Taking a day off from their busy schedule, several delegates of the ongoing session of the World Heritage Committee (WHC) on Sunday visited the Taj Mahal, Red Fort, Qutb Minar and other cultural sites in and around Delhi. The 46th session of the WHC is being held in New Delhi from July 21 to July 31. India is hosting the key event of UNESCO for the first time. Over 2,000 international and national delegates from more than 150 countries are participating in the meeting, the Culture Ministry said in a statement on Sunday. After a week of marathon discussions and scrutinising numerous nominations in conference halls, the delegates and committee members enjoyed a day out exploring the sights, cuisine, and vibrant culture of Delhi and its neighbouring areas on Sunday. Requests were put in by some of the committee members that delegates would like to have a day off to enjoy sightseeing of heritage sites, the ministry said. To make the stay of WHC delegates memorable, the Archaeological
The Supreme Court has dismissed a petition challenging the Delhi High Court order which had refused to advance the hearing of a plea by the Managing Committee of Delhi Waqf Board against the Archaeological Society of India (ASI) stopping namaz at the Mughal Mosque in the city's Mehrauli area. The apex court, however, requested the high court to take up the pending matter and decide it as expeditiously as possible. A bench of Justices Krishna Murari and C T Ravikumar passed the order while hearing a petition filed by the Managing Committee of Delhi Waqf Board through advocate M Sufian Siddiqui against the March 7 order of the high court. "We do not find any good ground to interfere in the matter which is already pending before the high court. Accordingly, the Special Leave Petition is dismissed," the bench said in its April 5 order. "However looking in the facts and circumstances of the case, we request the high court to take up the pending matter ... and decide the same in accordan
In an unprecedented event, leaders from all 10 ASEAN countries will be attending the Republic Day celebrations at Rajpath on January 26