People across country revel in Diwali; Delhi defies firecracker ban
New Delhi (PTI): Colourful lights decked up buildings and diyas (earthen lamps) dotted houses as people across the country celebrated Diwali with great enthusiasm on Thursday.
In the national capital, Delhiites defied the firecracker ban as the city's air quality remained in the 'very poor' category with an AQI of 327 at 9 pm.
Keeping up his tradition of celebrating the festival with soldiers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Sir Creek near the Indo-Pak border in Gujarat's Kutch district and offered sweets to jawans.
Modi said India cannot compromise on even an "inch" of land on its borders, adding the people believe in the strength of its armed forces for defending the country.
"In the past, attempts were made to turn this region into a battlefield. The enemy has set its eyes on this region for a long time. But we are not worried as you are guarding the nation. Our enemy also knows it well," he asserted.
"People of India feel their country is safe because of you; when the world sees you, it sees India's strength, when enemies see you, they see the end of their sinister plans," the prime minister said, addressing personnel of the Border Security Force, Army, Navy and Air Force.
Modi also called on President Droupadi Murmu and Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar separately and greeted them on Diwali.
One of the most popular Hindu festivals, Diwali is associated with the day Lord Ram is believed to have returned to Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman after defeating demon king Ravana during his 14 years in exile. The festival is seen as a celebration of the victory of good over evil.
Dressed in traditional attire, people greeted each other, exchanged sweets and gifts, and visited temples.
Meanwhile, troops of India and China exchanged sweets at several border points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), including at locations in eastern Ladakh, on the occasion of Diwali.
The exchange took place at all the five Border Personnel Meeting (BPM) points along the LAC -- Bum La and Wacha/Kibithu in Arunachal Pradesh, Chushul-Moldo and Daulat Beg Oldi in Ladakh and Nathu La in Sikkim -- among several other locations, sources said.
The celebrations across the country were largely incident free. However, in Uttar Pradesh, six people, including four of a family, were killed when a tempo they were travelling in was hit by a tractor in the Mujaria area of Budaun, police said. The victims, who worked as vegetable vendors in Noida, were returning home to celebrate Diwali.
In Andhra Pradesh, a man died after the firecrackers he was carrying on a two-wheeler exploded in Eluru town, police said.
In UP, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath celebrated Diwali with the forest dwellers of Vantangiya village in Gorakhpur.
He said people dividing society along caste, regional, and linguistic lines have the "DNA of Ravan and Duryodhan", and warned that anyone who attempts to disrupt peace or get involved in crime against women would be dealt with strictly.
During his visit to the area, the chief minister inaugurated 74 development projects valued at Rs 185 crore across various gram panchayats.
In the national capital, the sky lit up as people celebrated Diwali defying a ban on firecrackers.
Areas including Lajpat Nagar, Kalkaji, Chhatarpur, Jaunapur, East of Kailash, Saket, Rohini, Dwarka, Punjabi Bagh, Vikas Puri, Dilshad Garden, Burari and many other neighbourhoods of east and west Delhi saw firecrackers being burst.
With the 24-hour AQI recorded at 328 at 4 pm, the city experienced its worst air quality on Diwali in the last three years.
In West Bengal, Kali Puja and Diwali were celebrated with gaiety and fervour, with decorated pandals creating a festive spirit across the state.
With only green fireworks allowed by the administration as per the earlier orders of a court, police and state pollution control board officials kept vigil to prevent flouting of the rule.
Long queues were seen at the famed Tarapith, Dakshineswar, Kalighat, Thanthania, and other Kali temples across the state.
In Uttarakhand, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited the Lansdowne cantonment to celebrate Diwali with army soldiers, saying he felt "fortunate" to be with them on the auspicious occasion.
Paying tribute to the martyrs by offering a wreath at the war memorial there, Dhami said, "We can light diyas at our homes on Diwali only because our brave soldiers live away from their families to protect the country's borders."
Dhami also distributed sweets and gifts among the soldiers, widows of martyrs and their children.
In Rajasthan, the festival of light was celebrated with great enthusiasm. Markets were vibrant and bustling until late Wednesday night with people flocking to buy new clothes, sweets, firecrackers and other festive items.
CM Bhajanlal Sharma and other leaders extended Diwali greetings on X.
Meanwhile, more than 20 lakh devotees gathered at Chitrakoot on the border of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh on the occasion of Diwali, an official said.
According to mythology, Lord Ram spent the better part of his 14-year exile at Chitrakoot, located on the banks of the Mandakini river.
Devotees took a dip in the river and performed `deep-daan' ceremony.
In Odisha, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi wished people on the occasion of Diwali and emphasised his government's commitment to take the state to new heights.
"My heartiest congratulations to all the brothers and sisters of Odisha on the occasion of Diwali, the festival of light and joy," Majhi said in a video message on his X handle.
In the coastal state of Goa, the celebrations took off after the burning of Narakasur demon effigies in the early hours.
As per traditions, the effigies were taken around before they were burnt to mark the victory of good over evil.
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Hezbollah fires over 180 rockets, other projectiles into Israel, wounding at least 7
Beirut, Nov 24: Hezbollah fired at least 185 rockets and other projectiles into Israel on Sunday, wounding seven people in the group's heaviest barrage in several days, in response to deadly Israeli strikes in Beirut while negotiators pressed on with cease-fire efforts to halt the all-out war.
Meanwhile, an Israeli strike on a Lebanese army centre killed one soldier and wounded 18 others on the southwestern coastal road between Tyre and Naqoura, Lebanon's military said. Israel's military expressed regret and said the strike occurred in an area of combat against Hezbollah, adding that its operations are directed solely against the Hezbollah group. The strike was under review.
Israeli strikes have killed over 40 Lebanese troops since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah, even as Lebanon's military has largely kept to the sidelines.
Lebanon's caretaker prime minister, Najib Mikati, condemned the latest strike as an assault on US-led cease-fire efforts, calling it a “direct, bloody message rejecting all efforts and ongoing contacts” to end the war.
