45 killed, 12 injured after bus fell down in a ditch in Uttarakhand, Pauri-Garhwal bus accident

Uttrakhand: 45 charred to death, 12 injured after bus fell down in a ditch in Pauri Garhwal; rescue operation underway

45 charred to death, 12 injured after bus fell down in a ditch in Pauri Garhwal in Uttrakhand, rescue operation underway. "20 bodies have been recovered, 12 injured referred to hospital after a bus fell down a gorge in Pauri Garhwal district's Nanidhanda area.

Number of casualties expected to rise," says Garhwal Commissioner Dilip Jawalkar.

20 bodies have been recovered, 12 injured referred to hospital after a bus fell down a gorge in Pauri Garhwal district's Nanidhanda area. Number of casualties expected to rise: Garhwal Commissioner Dilip Jawalkar #Uttarakhand pic.twitter.com/YIskUa0Ku8

— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2018

Four of passengers were critically injured in the accident which happened on the Pipali-Bhoan motorway in Pauri Garhwal's Nainidanda block. The police and a team of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are facilitating rescue operations.

As per reports, the 28 seater mini bus was overloaded and that could have led the accident. However, cause of accident is still not clear.

4 men and 7 women of a family, found dead in a house in New Delhi

New Delhi: In shocking condition, 11 members of a family including 7 women were found dead inside a home in north Delhi's Burai area on Sunday morning. Some of the bodies were found hanging from an iron grill ceiling; others were lying on the floor blindfolded with their hands and legs tied up.

The police suspect that they committed suicide.

Seven of the victims are women, including a 75-year-old, while 4 victims are men. Two of them could be minors, an officer said.

Bodies of 11 members of a family found in a house in Delhi's Burari: 10 bodies were found blindfolded and hanging from a railing in the house and 1 body was found lying on the floor. The family owned a grocery shop, says Sources.

Bodies of 7 women and 4 men including three teenagers have been found. We are investigating from all possible angles, we are not ruling out anything: Joint CP Delhi, on bodies of 11 people found at a house in Delhi's Burari pic.twitter.com/apdRPL5w8r

— ANI (@ANI) July 1, 2018

The family reportedly ran a grocery shop and plywood business out of their double-storey home in Burari's Sant Nagar.

Every morning, their shop would open by 6, but when it didn't till 7.30 today, a neighbor went to check on the family and was shocked to find most of them hanging from the grill ceiling.

He informed the police, who rushed to the spot and cordoned the area. They are currently scanning the CCTV footage from the area.

More than 200 people were killed in violence between Muslims and Christians communities in central Nigeria

More than 200 people were killed in violence against farming communities last weekend in Plateau state, central Nigeria, according to a speech by the governor published today.

Simon Lalong said after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in the state capital Jos yesterday night that the clashes had left "the painful loss of over 200 people".

The police, who blame suspected cattle herders, have said 86 people were killed. However, multiple local sources from the communities affected maintained more than 100 people died.

The main association representing the largely nomadic herders has denied its community had any involvement in the killings. The violence is the latest bout in months of bloodletting in Nigeria's so-called "Middle Belt".

The clashes are rooted in tensions over access to land between pastoral herders and sedentary farmers, but have generated sectarian friction between Muslims and Christians.

Lalong suggested "criminal elements" were exacerbating tensions, including "conflict merchants" involved in "cattle rustling, theft, banditry, gun running" and other crimes.

Buhari came to power in 2015 on a promise to curb insecurity across the country, in particular, Boko Haram, whose Islamist insurgency has killed at least 20,000 since 2009. But a resurgence of violence in the long-running conflict between herders and farmers has put that under scrutiny as elections approach in February next year.

Analysts predict the extent of the unrest could eclipse that of the jihadists in the northeast.

Lalong said the latest attacks in Plateau were carried out with "sophisticated weapons" that were "reflective of a terrorist invasion". "It (the bloodshed) therefore demands a justified response like that which was undertaken to address the Boko Haram insurgency," he added.

Lawmakers earlier this month threatened Buhari with impeachment because his security chiefs had repeatedly failed to protect lives and property.

The 75-year-old leader yesterday said he would "continue to pressurise members of the law enforcement agencies directly under me by the constitution as the commander-in-chief".

He also said it was an "injustice" to imply he was doing nothing because he was from the same ethnic Fulani group as the herders and Muslim.

5 useless Exercises that Don’t actually Help you for Burn Fat

You would think that if you were exercising, it would make a dent in your fat loss.

But that’s not always the case. Not all exercises are made equal, or labelled as best exercise to burn fat .Moreover some are literally useless at helping you burn any significant calories.

Here’s a list of the top 5. But before we get into those infamous 5 exercises, let me explain to you the basis of calorie burning through exercise.

Get to know more about ways to burn 100 calories in 20 minutes. For you to lose weight, you need to burn calories. To burn the most calories, you need to move big muscle, and move it through a large distance.As a simple example, take running. You move each muscle in your body through the distance that you run. And you move it fast. That is the trifecta of calorie burning- move big muscle, move it further, and move it fast.

Now, let’s start with the useless 5: 

1. The Sit Up:

This exercise is probably the ‘favorite’ among those trying to lose weight or trying to reduce their belly. While there is no question that the mighty sit-up does work those abdominal muscles, but the calories burned from doing sit ups is so small, that you would need to do hundreds of thousands of sit ups to make any dent in your weight loss.

Why it doesn’t work: Abs are little exercise in your torso, and this exercise targets those muscles. If you look at the amount of muscle that you move in this exercise, it’s not much, and you move it only through a small distance. So, the effective calorie burn is small. Researchers at the University of Virginia found that it would take 250,000 sit ups for you to burn 1 lb, that’s less than half a kg of fat.



2. Twisting: 

A really common sight in gyms is people twisting vigorously on those round little platforms or with a bar across their shoulders, because their gym trainer told them it would help loosen the fat on their sides. More than burning fat, they’re putting people at risk of injury

Why it doesn’t work: When you twist around your waist, you are using some of your core muscles, but since your muscles are not working against gravity, so it’s easy to keep doing it, but you’re not burning many calories. And in some cases of vigorous twisting, you might be putting your back at risk of injury.If twisting was really going to help people burn fat, then we could solve world obesity problems by distributing those ‘twister machines’.



3. The Vibrating Machine:

This one is fortunately waning in popularity. In the 80s and 90s, the vibrating machine was a huge rage. You stand on this platform, with a belt around you, and when you turn the machine on, it shakes the belt vigorously. Another ‘magic fat melter’ machine that failed to live up to its promise.

Why it doesn’t work: In this one your whole body’s muscles may be vibrating, but there are two problems, 1: Your muscles are moving through tiny distances, so its minimal work 2: The machine is doing the work. You’re just resting on the belt. So, where’s the calorie burn?



4. Toe Touching:

The toe touch is a popular yoga exercise. Every school kid does 100s of these during PT class. Somehow the word’s spread, that toe touching helps you lose weight. While being a yoga exercise, I’m sure it has its physical and physiological benefits, but if you’re doing toe touching just to lose weight, please stop!

Why it doesn’t work: Okay, so it seems like you’re moving a lot of muscle, and you are moving your whole upper body up and down, but the muscle that you’re really work are some of those abs, which are tiny muscles, so resulting in little calorie burn. And if you’re short on flexibility, this exercise might actually put your lower back at risk of injury.



5. Morning Walker:

This machine is a really popular gadget being sold these days. From the late night TV shopping shows to the hottest e-commerce sites are doing brisk business with the ‘morning walker’ machine, but it’s not making anyone lose weight. Imagine lying down in the room, while the machines moves you legs. How much of a calorie burn are you really expecting? If you’re trying to lose weight, you can’t be that lazy. Learn to know more about ways to lose weight. The only people that may be allowed to really use this kind of a machine are those who may be medically immobile, but if you can walk, then you better be walking or better yet running!

Why it doesn’t work: This one is really not even worth explaining why! You’re lying down, you’re not really moving- that’s why!Hence the best mantra to stay fit and healthy is to bring change in your eating habits and simultaneously to your exercise routine.

Having said that,don't let any of the market gimmicks play with your health in long run.

Inspired by CM Nitish Kumar, Bihar couple had a dowry free marriage

Not many newlyweds get a certificate of appreciation from their state’s chief minister soon after they get married.

But on Saturday, Prakash Kumar Sah and Puja Kumari, natives of villages in Bihar’s Bhojpur district, got one from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar at his residence in Patna, and received his blessing.

Why? Prakash hadn’t asked for a dowry. And by his own admission, his inspiration was a campaign Nitish launched earlier this month to combat the practice, which has been illegal in India since 1961.
The campaign, which began on Gandhi Jayanthi, also combats child marriage.

It isn’t the first time Nitish Kumar has personally expressed appreciation for someone who’s contributed to the eradication of dowry.

Earlier this month, he called up and congratulated a former headmaster from Bhojpur who returned a dowry of Rs. 4 lakh to his future daughter-in-law’s family.

A father, who had thrown his four daughters and wife from a speeding train

A father, who had thrown his four daughters and wife from a speeding train in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district on Wednesday, is hiding in Jammu, according to police sources here.

A police team left for Jammu after the father, identified as Iddu, a resident of Bihar’s Betiah district, was traced to Jammu. Iddu’s 18-year-old son from his first wife lives in Jammu, sources said.

GRP officials, who visited Betiah and spoke to the maternal grandmother of the girls, said Iddu had some “psychiatric issues”. She claimed that Iddu had earlier killed his first wife and her brother.

Sources said Iddu, who had five daughters from his second wife Ableena, wanted to get rid of all of them.

GRP officials said that he made a plan to travel with the girls and wife on the train. As per plan, he took the girls one by one near the door of the compartment of the speeding Jansewa Express.

In the early hours of Wednesday, when almost all other passengers were asleep, Iddu threw them out while the train was passing through Sitapur district. Iddu first pushed his wife out.

While the wife and one of the girls, aged six, died, the other threes aged five, eight and 12, suffered serious injuries and are being treated at the district hospital. The police are searching for another daughter, who remains untraced.

They suspect that she, too, was thrown out of the train and killed.

Did demonetization note ban increase Income Tax Returns?

In a press release dated 7 August 2017, the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) claimed that there has been a ‘substantial increase’ in the number of tax returns filed this year (1 April – 5 August 2017) on account of demonetisation.

These first sentences from the CBDT press release are important and we will put them under a microscopic scrutiny in the next few paragraphs.

CBDTAs a result of demonetisation and Operation Clean Money, there is a substantial increase in the number of Income Tax Returns (ITRs) filed. The number of Returns filed as on 5 August 2017 stands at 2,82,92,955 (approx. 2.83 crore) as against 2,26,97,843 (approx. 2.27 crore) filed during the corresponding period of FY 2016-2017, registering an increase of 24.7% compared to growth rate of 9.9% in 2016.

Where is the Clear Jump?

–  In 2015, the due date for filing tax returns was extended from 31 July to 7 September.

– ITR wise break-up of tax returns filed is available for 1.84 crore tax returns filed between 1 April – 31 August 2015. Between 1-7 September 2015, approximately 22 lakh tax returns were filed, for which ITR wise break up is not available.

The above figures reveal that for the period 1 April – 31 August 2016, the number of e-returns filed were 2.56 crores. This is a 24.3 percent jump from the number of tax returns e-filed for the same period previous year i.e. 1 April – 31 August 2015.

However, in FY 15-16, the due date for filing tax returns was extended till 7 September 2015. So to make the data comparable, we have considered the tax returns filed up to 7 September 2015 which is 2.06 crores.

So the first question that arises is – when there was a clear 24 percent jump in the number of tax returns filed between April – August 2016, is the government right in claiming that there has been a substantial rise in 2017?

In fact, in 2015 (Apr – Aug), there was a 30 percent increase in number of returns filed as compared to 2014. The percentage rise this year in number of tax returns filed is 25 percent for the period 1 April – 5 August 2017 vs 1 April –  5 August 2016.

While the comparative period we have taken for FYs 2012-16 is April – August, in 2017, we have data only up to 5 August. But it may not be out of place to assume that on 31 August 2017, the number of returns filed will still be 25 percent more than those filed in 2016.

ITRs From Independent Assesses Increased Over Time

Now lets dig even deeper into the statistics and take out from the calculations all the tax returns filed up to 31 August, but whose due date falls on 30 September.  All Corporate assesses and those non-corporate taxpayers, whose receipts are above Rs 1 crore, have to get their accounts audited (tax audit ) and file income-tax returns by 30- 30 September.

For a moment, let us consider only those returns whose due-date falls on 31 July (all individual assessees (mainly salaried class) and non-corporate assessees whose receipts are below Rs. 1 crore). In this case, ITR 4, 5 & 6 which have filed from April 1 – August 31st, shall be excluded from the data. Now, in 2015, since the 31 July due date was extended till 7 September, we need to consider the ITR wise data as of 7 September 2015.

Unfortunately, the ITR wise data is available only as on 31 August 2015. Between 31 August and 7 September 2015 around 22 lakh tax returns in all were filed, but their ITR wise break up is not available. From April – August 2015, 1.84 crore tax returns were filed of which 16.4% returns were ITR 4, 5 & 6. Let us assume that of the 22 lakh returns filed between September 1 & 7, 2015, only 3
lakh (13.6%) were tax audit ones, i.e. ITR 4,5 & 6. Even after eliminating ITR 4, 5 & 6 from both 2015 and 2016, what we get is as follows :

Tax returns filed between 1 April – 7 September 2015 = 1.73 crores (2.06 crores tax returns – 33 lakhs ITR 4,5,6 )

Tax returns filed between 1 April – 31 August 2016 = 2.12 crores (2.57 crores tax returns – 45 lakhs ITR 4,5, 6).

Even eliminating ITRs 4, 5 & 6 from the equation still shows 22.5 percent growth in tax returns in 2016 vs 2015, for the relevant period April to August. This compares favorably to the 25 percent growth in tax returns this year as per the CBDT press release.

Whichever way you calculate, the 25 percent growth in tax returns for the current year, is not “substantially” higher than in 2016. In fact it is almost the same growth percentage. One caveat – we do not have ITR wise break-up for current year since it has not yet been released by CBDT but any permutation and combination is unlikely to change the growth percentages radically.

Increase in ITRs For 2017 and 2016 Calculated on Different Baselines

The second statistical assertion in the CBDT press release is also inaccurate. The CBDT claims in its press release of 7 August 2017 that the rise in percentage of tax returns this year is 25%, whereas for the same period in 2016, the percentage rise was only 9.9 percent. This is absolutely incorrect.

The CBDT has taken two completely different baselines for comparison. It has calculated the 9.9 percent increase figure based on the number of tax returns filed between 1 April – 5 August 2016, vs the number of tax returns filed between 1 April – 7 September 2015. Sure, the due date in 2015 was extended to 7 September, so rather the CBDT should have compared the number of returns filed between 1 April – 31 August 2016 vs 1 April – 7 September 2015.

That would produce comparable results for statistical analysis… and what does it show? A 24 percent rise in tax returns in 2016 vs 2015 and not 9.9 percent, as the 7 August press release of CBDT seeks to present. And as we have shown in the above para, in case we were to eliminate all the ITRs 4, 5 & 6 which were filed between April 1 and August 31 from both 2015 and 2016 data, we still get a 22 percentage increase in returns filed.

To prove our above point, we need to look no further than the CBDT’s own press release issued last year on 8 August 2016. These are sentences culled out as is from that press release.

CBDTAs on 5th August 2016, over 226.98 Lakh e-returns had been filed in F.Y. 2016-17 as compared to 70.97 Lakh for the same period in FY 2015-16. The growth is over 9.8 percent even if comparison is made with E-returns filed of 206.55 Lakh as on 7th September 2015 (the extended due date in FY 2015-16) which is for a period more than a month later.

The CBDT itself in its press release last year admitted that the periods are not comparable.

Thankfully, the CBDT did not compare the no. of returns filed between 1 April – 5 August for both 2015 and 2016. Had they done that, not only would it be incomparable (since due date in 2015 was extended till 7 September), but would have shown a 200% rise in no. of tax returns filed in 2016!
That would have been muddled the picture even more.

Effect of demonetisation on Personal Income Tax?

Now lets turn to another claim in the press release.

CBDTThe effect of demonetisation is also clearly visible in the growth in Direct Tax Collections. Advance Tax collections of Personal Income Tax (i.e. other than Corporate Tax) as on 05.08.2017 showed a growth of about 41.79 percent over the corresponding period in F.Y. 2016-2017. Personal Income Tax under Self Assessment Tax (SAT) grew at 34.25 percent over the corresponding period in F.Y. 2016- 2017.

This one is a little more difficult to prove/disprove, for a simple reason that there isn’t comparable data available on the personal advance tax collections for April – 5 August 2016 or even for Q1 of 2016-17. At least we couldn’t find. But there is data available on personal income tax collections (self-assessment tax) for 2016, albeit for the period April – June 30, 2016.

The CBDT press release dated 8 July 2016 shows even last year in Q1, the gross personal income tax collection growth was around 30% while the growth in net collection (after adjusting for refunds) was 48.75%. So a 34.2% increase in personal tax collections this year, is par for the course and in line with the previous year’s growth percentages.

What adds to the confusion though is another press release issued by the CBDT (9 August), pertaining to tax collections for the period 1 April – 31 July 2017. As per the latest press release there has been only a 17.5% growth in gross personal tax collections between April – July this year.  Whereas, the CBDT press release issued couple of days ago, (7 August) states that there has been a 34% growth in personal tax collections between 1 April and 5 August 2017. It seems the last 5 days before the due date for filing returns, i.e. 5 August produced a windfall for the Revenue.

CBDT Should Have Patted Its Own Back

Now to a point which is highly arguable. But this is actually to the credit of tax department. Rather than giving oversized credit to the 8 November demonetisation for the increase in tax collections, the CBDT ought to have patted its own back for their relentless pursuit of tax evaders. In July 2016 (4 months before demonetisation), while the Income Declaration Scheme (IDS) was still on, the CBDT first sent an internal memo to its Officers and then followed it up with a high impact press statement/release, that essentially upped the ante on those evading taxes. The crux of the July 2016 CBDT statement/internal directive :

CBDT, vide an internal communication dated 5 July 2016, directed the Income tax Chief Commissioners to monitor 60 lakh high value financial transactions without PAN (info obtained by IT Dept. via AIR, i.e. Annual Information return that is filed by banks & financial instructions ).
On 21 July 2016 the CBDT issued a press release under the heading – “IT Dept. to issue 7 lakh letters seeking information in respect of High Value Transactions.”  The operative part of the press release reads thus – “ The Income Tax Department has with the help of in-house computer techniques, grouped such non-PAN transactions and identified 7 lakh high-risk clusters having around 14 lakh non-PAN transactions which are being scrutinized by the Income Tax Department closely. The Department will be issuing letters to the parties of these transactions requesting them to provide their PAN number against these transactions.”

Over the last couple of years, the CBDT has been making big time use of data analytics, which it claims, has helped the IRS to compile a list of “non-filers” of income-tax returns. As per the CBDT’s Central Action Plan (its comprehensive annual strategy document) the number of non-filers revealed a dramatic rise from 22 lakhs in 2014 to a whopping 59 lakhs in 2016 (pre-demonetisation) and 67 lakhs at present.

What we need to know, is how many of the above 6.7 million ‘non-filers’ are now within the tax net? If CBDT anyway had zeroed in on several million potential tax evaders and almost a million high value transactions without PAN, then what additional data did they get out of demonetisation? The IT Department, as part of Operation Clean Money, launched post-demonetisation, has so far shot off 23.5 lakh notices to those persons, whose tax profiles are inconsistent with the cash deposits made by them during demonetisation period ( November 8 – December 31). It would be quite interesting to see how many of these 23 lakh persons are part of the 6.7 million non-filers club.

To shower all credit in the lap of demonetisation, for the rise in number of tax returns/ increase in tax collections, is at one level, undermining the conscious efforts of the CBDT and IT Department, to track and bring tax evaders into the tax net. Demonetisation may have been a powerful, painful nail in the coffin for many a tax evaders, but not the only nail. To use a cliché, the jury is well and truly still out.

Eco-friendly: Pollution levels gone down in Bhopal without fire cracker ban

The Supreme Court ban on fire crackers may not have had the desired impact on post Diwali pollution levels in Delhi and NCR but in Bhopal city residents appear to have taken the cue even without the stick falling on the Madhya Pradesh state capital.

According to the Diwali day data released by the state pollution control board, pollution levels in Bhopal have gone down in comparison to last level.

According to RR Singh Sengar of State Pollution Control Bureau, particulate matter of 10 micrometers or less (PM 10) in diameter has gone down.

"Till last year, we used to measure just PM 10 and that has gone down. This year, we also measured PM 2.5 and found that 75 per cent in PM 10 was PM 2.5 on Diwali day," Sengar said.

The Pollution Control Board did sampling at seven locations in Bhopal, out of which two were industrial areas, AKVN and Mandideep.

The pollution levels were observed to be within limits in both industrial areas. Last year, the Pollution Control Board had taken samples at three locations.

"The average pollution in Bhopal was within the prescribed limits and this was perhaps due to increased awareness amongst city residents," Sengar said.

The pollution levels went down even though state Home Minister, Bhoopendra Singh, had openly ridiculed Supreme Court for banning crackers. He also invited Delhiites to Madhya Pradesh to burst crackers on Diwali.

The government, on lines of the Union Environment Ministry's notification that banned high decibel crackers had banned manufacture, sale and use of crackers emitting noise levels exceeding 125 dB(A1) or 145 dB(C).

RSS General Secretary Bhaiyaa Ji Joshi, who was in Bhopal a day before Diwali too, had taken a dig at the cracker ban saying someone could raise similar objections to 'diyas' in the future.

Despite the Home Minister's invite to Delhiites, various campaigns for a green diwali were carried out by an active citizenry in Bhopal that seems to have clearly paid.

Seems like Delhiites really need to learn the art of being eco-friendly from Bhopal residents.

Saudi Father and his son marry Two Sisters

Some of the news that hit our ear dreams cannot scare us and any more than this. This week, social media has been flooded with the news about a 70-year-old man who ended up marrying a young woman in the city of Jeddah. Marriage is a very important decision that involves two families and each of their future despite only two of them tying the knot. However, two certain families in the Kingdom did not find it unusual to wedding of two daughters in the same house. Perhaps this wouldn’t have been odd, but the fact both father and son married two sisters is quite disturbing to hear.

A young man wanted to marry a woman he was deeply in love with. This wasn’t his first marriage and thus his decision faced much discussion and contradiction by his first wife and mother. They both were not in favor of the marriage and hence tried to convince the man to drop the idea, but he couldn’t convince his heart as he was in love with the woman he wished to marry. After convincing the father of the man, they decided to call off the engagement in a proper manner. The father who was 70 years old visited the compound of the girl to call off the engagement. During his visit, he came across a woman in their home who was busy serving tea. The father asked the father of the “bride-to-be” who she was.

Apparently, that was the sister of the “bride to be” and was in her 30’s. She was divorced and hence was living with her family.  The father had shown deep interest in the young woman who was 40 years younger than him. He offered the family another marriage proposal. This time, he asked the hand for his other daughter not for his son, but for himself! Rather than calling off the engagement of his son, he ended up marrying the sister in law of his son. Both the mother and first wife were shocked when the father came home married hand in hand with the bride’s sister in law.

Not only that, but the son was deeply in shock as what happened in just a few hours. Over social media, there has been a wide amount of criticism. Women and men both quarrel over the disturbing incident.  They have asked what caused the family of the woman to wed their daughter to a man who is old enough to be her Grandfather. Was it right for the family to wed their daughter off since they were aware that no one would take her in otherwise because of her previous failed marriage?

There I no doubt that there are certain conflicts that the family is fighting with. The mother now is bound to welcome another daughter in law along with her sister who shall share her old husband. The son who was to become a groom himself once again shall now make Valima preparations for his father.

Foods that will increase your Penis Size

Bananas: Studies have revealed that males who have a healthy heart may gain a few inches successfully. It has also been discovered that the potassium found in bananas can assist in enhancing the health of the heart, while improving the circulation of the blood.

With better circulation of the blood around the body, and having a healthy heart, growth of the penis will be an easier task. Eating bananas can keep the levels of sodium of the body low, which assists in the prevention of heart diseases and other problems related to the heart.

Salmon: Salmon is rich in all the heart healthy fatty oils like omega 3.

These healthy fatty oils assist in thinning the blood leading to lower viscosity which in turn helps in the better circulation of blood in the body.

Research has shown that having healthy blood flow is one of the major factors in accomplishing stronger and stiffer erections.

Onions: Even though it was not known before, many researchers have shown the importance of onions as an important food for better circulation of blood.

Onions also assist in the prevention of clotting of blood. This carries a huge advantage for enhancing the blood circulation to the heart and penis too.

From what has been discussed so far, it can be observed that the trend of having a healthy heart and blood flow is very important in growing a stronger and longer penis that has stiffer and more powerful erections.

While an individual can get help from eating these foods, eating the foods alone is not enough for the growth of the penis. In addition to consuming the three main foods, you have to incorporate other vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and lean meats into your diet. Along with that, you have to eliminate junk food and processed foods from your every day diet.

For better results, you might want to utilize herbal penis enlargement supplements like the Xtra Large Capsules, and lead a healthy lifestyle, incorporating healthier habits and consuming a balanced, healthy diet. Eating all these healthy foods and utilizing high quality herbal penis supplements can assist you in obtaining quicker penis enlargement results.

Many herbal pills for penis enlargement are safe to utilize and have approved and tested ingredients, considered to be very effective by top medical experts. Many companies offer their customers a full money back guarantee so that the customers can try the products, see the results and only then continue using the product.


Things to Remember For a Healthy Penis

Lose It or Use It (Having healthy erections is important!)

To keep your penis in shape, having erections on a regular basis is really necessary. This means that it has to be exercised every now and then. In order to maintain a healthy tone, the penis’s smooth muscle must be enriched by oxygen from the circulation of blood.

This makes the penis erect and engorges it. If a male is able to get erect, but does not have erections during the day, he should not worry because the brain has penis maintenance function installed. Signals from the brain can cause erections during the REM phase.

If people do not do anything to maintain the regular erections, then they will experience a shortening of the penis. Without frequent erections, the penile tissues can start shrinking and become less elastic, making the male’s penis 1 to 2 centimeters shorter.

Your Penis is a Grower (Bigger Penis In Normal Condition = Bigger Erection? Not Necessarily)

Among males, there is no relationship between the size of a flaccid penis and the full erect length. In a study of eighty men, researchers discovered that an increase from flaccid lengths to erect lengths varied widely.

Whatever the significance of the data might be, the locker room importance is considerable. You cannot assume that a man with a big penis gets bigger with small erections and the guy who has a tiny penis might need a bigger erection.

Sensitivity Reduces As You Age

Studies have shown that the penis loses sensitivity as males get older; however it is not certain by how much.

This is because different researchers have utilized various ways to measure sensitivity and stimulate the penis. Despite the different researches, the information collected shows a trend of sensitivity starting to decrease from 25 and onward. The sharpest decline in a male’s penis’s sensitivity occurs from 65 to 75.

This is why you need to maintain the health of your penis by eating the foods that have been listed above, and using herbal supplements that improve the health of the male organ. By consuming the foods mentioned above, you will not only be able to improve the circulation of blood, maintain a healthy heart, but you will also be able to get the large penis you always wanted!

10 major mistakes men do that destroy relationships

Mistakes men make: Good relationships are hard to find. People find their special someone but very often fail to nurture their relationship afterwards. Most men put their best foot forward when they pursue the women they love, but their effort diminishes as their relationship develops and progresses. This eventually causes their relationship to break apart. However this does not mean that only men are to be blamed for failed relationships. There are two sides to every coin, women also engage in things that ruin relationships. But here, we would be focusing only on what men do to make relationships go sour.


These are ten of the biggest mistakes that men make in relationships.


1 He fails to be the man


Every woman wants her man to he her knight in shining armor. Every guy should show confidence and command over every situation. A girl should always feel safe knowing her man can protect her from every situation. It is also important that you know how to make firm decisions for yourself and for both of you. In short, be the man!


2 He wants her to see things his way


All men admit that they may never fully understand the way women think. But to make a relationship work, a guy has to accept that men and women have a different way of understanding and accepting things. A man cannot expect a woman to always see things the way he does because she will always have her own perspective and views about certain issues.


3 He is a doormat

Women like it when guys make sacrifices for her. But if a guy allows the girl to dominate him in a relationship then she might just lose all respect for him. A guy should be able to make a girl feel special without compromising his dignity and self-respect.


4 He makes her feel unimportant

Every girl should feel that she is important to the man she is in a relationship with, otherwise she will begin to question his love for her.  Some guys become too busy or distracted with other things that they forget that their partner needs time and attention too. It’s just a matter of time before a girl gives up on a guy who makes her feel neglected and unimportant.


5 He is insensitive to her feelings

Women are more sensitive than men, and guys should know that.  Women also tend to say that they are okay even if there is something bothering them. A man should be sensitive enough to read between the lines and he should be aware when things don’t seem to be okay between them. He should be aware of his partner’s feelings and he should always be ready let her know that he is there to comfort her when she is down. Failing to recognize when a woman is sad or angry at you often leads to a lot of conflict in a relationship.


6 He has lost her trust and respect Trust and respect are two important factors in keeping a relationship strong.

If a guy does things that make a girl lose her trust and respect for him, then he can never make her see him the same way she did before. Guys who cheat and lie will never be able to handle a relationship well.

Radhe Maa, was welcomed at a police station, Sits on SHO’s chair

Controversial self-styled Godwoman, Radhe Maa, was welcomed at a police station in east Delhi during the festival of Navratri. The Station House Officer of Vivek Vihar, Sunjoy Sharma, welcomed her and offered her his chair at the police station. A photograph also emerged on the social media in which Radhe Maa is seen sitting on his seat, while the SHO, with ‘chunri’ around his neck, is standing beside.


Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik ordered a probe into the matter and sent the SHO to the district line with immediate effect. Chief Spokesperson Dependra Pathak told The Indian Express that Sharma has been sent to district lines and a probe has been ordered. An additional DCP level officer will conduct the probe, he said.


Sources said Radhe Maa suddenly arrived at the police station and met other staff, who offered her a warm welcome on the midnight of September 28 and 29. A few of them sang patriotic songs with her. Sources said she remained at the police station for at least 15 minutes. She had come to attend a Ramlila near the police station.


After the inquiry was ordered on Thursday, senior officials collected the CCTV footage and DVR from the police station. Sources said a few more policemen, who were present during the event, may face departmental action.

#WATCH Policemen seen singing with self styled god woman Radhe Ma in Delhi's GTB Enclave pic.twitter.com/XOIAr2vKHf

— ANI (@ANI) October 5, 2017

Bangladesh want India’s stand on Rohingyas, fears risk of refugee radicalisation via terror networks

 Two senior-level Bangladesh ministers have backed New Delhi’s stand on Rohingyas, adding that the influx of refugees from Myanmar poses a big “threat” to internal security.

Speaking to Times Now, Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan agreed that it is a humanitarian crisis, but also highlighted that there may be ways via which Pakistan and ISIS may try to radicalise these refugees.

“We are extra vigilant and we will not let our land being used for terrorism. They are desperate people and can do anything. This genocide might have received outside support from foreign hands (ISI),” he said.

“Pakistan and IS are far from Bangladesh but they might try to reach to these Rohingyas via others. Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) or Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO) might play foul. “They have even killed our people. We are determined that terrorism won’t be tolerated. The International community should come together,” he added.

Speaking on the same issue, Bangladesh’s Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu highlighted how it is becoming a massive challenge for their government. He said, “It’s a big challenge. They will have to be repatriated. The Myanmar govt had sent an emissary to Bangladesh and their govt has acknowledged that Myanmar people have indeed crossed over and have entered into Bangladesh,” he added.

He, too, was of the view that Rohingyas could become a security threat to the nation, thus the Bangladesh government is registering them.

“If they are not repatriated then we have to send them to some island on the Bay of Bengal. Bangladesh is pursuing zero tolerance towards terrorists,” Inu said.

Stating that Pakistan has a history of harbouring terrorists, he said Dhaka is worried about that the former would attempt radicalising the refugees.

“If we have doubts on anyone we detain them. We aren't taking any chances,” he said.
The Indian government recently filed its response to the rejoinder affidavit of Rohingya immigrants Mohammad Salimullah and Mohammad Shaqir, who have filed the PIL alleging they had faced persecution in Myanmar and were forced to flee.

The Centre told the SC that Illegal immigrants cannot claim fundamental rights which are otherwise available even to non-citizens, in its fresh response to the PIL of two Rohingya refugees challenging their deportation to Myanmar.

In the fresh surrejoinder (a plaintiff's reply to a defendant's rejoinder), the government submitted that though it was "fully conscious, aware and responsible for its obligations emanating from various international instruments", but certain views expressed by Indian representatives and the contentions, based on "declarations/resolutions/international instruments" were devoid of merits.

"As a sovereign State, India will always honour such obligations which are binding obligations. Having said that, it is reiterated that India is not a signatory to United Nation Convention of 1951 and the Protocol of 1967 issued thereunder.

"The said Convention/Protocol is, therefore, not binding upon India and no other Declaration/Resolution/Convention/international treaty or instrument of any kind is in force which prohibits India, as a sovereign nation, to exercise its right of deporting illegal immigrants in accordance with laws of India and thereby protecting the fundamental rights of its own citizens more particularly in the interest of national security," the Centre said.

Meanwhile, the apex court today fixed a batch of pleas on Rohingya issue for hearing on October 13 and asked the Centre and others to file documents including international conventions for its assistance.

The rejoinder affidavit of the Ministry of Home Affairs also said there was no binding legal obligation on India with respect of non-refoulment flowing from any binding international instrument. Non-refoulement means the practice of not forcing refugees or asylum seekers to return to a country where they are liable to be subjected to persecution.

"I submit that the illegal immigrants would not get and cannot claim any of the fundamental rights which are otherwise available to non-citizens as the term "non-citizens" would necessarily mean persons, not citizens of India, are in India on a valid travel document," Mukesh Mittal, Joint Secretary (Foreigners) with the MHA told the court.

"The framers of the Constitution of India would not have envisaged a situation where thousands and thousands of people would be flowing into this country entering illegally without any valid travel documents and start claiming fundamental rights as non-citizens," he added.

Earlier, the Centre had termed Rohingya refugees as "illegal" immigrants and said that some of them were part of a "sinister" design of Pakistan's ISI and terror groups such as the ISIS, whose presence in the country will pose a "serious" national security threat.

Delhi University professor charged for Facebook post allegedly insulting goddess Durga

A Delhi University (DU) assistant professor has been accused of insulting Hindu goddess Durga using obscene words in a Facebook post, which prompted a condemnation from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP). A teacher's body filed the police complaint against Mr Kedar Kumar Mandal of Dayal Singh College in the national capital, Delhi.

Mr Mandal had posted the controversial Facebook update at 07:43 pm yesterday and later deleted it.

The National Democratic Teachers Front (NDTF), a BJP-affiliated teacher's body, filed a complaint today at the Lodhi Colony police station. Police said they have received a complaint but are yet to file an FIR.

Mr Mandal did not respond to messages and could not be reached on his phone for comments.


RSS-affiliated ABVP condemned the post and demanded immediate suspension of the professor.

"We demand his suspension and we request the student community to boycott his classes. Mandal has provoked sentiments during a festival time of Hindu - Navratri," ABVP's Dayal Singh College unit said in a statement.

"If allowed to continue as a teacher he will only spread hatred among students."

UP madrasas refuse to sing national anthem

Many madrasas across Uttar Pradesh defied on Tuesday a controversial state government diktat that asked staff and students at the Islamic educational institutions to sing the national anthem and videograph Independence Day celebrations.

In Kanpur, Meerut and Bareilly, three of the biggest madrasa centres in the state, students sang Saare Jahan Se Achha, a 20th century patriotic song penned by the poet Mohammad Iqbal and didn't record proceedings, saying they didn't want to give proof of their patriotism. (Live updates)
"Students hoisted the flag and celebrated the occasion with traditional fervour. The government order is an attempt to test our patriotism which is wrong," said Haji Mohd Saleeh, convener of the Sunni Ulema Council.

The controversy was sparked by a circular passed by the Yogi Adityanath government last week that asked the Islamic schools to hoist the Tricolour and sing the national anthem at 8 am. The order, which made photography and videography of the event mandatory, argued that visual proof would help the board in encouraging participants to better their performance in the future.

But many of the state's 16,000 madrasas didn't take the order well and many prominent clerics publicly opposed the order. UP has one of the highest proportions of Muslims in the country, nearly a fifth, and just 600 of the madrasas are government aided.

In Bareilly, students at the Manzar-e-Islam - the biggest Barelvi madrasa in the city - hoisted the Tricolour but didn't sing the national anthem. Instead, around 500 students gathered at the open prayer hall to sing 'Sare jahan se achha'. The madrasa authorities also refrained from videography. Mediapersons were not allowed to cover the main event, which lasted for over an hour.

"Traditionally, we do not sing the national anthem during Independence Day or Republic Day celebrations. We only followed convention this time," a senior cleric told HT on the condition of anonymity.

The decision to oppose the government order was taken by senior cleric Asjad Miyan, a descendant of 20th century Islamic religious leader Ahmed Raza Barelvi. Ahmed Raza's dargah (shrine) in Bareilly is the most revered religious site for members of Sunni Islam's Barelvi sect. It manages over a thousand madrasas.

Barelvi clerics justified their decision, alleging the national anthem was written in praise of George V, the then king of England. "Singing of the national anthem belittles the struggle of our freedom fighters. Thereby, it has been unanimously decided that such songs will not be sung on Independence Day," they said in a press release.

In Meerut, all madrasas organised Independence Day programme on their premises and hoisted the Tricolour. Teachers and Muslim clerics addressed the students on the sacrifices made by all communities, including Muslims, in India's freedom struggle.

Mufti Syed Ahmad of madarsa Noor-ul-Islam in old city said, "We cannot worship anyone else other than Allah."

In Kanpur too, orders to videograph the event or sing the national anthem weren't followed. Haji Mohd Saleeh said the students sang 'Saare jahan se Accha' to show their love towards their country. "For us it is also a national song," he said.

Emotional Yogi Adityanath says none can be more sensitive towards children than me

With the number of children deaths at the BRD Hospital in Gorakhpur reaching 68, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today got emotional and said that no one can be more sensitive towards children than him.

Yogi Adityanath and Union Health Minister J P Nadda today visited the BRD Hospital where several children have died allegedly due to suffocation caused by shortage of oxygen supply in wards.

"My fight against encephalitis is from 1996. I have seen children dying. I will not allow it to happen anymore," the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said, while addressing a press conference.

Calling today's visit his fourth to the hospital in recent times, Yodi Adityanath said that more than 90 lakh children have been vaccinated for encephalitis.

Promising strict against against the guilty, he said, "Let the probe committee's report come. If anyone's negligence caused the deaths, he will not be spared".

Yogi Adityanath also hit at those who he said were "trying to add salt to the wound by raising the sensitive issue unnecessarily".

He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally called him up and assured him of Centre's assistance in the case, if needed. "He sent Union Health Minister J P Nadda here," Yogi Adityanath said.

Taking a dig at the Opposition, which has attacked Yogi Adityanath for the deaths, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said, "When Ghulam Nabi Azad was the Union Health Minister, he came here and said that we can't do anything as it's a state matter".

In the wake of extensive reporting on the children deaths in the hospital, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also asked mediapersons to visit the wards and see the real picture.

Do not sing national anthem and national song: Cleric asks madarsas

Contrary to the Yogi Adityanath's government order, a prominent Bareilly cleric on Saturday asked the UP madarsas to not to sing national anthem and the national song on the Independence Day.
The cleric also asked the Islamic schools not to record the Independence Day celebrations as directed by the state government.

"Asjad Miyan has advised all the madarsas to celebrate Independence Day by hoisting national flag and singing 'Sare Jahan Se Accha' and not 'Jana Gana Mana' or 'Vande Mataram'," said Nasir Qureshi, cleric's spokesperson.

He said the national anthem and national song contain certain phrases which are not fit to be sung by one who believe in one God.

Asked to explain, Qureshi said chanting 'Jai ho, Jai ho, Jai ho' which comes in the end of national anthem is like hailing somebody other than the Allah, which is contrary to our belief.

'Sare Jahan se Accha.' is a patriotic song in Urdu written by eminent poet Muhammad Iqbal.

Qureshi claimed over a thousand madarsas located in Bareilly, Kanpur, Jhansi and other parts of Uttar Pradesh will go with the advice of the cleric, who is a direct descendent of Ahmed Raza Khan, head of Barelvi sect of Sunni Muslims.

The Dargah of Ahmed Raza is taken care of by his descendent and is one of the most revered sites for the followers of Barelvi sect.

The dargah runs at least 300 madarsas in Bareilly and also in nearby districts through its various social organisations.

The advice came in response to the UP Madarsa Shiksha Parishad order directing madarsas to celebrate Independence Day and get the event videographed.

There are over 8000 registered madarsas in the state. Of these 560 are government aided.

While the cleric's order is seen as a sign of defiance of the government directive, Qureshi said it was more about exercising the fundamental right.

"The constitution of India promises to safeguard our right to exercise freedom of religion. The government with the order is trying to force us to do what is prohibited in our religion. Muslims of the country do not need to do what is against our religion to prove their patriotism," Qureshi said.
Bareilly district magistrate Raghvendra Vikram Singh said, "I have asked a magistrate to prepare a report on the matter. It will be sent to Lucknow for further directions."

Type 2 diabetes rise in children 'disturbing'

The figures come from a report by child health experts which found 110 more cases among under-19s in 2015-16 than two years previously.

The youngest children affected are aged between five and nine.

Council leaders said urgent action on childhood obesity was needed.

The Local Government Association, which represents councils in England and Wales, added that government cuts to public health budgets had affected their ability to tackle the issue.

Why are children getting type 2 diabetes?

Being overweight is the biggest risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, and three-quarters of these children were obese.

With child obesity rates in England rising - but now by a smaller amount than they have been - it's no surprise more children are being treated for the condition.

In primary schools in England, one in 10 children in Reception and one in five children in year 6 were classified as obese in 2015-16.

Type 2 diabetes in children is a serious condition which can lead to long-term health complications such as heart disease, kidney failure and blindness.

Who are they?

Children from Asian and black ethnic backgrounds were particularly affected, and children who lived in deprived areas were more likely to have type 2.

There were twice as many girls than boys with the condition and most of the cases were among 15-19 year olds.

Across all children and teenagers, numbers are on the rise - from 507 cases in 2013-14 and 543 in 2014-15 to the current tally of 621.

But there could be more who are undiagnosed, the report said - these are only the ones being treated by paediatric specialists around the country.

What should parents do?

Parents can make an appointment with their family GP if they are concerned about their child's weight.

They can then be referred to a paediatrician, weight loss services or a dietician, depending on what is available in the area.

When children are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the whole family will normally be involved in encouraging more physical exercise and a healthier diet, which are crucial to managing the condition.
Because type 2 diabetes can be more aggressive in children than in adults, it is important to manage the condition carefully in order to prevent any health problems occurring.

What do experts say?

Children's doctors, from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, say type 2 diabetes is preventable in most cases and more action is need to reverse the trend.

Dr Justin Warner, from RCPCH, said the sugar tax was "a positive step" towards reducing sugar in diets, but the government should be doing more to ban junk food adverts on TV targeted at children.
Diabetes UK said there should be moves to reduce the sugar and saturated fat content in food.

Libby Dowling, senior clinical adviser at the charity, said: "We need to make it as easy as possible for children and their families to lead healthy lives and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and its serious complications."

What is the government's plan?

It published a childhood obesity plan a year ago, which included measures asking the food and drink industry to cut 5% of the sugar in products popular with children, with a target of 20% over four years.

A Department of Health spokeswoman said this was already delivering results.

The plan also called on primary schools to deliver at least 30 minutes of physical activity a day and to help parents and carers ensure children got the same amount at home.

But local councils in England, which now fund public health, want an increased budget to tackle the problem.

They say more needs to be done to reach out to black and other minority ethnic groups, where a disproportionately high number of children and teenagers have type 2 diabetes.

Blue Whale challenge: Bengal boy found dead, Doon kid stopped from killing self

A class 10 boy in West Bengal killed himself on Saturday while a class 5 student in Dehradun was stopped from taking the extreme step by his school authorities on Friday.

According to people in the know, both played Blue Whale Challenge, the lethal online game which provokes players to do daring, self-destructive tasks for 50 days before taking the "winning" step of killing themselves.

In Bengal, Ankan Dey choked himself to death by covering his head with a plastic bag tied tightly around his neck with a nylon cord, in the bathroom of his home in Anandpur town of West Midnapore district.

"He returned from school on Saturday and sat in front of the computer. When his mother (Sampa) called him for lunch, he said he will first have bath. When he did not emerge from the bathroom for quite some time, we broke open the door and found him lying on the floor motionless (around 4pm). We rushed him to the hospital where he was declared dead," said Gopinath Dey, Ankan's father.
Ankan's friends told police that he played Blue Whale Challenge, said Anandpur police superintendent Bharati Ghosh, adding that police are now probing the angle.

In Dehradun, authorities of a popular school stopped a class 5 student from taking his life on Friday, after he confessed to playing the game.

The confession came after the school principal confronted him for his unusual behaviour: he was "standing alone" in the corridor while other kids were playing and "looked depressed" although his class teacher confirmed that he was "a very playful boy".

After initial hesitation, the boy opened up and said he was into the game. Shocked, the school authorities immediately called his parents.

"The boy was very restless, and admitted in front of his parents that he was into Blue Whale online gaming. He also told that his friends in school told him about the game," a school functionary said, requesting not to reveal the name of the student and the school.

She said his mother admitted about his strange behaviour recently, but expressed ignorance about the online games he played.

Both the boy and the parents were counselled.

This is the first time Blue Whale Challenge victims have come to light in West Bengal and Uttarakhand.

A 14-year-old Mumbai boy, who jumped off the terrace of his home on August 1, is believed to be the first Indian casualty of the game that is also responsible for a suicide bid by an Indore schoolboy and another going missing in Pune this week, besides scores of teenager deaths around the world.
The players have to film each step/task and share the proof with gaming instructors, but are not supposed to tell anyone outside.

Cyber experts and psychologists have advised parents to strictly monitor teenagers hooked on to dangerous online games such as the Blue Whale Challenge.

The game starts as a challenge for teenagers, but soon becomes an addiction as they derive a thrill by winning the initial easy levels, according to Indore-based psychologist Rekha Arya.

Another court petition challenges Taj Mahal's story

Besides being on the top of the world's 'Wonders List', the Taj Mahal also ranks high on the list of monuments connected to controversies. Apart from being the primary cause of the industrial denudation of its host city Agra, the Taj Mahal is also at the centre of a debate over its alleged origin as a Hindu temple.

Although the higher courts, including the UP High Court and the Supreme Court, have refused to entertain any litigation over the monument's history, there is no dearth of cases being filed in the lower courts by religious zealots, demanding that the Taj Mahal be declared a Hindu temple.

Following the dismissal of a petition demanding that the Taj Mahal be declared 'Tejo Mahalay', based on the half-baked theories postulated by P N Oak in his book published almost four decades back, another case has now been filed in the Agra district court by a group of lawyers, who claim that the Taj Mahal is actually 'Agreshwar Mahadev' temple and have petitioned the court to declare the Mughal-era tomb as a temple.

THEORIES ABOUT TAJ MAHAL'S ORIGIN

In 2015 too, a group of 6 lawyers had petitioned the Agra district court on the same issue, based on the 'evidence' given by P N Oak in his book 'True Story of The Taj'. They had demanded that the basement of the Taj Mahal be opened and all rooms be searched for the evidence of Taj Mahal's Hindu origin. BJP MP Subramanian Swami had also made a similar demand.

However, historians have raised their doubts on P N Oak's theory which claims that the Taj Mahal has a large number of architectural points of Hindu origin. Prof. Sugam Anand, who heads the history department of Dr. B R Ambedkar University, Agra, said that it is a fact that the land on which the Taj Mahal now stands, belonged to Raja Jai Singh, who surrendered it to Emperor Shahjahan on his demand and accepted a 'Jagir' a few kilometres away in lieu of the land. Before the Taj Mahal was built on this land, it was a palace of Raja Jai Singh and there could have been a Shiva temple in the palace premises.

However, to claim that the Taj Mahal itself was a temple and was modified by Shahjahan to inter his wife Mumtaz in it, is doubt worthy, as there is no historical evidence that points in this direction. Whereas there is ample historical evidence that documents the construction of the Taj Mahal on this spot, he said.

A similar theory was postulated by historian Dr. Tarun Sharma who said that it was customary for Hindu kings to build temples inside their palaces which were surrounded by a garden. So there is a possibility that there was a Shiva temple in the palace that was acquired by Shahjahan to build the Taj Mahal and if the Taj Mahal was indeed a temple, the opening of the basement rooms could throw some light on this.

SHIVA STATUES AT TAJ MAHAL

There are some claims that Shiva statues had been seen inside the Taj by a visitor in 1934 and three statues were seen in the basement in 1962, however, there is no tangible evidence to this. Although it remains a fact that the basement rooms of the Taj Mahal were sealed by the ASI after the publication of P N Oak's book, which had incidentally been banned by the then Central government. Stephen Knepp, another historian, has also posted some pictures online that point towards the Hindu origins of Taj Mahal's architecture.

Commenting on the controversy, Agra Tourist Welfare Chamber Secretary Vishal Sharma said that whether the Taj Mahal was a temple or a tomb is a moot point now, as the world knows it as the tomb of the Empress of India Mumtaz Mahal. Besides, the evidence that is being cited to claim that the Taj Mahal was a temple in the past, is circumstantial at best, since it only points out at the 'Hindu-like' design elements of the Taj Mahal, not allowing for the fact that the Mughal architecture was actually a fusion of Indo-Persian architectural forms that incorporated a number of local elements. This is evident in the architecture of Humayun's tomb in Delhi, which has been constructed in a similar fashion as the Taj, although it predates the Taj Mahal by a good 50 years.