India is blessed with amazing diversity, but this does not prevent promotion of good relations between people of different communities, examples of which can be found in every nook and corner of the country. One such example comes from the Loco Colony in Gaya district in the eastern state of Bihar. Here, people from different communities celebrate all festivals together with enthusiasm. And, communal amity is not restricted just to festivals. The Durga Temple located nearby exemplifies strong bonds of friendship between both Hindus and Muslims. When a culture has so many differing elements, like India, it is important for the people to respect the differences.
Showing posts with label Gaya district. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gaya district. Show all posts
Monday 25 February 2013
Wednesday 16 September 2009
Over 500,000 pray to ancestors in Gaya
Over 500,000 Hindu devotees have come to Bihar’s Gaya town to perform the ‘pinda daan’ ritual for ancestors, officials said Thursday.
“Till date more than five lakh devotees have performed the pinda daan. It was more than what we expected in view of the drought in several states across India,” an official of the Gaya district administration told.
The district authorities said they had estimated that 400,000 devotees would come to Gaya to perform pinda daan during pitrupaksh, a fortnight-long ancestor worship period. But the numbers of devotees have crossed 50,000 already.
“Two days are still to go to offer pinda daan during the pitrupaksh period,” an official said.
Special facilities as well as tight security arrangements have been made for the devotees.
Magadh Commissioner Sanjeev Sinha said: “This time gathering of devotees was more than last year, it was a positive sign”.
Pinda daan was also offered for the king of pop Michael Jackson in Gaya by Suresh Narayan, even though he never met the singer.
“On Sunday I offered pinda daan for the salvation of Michael Jackson as a tribute to him,” said Narayan.
Hindus believe offering pinda daan ensures salvation for the souls of their ancestors.
“The soul keeps wandering till this ritual is performed by male descendants of the dead,” Murari Lal, a priest said.
Pinda daan is traditionally offered by Hindus, but historical records available with priests show that some Muslims also performed the ritual in the past.link
“Till date more than five lakh devotees have performed the pinda daan. It was more than what we expected in view of the drought in several states across India,” an official of the Gaya district administration told.
The district authorities said they had estimated that 400,000 devotees would come to Gaya to perform pinda daan during pitrupaksh, a fortnight-long ancestor worship period. But the numbers of devotees have crossed 50,000 already.
“Two days are still to go to offer pinda daan during the pitrupaksh period,” an official said.
Special facilities as well as tight security arrangements have been made for the devotees.
Magadh Commissioner Sanjeev Sinha said: “This time gathering of devotees was more than last year, it was a positive sign”.
Pinda daan was also offered for the king of pop Michael Jackson in Gaya by Suresh Narayan, even though he never met the singer.
“On Sunday I offered pinda daan for the salvation of Michael Jackson as a tribute to him,” said Narayan.
Hindus believe offering pinda daan ensures salvation for the souls of their ancestors.
“The soul keeps wandering till this ritual is performed by male descendants of the dead,” Murari Lal, a priest said.
Pinda daan is traditionally offered by Hindus, but historical records available with priests show that some Muslims also performed the ritual in the past.link
Sunday 9 August 2009
Poverty, hunger drive elderly couple in Bihar to suicide
Poverty and hunger forced an elderly couple in a Bihar village to commit suicide, villagers said Sunday. However, a local official maintained the couple died of cancer but was unable to explain how the deaths occurred at the same time.
Farm labourers Inderdeo Mahto and his wife Kari Devi, both in their 60s and residents of Khushalpur village in Gaya district, allegedly consumed poison Saturday after going without food for days as they found no work since early July, villagers claimed.
'They were left in the lurch, no one helped them and hunger forced them to commit suicide,' Manoj Prasad, a villager, said.
'Mahto and his wife used to work as farm labourers to earn their livelihood but for over a month, there was no work available because of the drought like situation and people were reluctant to hire them for other jobs due to their age. He was not supported by his two sons, both of whom live separately and also work as labourers,' Suresh Singh, another resident of the village, said.
Village council head Rambha Devi also told Sunday that the couple died due to poverty and hunger.
The names of the couple reportedly did not figure in the list of those below poverty line (BPL). Villagers said the couple had requested authorities to add their names to the list but this was not done. However, both of Mahto's sons figure in the list.
Block Development Officer (BDO) Shivnarain Singh said the couple died of cancer but was unable to explain how the deaths occurred at the same time.
Police have recovered the bodies and sent them for post mortem. A case has been filed.
Scanty rainfall has affected millions of farmers in Bihar as transplanting of paddy seedlings has been badly hit. The state has seen a deficit of 43 percent rainfall so far in this monsoon season.
The state government admitted that a drought-like situation was prevailing in 32 of the state's 38 districts and has set up a crisis management team, headed by Chief Secretary Anup Mukherjee, for measures to tackle the situation.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called an all-party meeting here Sunday to discuss the issue. The government is considering declaring some worst affected districts drought-hit.link
Farm labourers Inderdeo Mahto and his wife Kari Devi, both in their 60s and residents of Khushalpur village in Gaya district, allegedly consumed poison Saturday after going without food for days as they found no work since early July, villagers claimed.
'They were left in the lurch, no one helped them and hunger forced them to commit suicide,' Manoj Prasad, a villager, said.
'Mahto and his wife used to work as farm labourers to earn their livelihood but for over a month, there was no work available because of the drought like situation and people were reluctant to hire them for other jobs due to their age. He was not supported by his two sons, both of whom live separately and also work as labourers,' Suresh Singh, another resident of the village, said.
Village council head Rambha Devi also told Sunday that the couple died due to poverty and hunger.
The names of the couple reportedly did not figure in the list of those below poverty line (BPL). Villagers said the couple had requested authorities to add their names to the list but this was not done. However, both of Mahto's sons figure in the list.
Block Development Officer (BDO) Shivnarain Singh said the couple died of cancer but was unable to explain how the deaths occurred at the same time.
Police have recovered the bodies and sent them for post mortem. A case has been filed.
Scanty rainfall has affected millions of farmers in Bihar as transplanting of paddy seedlings has been badly hit. The state has seen a deficit of 43 percent rainfall so far in this monsoon season.
The state government admitted that a drought-like situation was prevailing in 32 of the state's 38 districts and has set up a crisis management team, headed by Chief Secretary Anup Mukherjee, for measures to tackle the situation.
Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has called an all-party meeting here Sunday to discuss the issue. The government is considering declaring some worst affected districts drought-hit.link
Thursday 9 July 2009
12 injured as Howrah-Dehradun Express derails in Bihar
At least 12 passengers were injured when two coaches of Howrah-Dehradun Express derailed in Bihar's Gaya district on Friday.
"The SLR van and guard's coach of the train jumped the rails near Bilwa station about 50 km from here at about 3.55am," PRO of East Central Railway U K Jha said.
Eye witnesses said the passengers received minor injuries as the train was moving at a slow speed.
The derailed coaches were detached from the train, which resumed journey at 5.55am, Jha said.
There was no disruption in the movement of other trains due to the mishap, he said. link
"The SLR van and guard's coach of the train jumped the rails near Bilwa station about 50 km from here at about 3.55am," PRO of East Central Railway U K Jha said.
Eye witnesses said the passengers received minor injuries as the train was moving at a slow speed.
The derailed coaches were detached from the train, which resumed journey at 5.55am, Jha said.
There was no disruption in the movement of other trains due to the mishap, he said. link
Monday 27 April 2009
Maoists blow up school, health centre in Bihar
In the second strike in 24 hours, about 500 heavily armed Maoists encircled a village in Gaya district of Bihar and blew up a primary health centre, a middle school and community hall.
Earlier, the Maoists had blown up a police building in the same Chonha village on Saturday morning. It was the eighth Maoist attack in the district this month.
The Maoists also raided the two-storeyed house of a big farmer and former mukhiya of Narainpur panchayat of the Naxal-infested Dumaria block. Using walkie-talkies, they directed the farmer's wife, daughter and two maid servants, to move out of the house before dynamites were thrown in.
The farmer's son Rizwan Khan said the Maoists looted about 100 quintals of rice, an equal quantity of wheat, 10 quintals of potatoe and onion and some jewellery from the house.
According to Rizwan, he was in a neighbouring village when the Maoists started encircling his village. He immediately informed senior police officers, "but the police reached only after everything was over''.
Admitting that she got information about the movement of the Maoists, Magadh Range DIG Anupama Nilekar claimed that immediate steps were taken and police parties dispatched to the village.link
Earlier, the Maoists had blown up a police building in the same Chonha village on Saturday morning. It was the eighth Maoist attack in the district this month.
The Maoists also raided the two-storeyed house of a big farmer and former mukhiya of Narainpur panchayat of the Naxal-infested Dumaria block. Using walkie-talkies, they directed the farmer's wife, daughter and two maid servants, to move out of the house before dynamites were thrown in.
The farmer's son Rizwan Khan said the Maoists looted about 100 quintals of rice, an equal quantity of wheat, 10 quintals of potatoe and onion and some jewellery from the house.
According to Rizwan, he was in a neighbouring village when the Maoists started encircling his village. He immediately informed senior police officers, "but the police reached only after everything was over''.
Admitting that she got information about the movement of the Maoists, Magadh Range DIG Anupama Nilekar claimed that immediate steps were taken and police parties dispatched to the village.link
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