Celebration sheds its carnival skin and turns contemplative, less revelry, more reckoning.Israel attacks IranUS-Israel-Iran War Live Updates: Iran launches ‘massive missile’ strike at US airbase in Bahrain; Israel bombs Beirut’Not happy with UK either’: Donald Trump slams European nations, singles out Spain over Iran campaignIran crisis: Ayatollah’s son Mojtaba Khamenei emerges as front-runner to succeed slain Supreme LeaderThis is Masaan Holi also known as Bhasma Holi or Smashan Holi is the Holi of the cremation ground, where faith dances in the shadow of fire and mortality. Varanasi (PTI Photo)Where fire never sleepsMasaan Holi unfolds primarily at Manikarnika Ghat and Harishchandra Ghat, the two sacred grounds where funeral pyres burn almost continuously.The term “Masaan” comes from the Sanskrit “shmashaan”, meaning cremation ground. In this city of liberation, where life and death coexist without apology and where the funeral pyres burn eternally, the ashes of the departed become the medium of celebration.Masaan ki Holi involves the use of ashes from cremation pyres. Rooted in Shaivite traditions, Masaan Holi draws Aghori sadhus, ascetics, and devoted followers of Shiva-the seekers who choose to confront mortality rather than turn away from it. Devotees gently smear bhasm, or vibhuti (sacred ash) on one another, symbolising the unbroken cycle of birth and death. But why is Masaan Holi celebrated?To understand Masaan Holi, one must first step into mythology.The festivities begin a day after Rangbhari Ekadashi at Kashi Vishwanath Temple. This day is believed to mark Goddess Parvati’s “gauna” following her wedding to Shiva on Mahashivratri. While the divine wedding was celebrated in grandeur, legend says certain celestial beings, yakshas, gandharvas, kinnars were not part of the elite guest list.So what did Shiva do?According to lore, the ascetic god, dancer, mystic, and the original rule-breaker draped in leopard skin with a live serpent as ornament chose to celebrate with his underworld friends, his companions of the cremation grounds. At the Mahashmashana, he played Holi with ashes from burning pyres, dancing amid fire and smoke, chanting “Har Har Mahadev.”And thus began the tradition. Entering the grey zoneAs someone in her mid-20s, raised on stories of India’s layered spiritual traditions, I had long been curious about this praxis, this raw, unsanitised ritual. Social media has turned Masaan Holi into a viral sensation. Aesthetic reels of ash-smeared faces, slow-motion chants, cinematic smoke spirals. But what lies beyond the filtered frames?Determined to find out, I arrived in Banaras a day after Rangbhari Ekadashi. With only two days in hand the modest luxury of a journalist’s week off, I wrapped myself in full clothes, bracing for what most would call “colour play,” except here the colour was absent itself!Walking towards the ghats, the mood shifted. The closer I came to Manikarnika, the denser the throng. A swelling sea of humanity moved in waves, devotees, children perched on shoulders, saffron-clad ascetics, Aghori sadhus with ash-lined foreheads. The air thickened with chants and anticipation.And then the quirky chaos began. (PTI Photo)The human whirlpoolWhat looked from afar like spiritual fervour turned, up close, into a human traffic jam. I could not see the headcount hurricane but gosh it existed!A shoulder-to-shoulder brigade surging toward the same sacred point. Neither could I exit nor could I move!The crowd grew unruly. Elbows nudged, slippers slipped, and personal space evaporated into the smoky air. I found myself caught in a swirling whirlpool of bodies, a buzzing bunch where neither retreat nor advance seemed possible.Were they all devotees? Seekers of the divine? Some, surely. But others seemed to be thrill-chasers, intoxicated more by the spectacle than the sanctity. Pushes became shoves. Chants grew louder. For a moment, I felt less like a pilgrim and more like driftwood in a restless tide.There came a point when I had two choices, hold on to my breath or let go of my slippers.The slippers lost.To this day, they rest somewhere on the ghats of Manikarnika, an unintended offering to ghats in Kashi.In that crush, I remembered news reports of stampedes, of families separated, of chaos turning catastrophic. The thin line between devotion and disorder felt terrifyingly real.Yet, as abruptly as chaos peaked, calm appeared.Breaking free from the human huddle, I finally reached the ghat. The Ganga flowed with her usual indifference to human frenzy. I dipped my feet into the cold water, letting its quiet rhythm steady my racing thoughts.Nearby, the ritual began at the Mahashmashan Nath Temple where aarti flames flickered against the smoky backdrop. Devotees smeared ash on their foreheads and “Har Har Mahadev” rose in unison but not as noise, but as invocation.Ashes gathered from the pyres were handled with quiet reverence. The steady rhythm of drums filled the air, bhajans echoed across the ghats. The procession moved through the narrow pathways of the cremation ground, less a parade and more a pilgrimage.The symbolism is stark yet profound, everything turns to ash. Ego, beauty, status, ambition!In playing Holi with vibhuti, devotees symbolically surrender vanity and embrace impermanence. It is purification not through colour, but through confrontation.Death is not denied here. It is acknowledged, even celebrated as a transition. Devotees celebrate ‘Masan Holi’ at the Manikarnika ghat, in Varanasi. (PTI Photo)A festival, transformed?Locals spoke candidly about change.“Ever since social media made it famous, the essence has shifted,” one elderly resident told me. “There are fewer sadhus now, more artists or performers who dress up for the event.”He wasn’t entirely dismissive, just reflective.Artists now danced around sacred fire, their movements framed by a constant flicker of camera flashes. What was once an intimate, inward ritual now unfolds before an eager audience, its silence occasionally interrupted by the click of lenses and the hum of recording phones.Was he right? Maybe yes. Maybe not. Traditions evolve, after all. But the tension between sacred and spectacle was palpable.This year, for the first time, celebrations were restricted to within the Mahashmashan Nath Temple premises. Authorities did not allow the public to play with pyre ash directly on the ghats. Overcrowding, objections from members of the Kashi Vidwat Parishad and sections of the Dom Raja family, along with ongoing development work, made the situation difficult to manage.The concerns were about following scriptural norms and ensuring safety. With funeral processions moving alongside the celebrations, managing the space became challenging. While standing there with ash floating through the air like ghostly confetti, I realised something. Social media captures moments but there’s a big difference between watching something online and actually experiencing it.Masaan Holi demands immersion” means the festival cannot be understood through a quick video. It has to be felt !A one-minute reel may aestheticise the smoke. But it cannot convey the weight of mortality that lingers in the air. It cannot replicate the discomfort of being crushed in a crowd or the serenity of the Ganga’s touch moments later.Masaan Holi is not entertainment. It is an existential encounter.You arrive curious. You leave contemplative. (Photo credit: Instagram)Why I’d go backDespite the chaos, despite the lost slippers and the human horde, if someone asks whether I would return? The answer is Yes!Because beyond the huge crowd and the performative enthusiasm, there was beauty. Raw, unsettling beauty.If myths are to be believed, Shiva himself dances here each year, carefree, ash-smeared, unbothered by worldly decorum. And in fleeting moments, amid chants and smoke, you almost feel that presence.Banaras has a way of dissolving certainty. It reminds you that life is fragile, ego is temporary, and death is not an end but a passage.Masaan Holi is Kashi’s paradox! Chaotic yet calm, macabre yet magnificent. It is where colourless ash becomes the brightest metaphor of all.And somewhere between the fire that never sleeps and the river that never stops flowing, you understand why this city plays Holi differently.Not with colours. But with impermanence.About the AuthorKanchan YadavKanchan Yadav is a writer at The Times of India, where she covers business, politics, international affairs and social issues. 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(Photo credit: Instagram/Tasveerbaj) Kashi me khele,Ghat me khele,Holi khele masaane mein.This isn’t just a song line echoing across India, it is an emotion that Banaras lives and breathes each year. In most parts of the country, Holi arrives in a riot of colour, gulal in the air, water guns primed, laughter echoing through narrow lanes….

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