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Tight security at Vaishno Devi shrine ahead of “Navratri”

September 19, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Katra, Sept 18 (ANI): Security has been beefed up at the famous Vaishno Devi Temple near Jammu ahead of the nine-day “Navratri” festival.

Paramilitary and police personnel are patrolling and frisking people at important points in Katra, which is thronged by thousands of devotees every year, especially during Navratri.

The nine-day Navratri festival will begin from Saturday and the authorities claim to be in full control of the situation.

“There is much fanfare in Katra during Navratra festival and the inflow of tourists also rises manifold during those days. We have made proper security arrangements. We have taken the help of the CRPF. This time, we also have one contingent of Haryana police,” said Ashok Sharma, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP).

The devotees making their way to the shrine were also put through rigorous checking, a routine, exercised with extra care, considering the sensitive nature of the shrine and keeping recent threats in mind.

The devotees complied without complaining.

“There was not much trouble during the security check. We were checked several times but we did not face any problem. It was all done very safely,” said Vijay Kumar, a devotee.

‘Navratri’, which literally means nine nights, is observed twice a year.

The festival lasts for nine days in honour of nine manifestations of Durga, goddess of power ,and fall in the months of April-May and September-October.

It is believed that during the Navratri, Goddess Durga descends on earth to rid it of the demons and blesses her devotees with happiness and prosperity. (ANI)

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Three policemen suspended, probe ordered into custodial death in J-K

September 1, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Srinagar, Aug 31(ANI): Three policemen were suspended and a magisterial probe was ordered on Monday, following the death of a 17-year-old boy in police custody in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district.

According to reports, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Adhkunwari police post Suram Chand, Munshi Deepak Ram and Selection Grade Constable Bishan Dass were suspended.

Sub Divisional Magistrate Katra Rashpal Singh has been directed to conduct a magisterial inquiry into the death and submit the report to the government.

Earlier, protests were held in the region after death of Billoo, a native of Ludhiana in Punjab, who police claimed had committed suicide by hanging himself in the lock-up.

Billoo was picked in connection with a theft and pick-pocketing case and was taken to Adhkuwari police station for questioning. (ANI)

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50 railway stations to be of world standard

July 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

New Delhi, July 3 (ANI): Presenting the Railway Budget 2009-10, Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee today said that about 50 stations are to be developed into world class stations with international level facilities.

Banerjee said that these stations would be developed through innovative financing and in Public Private Partnership mode.

Some of these stations are: CST Mumbai, Pune, Nagpur, Howrah, Sealdah, Bhubaneswar, New Delhi, Lucknow, Varanasi, Amritsar, Kanpur, Guwahati, Jaipur, Chennai Central, Tiruvananthapuram Central, Secunderabad, Tirupati, Bangalore City, Baiyapanahali (Bangalore), Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Habibganj, Gaya Jn., Agra Cantt., Mathura Jn., Chandigarh, Kolkata, New Jalpaiguri, Majerhat, Mangalore, Porbandar, Anand Vihar, Brijwasan, Ajmer and Puri.

Banerjee also announced the construction of Multi-Functional Complexes (MFCs) in station premises for providing rail users facilities like shopping, food stalls and restaurants.

The MFCs will also have book stalls, PCO/STD/ISD/Fax booths, medicine, budget hotels and underground parking.

She said that during this year, 50 such railway stations would be developed in places of pilgrimage, industry and tourist interest. “The responsibility for development of Multi-functional Complexes would be entrusted to IRCON and Rail Land Development Authority (RLDA),” she added.

The 49 identified stations to be developed as MFCs are: Alipurduar, Allahabad, Anandpur Sahib, Banspani, Bikaner, Bilaspur, Cuttack, Darjeeling, Dehradun, Digha, Durg, Ernakulum, Gandhidham, Ganga Sagar, Ghatsila, Gwalior, Hajur Sahib, Hubli, Hyderabad, Indore, Jabalpur, Jammu Tawi, Jasidih, Jhansi, Jodhpur, Kanyakumari, Kathgodam, Katra, Khajuraho, Madurai, Manmad, Mysore, Nanded, Nasik, Palakkad, Parasnath, Raebareily, Raipur, Rajgir, Rameshwaram, Ranchi, Shirdi, Silchar, Tarapith, Tiruchirapalli, Udaipur, Ujjain, Vadodara and Visakhapatnam. (ANI)

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Fire on road to Vaishno Devi shrine

May 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Katra, May 20 (ANI): About 40 shops on way to the Vaishno Devi hill shrine in Jammu and ashmir caught fire halting the pilgrimage for about four hours.

The estimated loss runs into millions of rupees.

There were many shops selling holy offerings, photographs and food in the market.

Fire spread to several shops due to strong wind and cylinder explosions in the food and tea hops.

Fire broke out in between the pilgrimage lane, a far too narrow path for fire brigade to reach the pot.

Pilgrims and shop owners believe that it suddenly began to rain with blessings of goddess and he flames blew over.

Two persons were reportedly injured in the fire. The eyewitnesses attributed fire to short circuit n a shop.

Vaishno Devi, temple of Hindu Mother Goddess on the Shivalik range of the majestic imalayas attracts millions of devotees and pilgrims round the year.

Perched atop Trikuta hills at a height of 1,700 meters above sea level, Mata Vaishno devi shrine s held in high esteem among Hindus all over the country.

It attracts more than three million pilgrims every year, particularly during summers and is a huge evenue source for the state. (ANI)

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Imported flowers for Vaishno Devi temple during Navratri festival

March 30, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Katra, March 30 (ANI): On the occasion of Navratri festival, the famous Vaishno Devi temple near Jammu has been decorated with special flowers brought from Norway, Sweden, Russia, and other foreign countries.

Officials related to Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board say that this is for the first time that flowers that the temple has been decorated with imported flowers.

The countries from where the flowers have been imported also include Austria, United Kingdom and Australia.

“Flowers from different parts of the country have been brought hereike gladiolus, carnations and also like Lilium, anthurium orchids have been brought to beautify the temple,” said Rajesh Goyal, a temple official.

Hundreds of thousands of devotees from across the country and abroad visit this world famous Vaishno Devi shrine during the nine-day Navratri festival.

The special decoration with imported flowers have doubled up devotees joy and enthusiasm, as most of them find it a special visual delight after taking a sojourn of 12 kilometres up the hills.

“Navratri is a special occasion for everyone and when devotees find the temple beautified with such flowers, the charm and devotion increases. The decoration is really very appealing for all of us, “said Aashima Gupta, one of the devotees at the temple.

Nestled in Trikuta hills in the Himalayas, the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and the base camp, the temple town of Katra in the foothills, present a festive look these days.

Goddess Vaishnavi is believed to have spent some time while observing various spiritual disciplines and penances.

The culmination of this journey is at the holy cave where She merged Her Human form with the astral form of Her creators, the three supreme energies.

Over 20,000 devotees have paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine during the first day of the Navratra, which commenced on Friday (March 27). By Tahir Nadeem KhanANI)

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Navratra at Vaishno Devi shrine in Kashmir

March 29, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Katra (J-K), Mar 28 (ANI): Devotees offered evening prayers at the famous shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi as the nine-day Hindu festival of “Navratri” beganith religious fervour on Friday.

Nestling amidst Trikuta hills in the Himalayas, the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine and the base camp, the temple town of Katra in the foothills, present a festive look these days.

Thousands of devotees are pouring in from across the country to undertake a pilgrimage to the shrine during the Navratra festival.

Continuing for over a century, the festival was declared official by the Jammu and Kashmir Government 12 years ago, with an objective of projecting the rich culture and heritage of the region.

To seek the blessings of the Divine Mother in her three manifestations of Maha Saraswati, Maha Kali and Maha Lakshmi, over 6.5 million pilgrims visit the shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi every year.

Chaitra Navratri is most famous in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and in other parts of North India.

Temporary stalls are set up by the road side or near the temples selling traditional goods for the festival such as diyas of all sizes, coconuts, clay pottery (matkas), dupattas for women, wrist-bands, special garlands made of marigold and other flowers, beads, and agarbatti sticks.

Chaitra Navratra is known by different names like Ram Navratri, Vasant Navratri, Basant Navrathri and some people also refer it as Spring Navaratras. By Tahir Nadeem Khan (ANI)

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Pilgrims to Vaishno Devi shrine helped by Muslim porters

February 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Katra, Feb 4 (ANI): Muslim porters at the revered cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi in Kashmir have been earning the gratitude of Hindu devotees for many years.

Carrying luggage and children on their shoulder, porters popularly known as ‘pitthu’, say their work is one form of worship when they trek with the pilgrims along a eleven-kilometer hilly tract to the Vaishno Devi Temple.

“We offer namaz first and then go about our business. We carry the baggage of the pilgrims and they pay us something more than our fees,” said Shamas Din, a Muslim porter.

The Hindu pilgrims said religious boundaries disappear when the porters enthusiastically chant hymns along with them on way to the shrine.

“We realise that being Muslim they are very cooperating. They have equal reverence for the goddess and they also chant hymns with us. It doesn’t seem that there is any religious disparity among us,” said Dinesh Baba, a Hindu pilgrim.

Perched atop Trikuta hills at a height of 1,700 meters above sea level, Vaishno Devi shrine is held in high esteem by Hindus all over the country.

It attracts more than three million pilgrims every year, particularly during summers, and is the main source of livelihood for thousands of residents. By Tahir Nadeem Khan (ANI)

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