Agra, Feb 17 : Preparations are on in full swing for the "Taj Mahotsav", the ten-day annual festival at Shilpgram near the Taj Mahal.

Bedecked elephants and camels, drum beaters, folk artists and master craftsmen together would recreate the glorious past of the Mughal era ambiance during the carnival that kick starts every year on February 18.

The Taj Mahotsav will display the country''s extensive arts, crafts and culture besides folk music, and classical dance performances as well as elephant and camel rides, games and a food festival, all forming part of the festivities.

Agra/ Bijnaur/ Aurangabad, Feb. 14 : Saint Valentine''s Day turned out to be a nightmarish experience for a number of lovers across the nation, who fell victim to various radical outfits' violent protest.

In Agra, Shiv Sena activists caught hold of a couple near Taj Mahal and tonsured the Male partner in full public glare.

"We are trying to save our country''s culture and tradition and Shiv Sainiks (members) are taking rounds all over. We came here to stop all vulgar activities that are going on here. As soon as the police came to know about it they arrested us," said Vinu Lavaniya, a Shiv Sena activist.

New Delhi  - Indian police detained up to 600 right-wing Hindu activists on Saturday, following sporadic protests and harassment against young couples celebrating Valentine's Day, news reports said.

Members of the hardline Shiv-Sena group, blackened the faces of couples at a park at the Moradabad city in northern Uttar Pradesh, the NDTV network reported.

They also attacked three couples and cut their hair at India's famous monument to love, the Taj Mahal in the state's Agra city.

Bijnor, Feb 14 : Inaugurating a party office at village Dewal near the river Ganga on February 14, Samajwadi Party General Secretary Amar Singh took the opportunity to express his party's support to the Congress in the forthcoming elections.

However, Singh clarified that Samajwadi Party would support the Congress but not surrender to it.

He urged the political parties in Uttar Pradesh to cooperate in forming a secular government in the state and asserted that those political parties which are making a noise over Kalyan Singh joining Samajwadi Party are supporting communalism.

Lucknow, Feb 13, : The U

Lucknow, Feb 12, : Thousands of teachers and employees of non-aided schools across the State who reached here to launch protests demanding higher salaries were baton-charged by the police.

Over 100 teachers gathered outside the Raj Bhawan to take part in the demonstration.

For a long time, the teachers have been waging a war demanding the Government to increase their salaries.