Uttar Pradesh

While other gods may be placated with flowers and candles, some of ours demand liquor and noodles too. And, given that this is the 21st century, they don't say no to offerings of clocks and aeroplanes either. Or to Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg! Here are 15 of the most unusual places of worship in India.

Jal Devi, an 85-year-old woman from Agra, was recently elected as a panchayat member in UP. Mother to a 73-year-old woman, Jal Devi is probably the oldest panch in the state.

An environmentalist from Uttar Pradesh is on a year-long cycling tour of the country. His mission? To spread the message of a Swachh Bharat – a cleaner country. This is how he is doing it.

More than one lakh children go missing in our country every year. Most of them are never found again by their families and vanish into the unknown. Vansh could have been one such child had not an NGO called Drishti, 1,500 km away from his home, found his father with the help of some good people in Sikkim and the Station House Officer in Modinagar.

Education was the last thing on the minds of Mallahipurva villagers. Especially for girls, who were considered as just extra hands to support the family. But one girl, Gudiya, fought all odds and became the first one in her village to pass Secondary School. She did not stop at just this. She started a school for other kids in her own house and made sure they embraced the gift of education too. This is how she brought about the transformation.

It is rare for film celebrities to take a stand about anything political. And even rarer for something controversial. So when Farhan Akhtar spoke out recently about the lynching of Akhlaq over the rumour that he had eaten beef, people sat up and listened. Here's what he had to say.

A 6-year-old girl named Sania is the only healthy child in Gaura village of Uttar Pradesh. She is healthy and happy because of the good living habits of her family and their excellent family planning. This is her story.

A statue of Lord Buddha, along with about 11 other sculptures, has been found from a farm in Mainpuri district of Uttar Pradesh. Officials of Archaeological Survey of India have been informed about the find so they can preserve the statues in a proper manner.

Ekta Pandey, a visually impaired girl from Lucknow, has pledged to donate her eyes. She lost her vision at the age of 12 after her fight with brain tumour, but her corneas are healthy, allowing her to fulfil her deep desire to make someone else see with her eyes.

Menstruation is still considered a taboo in many parts of the country. While many still do not prefer to talk about this "problem", girls in UP are coming forward to not only talk about it but also to spread awareness about low cost sanitary napkins.