Somnath Temple Maha Shivaratri Festival Junagadh District News Gujarat India

Over one lakh devotees are expected to offer prayers at the famous Somnath temple in Junagadh district on the auspicious occasion of 'Maha Shivaratri Festival’, sources said.

"The darshan for devotees began early in the morning and nearly one lakh devotees are expected to offer prayer at the Somnath Mandir, which is one of the Jyotirling," sources in the Shree Somnath Trust, which manages the temple said.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel, who is the chairman of the Somnath Temple Trust, was among those who offered prayers, they said.

Meanwhile, a procession is to be taken out later this evening in Junagadh City, where a fair will also be held to mark the festival.

Sadhus from across the country will be participating in the procession before taking a dip in 'Mrug Kund Bhavnath Temple' in Junagadh Town, sources said.

President Pratibha Patil Junagadh Porbandar City District Saurashtra Visit Gujarat India

President’s treat in Junagadh: Kathiyawadi food, Dhamaal dance, visit to Gir Forest.

President Pratibha Patil will begin her five-day visit to Gujarat from Wednesday.

Her itinerary includes, among other things, a visit on October 2 to the world-famous Gir Sanctuary and a night-halt at the “Sinh Sadan” (a forest rest house) in Sasan Gir where she will be enthralled with “Dhamal Nrutya” – a traditional dance by members of the Sidi community.

On Wednesday, the President will attend a public felicitation function at the Town Hall in Gandhinagar at 6.30 in the evening, which will be attended by Governor S C Jamir and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi. She will have a night halt at the Raj Bhavan.

The next day on Thursday at 9.30 in the morning, she will visit the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, and after spending an hour there, will pay a visit to the Sardar Patel National Memorial in Shahibaug, where she will inaugurate a community hall. Then, she will leave for Anand by helicopter and spend about three hours at Amul Dairy. She will return to Gandhinagar in the evening to make a night halt at the Raj Bhavan where a cultural programme will be organized for her.

On October 2, President Patil will attend an all-religious prayer at Porbandar City to mark the 140th birth anniversary of Mahama Gandhi. After paying a visit to the Dwarka temple,Jamnagar District she will reach Sasan Gir in the afternoon the same day.

District Collector Aswini Kumar, who is looking after the entire schedule of the presidential visit, said, the “Sinh-Sadan forest guest house at Sasan-Gir has been given a face-lift, and the Presidential Suite has also been prepared.”

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) Pradeep Khanna, who is camping in the Gir sanctuary, added: “We have identified some spots in the tourism zone in Gir where Asiatic Lions are usually spotted, so as to enable the VVIPs to see the big cats. The rest house in Sasan Gir is also being spruced up for the President for her night-halt there.”

A senior forest officer said: “Some two-three forest routes have been selected and prepared for the President’s visit. She will take any of the three routes depending on the location of lions on the day and time.”

The President will also be treated to traditional Kathiyawadi menu and Dhamaal dance during her two-day stay in Junagadh City.

Kumar said: “Traditional Kathiyawadi dishes, which include ‘Rotla, Shak, Olo, Sev Tometo, Papad, Khichadi –Kadhi’, have been included in the menu. In addition, north Indian dishes have also been included in the fare.

According to official sources, President Patil may also visit Maldhari area (tiny hutments located in the interior of Gir Jungle).

Besides, the Sidi tribes will perform the Dhamaal Nrutya — which is similar to a dance form practiced by the Zulu tribes of Africa which the Sidis have acquired from their African ancestors – for the President and state Agriculture Minister Dilip Sanghani, who will accompany her on the lion sanctuary visit.

On October 3, the President will pay a visit to Somnath Temple at Veraval and take part in the pooja. Entry for the general public will be restricted for the two days due to security reasons.

The entire state machinery including the district administration, forest, police and the state government has been pressed into service for the high profile visit.

According to the Health Department, four teams of doctors comprising 30 medical officers have been pressed into service at four places where the President is scheduled to visit. Base hospitals have been set up at two places at Sasan and at Veraval.

Junagadh Civil Hospital Civil Surgeon Dr C T Dayalu and a team of senior health officials are busy with the preparation to provide all health facilities to the President if needed.

From Veraval, President Patil will leave for Diu, from where she will fly to Rajkot and back to Delhi the next day.

Somnath Temple-Mandir Veraval Junagadh News

Pilgrims throng Saurastra temples. The new moon day of this year's solar eclipse also marked the beginning of the Shravan month considered as the most auspicious month of the Hindu calendar.

With this, thousands of pilgrims, including those from non-resident Gujarati community, have started flocking to various temples of Saurashtra, Somnath and Dwarka being the main attractions.

"Pilgrims from across the country as far as Chhattisgadh and Bengal have arrived at the temple to offer their prayers.

About 1,000 Bramhins have come from Rajasthan to offer their services for ritual," said Somnath temple priest Dipak Trivedi.

The ceremony started with the ritual of "Mahapuja" in which 130 devotees of Lord Shiva offered "Bili Patra", a sacred leaf. The temple management had organized an online show of this event to facilitate those pilgrims abroad who could not come.

Shravan month was also celebrated in Amreli with thousands of pilgrims visiting Nagnath Mahadev, Bhimnath Mahadev and Jivanmukteshwer temples. Ritual of Mahapuja was the highlight of Swayambhu Jadeshwer Mahadev temple in Wankaner and Sureshwer Dhareshwer Mahadev temple in Gondal.

Meanwhile, Jamnagar district collectorate of Dwarka and management board of Jagat Mandir in Dwarka have begun preparations for the Janmashthami celebrations.

Devotees have already started thronging the town to attend the celebrations. In a recently convened meeting attended by Rajya Sabha MP and Dwarkadhish Devasthan Samiti chief Parimal Nathwani and collector VP Patel, preparations for the big day's events were discussed.

"We will make provisions for the security of the temple and devotees, special arrangement for lodging, boarding and transportation of devotees like, extra bus services and trains," said a district official. Also on the agenda was the elaborate and ornate decoration of the temple building by Nathwani and the town's Nagarpalika chief.

Somnath Temple Veraval Junagadh - About Shri Lal Krishna Advani Visit

Shri Lal Krishna Advani at Somnath Temple(Junagadh-Saurastra) :-

Shri Lal Krishna Advani visited Somnath Temple on 25th September Thursday.

After an overnight stay at Rajkot, Advani boarded a chopper and reached Somnath Temple at 9.38 am.

He offered prayers at the temple.

Later, he addressed the local BJP leaders at the VVIP guesthouse.

This was Advani’s 18th visit to the temple since 1990, when he had commenced the famous Rath Yatra.