Varanasi, Mar 8 : With the vibrant spring festival of ''Holi'' round the corner, people here offered prayers at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and usher the colourful event in a gala manner.

People took out a procession singing songs and chanting hymns of Lord Shiva on Saturday. Enroute, people in the procession sprayed colours and exchanged greetings.

"We celebrate the festival offering prayers to the divine family of Lord Shiva with great excitement every year," said Duryodhan Mishra, a devotee.

Varanasi, Jan. 30 : Scientists at the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Uttar Pradesh have claimed that chickpeas or, "Choley" as they are known in local parlance here can cure Leukoderma, a chronic skin disease that causes loss of pigmentation, resulting in white patches on the skin.

So far there has been no knowledge of any kind of permanent and certain treatment for curing Leukoderma. Moreover, the allopathic medicines and ointments are not only expensive but also fail to cure the disease permanently.

Varanasi/Tatapani (Himachal Pradesh), Jan 14: Devotees thronged Varanasi to take a holy dip in the river Ganges on the occasion of ''Makar Sankranti'' on Wednesday.

Braving the winter chill, the devotees took an early morning dip in the Ganges and also made offerings to the priests.

"We take bath in the river and make offerings of rice, jaggery to a priest," said Shakuntala, a devotee.

Two days ahead of the polling in Jammu and Samba districts, Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu police have arrested the state chief of Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami (HuJI). The arrested militant was purportedly involved in several terror acts including the serial blasts at Faizabad and Varanasi.

Two days ahead of the polling in Jammu and Samba districts, Special Operation Group (SOG) of Jammu police have arrested the state chief of Harkat-ul-Jehad-e-Islami (HuJI). The arrested militant was purportedly involved in several terror acts including the serial blasts at Faizabad and Varanasi.

Abdul Qayoom Manhas, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Jammu-Kathua range said, “HuJI militant outfit chief and accused in Faizabad and Varanasi blasts has been arrested by SOG, when he was doing a recce of an area near Jammu Railway station on Sunday evening.”

The DIG further told that the arrested HuJI chief has been recognized as Muzaffer Ahmed Illahi Daanger alias Suhail Faisal, son of Ghulam Ahmed of Chingam in district Kishtwar.

Varanasi, Dec 11 : Varanasi, famous for silk, is fast emerging as a market for the traditional Tibetan robes.

Tibetan robes made of brocket cloth and peacock feather has been given a special place in Buddhist religion. The Buddhist monks consider it as a holy cloth and use it in every religious activity and ceremony.

According to the exporters, the demand of robes made of peacock feathers is high in foreign countries and fetch a good deal of foreign clients.