Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Around 900 pilgrims left for Varanasi for “Tirth Darshan” from Kamlapati Railway station on Tuesday after Madhya Pradesh government's Tirth Darshan Yojana was re-launched. It was suspended during Corona pandemic.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan flagged off the train from Rani Kamlapati railway station for Varanasi on Tuesday under Madhya Pradesh government's Tirth Darshan Yojana.
Minister for Culture and religious endowment Usha Thakur also travelled to Varanasi along with pilgrims in the train. CM welcomed the pilgrims for the “Mangalmay yatra” (safe journey).
Culture Minister Usha Thakur, BJP State President VD Sharma, BJP senior leader Hitanand Sharma and several cabinet members like UAD Minister Bhupendra Singh, PHE Minister Tulsi Silavat, finance minister Jagdish Devda, MLAs Rameshar Sharma, Krishna Gaur, Yashpal Singh Sisodia BJP district president Sumit Pachori were present on the occasion.
Before flagging off the pilgrims for the pilgrimage, the CM honoured the pilgrims with shawls, Shriphals and garland of rosary at Rani Kamlapati station.
CM Chouhan said, “today the mind is full of joy and happiness. Our pilgrims are going to have a great experience of life. In 2012, we decided that the government would undertake a pilgrimage after a demand from one of the participants in the senior citizen panchayat. There will be all arrangements in the train including breakfast, tea, arrangements to stay at the pilgrimage place. The government will also take care of bringing them back and send them home with respect.”
He said that now these trains would continue under the scheme and such schemes would not be stopped. Trains would continue one after the other and would help pilgrims to have darshan as pilgrimage was an important aspect of life.
CM said that Sundarkand Bhajans would be recited on the train during the journey. After coming back to their village, pilgrims should work for environment conservation and plant sapling. Secondly, they should raise awareness in public to give up liquor and they should regard daughters.”
CM Chouhan himself boarded in the compartments, met the pilgrims and talked about the facilities. Entire staff and executives of Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) were pressed to assist the pilgrims in the compartments.
Petals of flowers were showered on pilgrims at the entrance of Kamlapati Railway stations. Tribal artists presented dances at platforms while the pilgrims boarded the train.
