The Hindu holy town of Gaya in Bihar is set to attract up to 400,000 devotees who are coming here to perform the pinda daan, a religious service for dead ancestors, during the fortnight-long pitrupaksh beginning Friday.
"Pitrupaksh has begun amid tight security in view of threats of terrorists and other trouble makers," Gaya District Magistrate Sanjay Kumar Singh told.
Magadh Commissioner Sanjeev Sinha said: "This time we expect more than four lakh people will come to Gaya to offer pind daan for the salvation of the souls of their ancestors during the pitrupaksha period."
Hindus believe offering pinda daan during the pitru paksh period ensures salvation for the wandering souls of their ancestors.
"The soul keeps wandering till this ritual is performed by male descendants of the dead," priest Murari Lal said.
Gaya, about 100 km from state capital Patna, is considered the holiest place for the purpose. Legend has it that Lord Rama and his wife Sita performed this religious rite for his father, King Dasharath, here.
The town drawing a large number of people from all parts of India and abroad every year during pitrupaksh, the 15 days of the waning moon during the Hindu month of Ashwin.
Pinda daan is traditionally offered on the banks of the Falgu river here.
According to a priest, the rituals are conducted at nearly 50 vedis, or altars, the more important ones being Vishnupad, Ramshila, Pretshila, Baiterni, Akshay Vat and Mahabodhi temple.
Gayawal pandas, claiming to be superior priests, perform the rituals.
It is mandatory for the devotees offering pinda daan to shave their heads and take a holy dip and head for the Baitarni pond. However, some rituals are conducted in the Falgu river nearby.
The prayers are performed at the famous Vishnupad temple named after Lord Vishnu.
Friday, 4 September 2009
Wednesday, 2 September 2009
Summons to Bihar chief minister in 1991 case
A Bihar court has issued summons to Chief Minister Nitish Kumar in a case relating to firing at an election booth during the 1991 Lok Sabha elections.
The Barh sub divisional judicial magistrate’s court issued the summons to Nitish Kumar Wednesday, as he was an “accused” along with three others in the case, official sources said.
Nitish Kumar was a candidate from Barh Lok Sabha seat in the 1991 parliamentary elections.
One man was killed in the firing at an election booth.
The Barh sub divisional judicial magistrate’s court issued the summons to Nitish Kumar Wednesday, as he was an “accused” along with three others in the case, official sources said.
Nitish Kumar was a candidate from Barh Lok Sabha seat in the 1991 parliamentary elections.
One man was killed in the firing at an election booth.
Three women killed in temple stampede
Three women were killed and at least 50 people injured in a stampede at a hilltop temple in Bihar's Jehanabad district on Thursday morning, police said.
The stampede occurred when hundreds of Hindu devotees were offering prayers at the hilltop Siddhnath temple in Jehanabad district.
"A rumour spread like wildfire that a railing had broken and it created panic among the devotees causing the stampede," a police officer said.
The injured were taken to a nearby hospital. Jehanabad District Magistrate Palka Sahni said that a medical team had been rushed to the site. link
The stampede occurred when hundreds of Hindu devotees were offering prayers at the hilltop Siddhnath temple in Jehanabad district.
"A rumour spread like wildfire that a railing had broken and it created panic among the devotees causing the stampede," a police officer said.
The injured were taken to a nearby hospital. Jehanabad District Magistrate Palka Sahni said that a medical team had been rushed to the site. link
Government Initiates Study on Rapid Metro Rail for Patna
Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, at a press conference at Bihar Chamber of Commerce in Patna on Wednesday, said that the state government was mulling the idea of having a rapid transit rail system on the line of Delhi Metro Rail to deal with the traffic quandary that plagues the capital city due to rise in automobile ownership.
Modi said that the state has entrusted the Infrastructure Development Authority, Bihar, to prepare a feasibility report to develop metro trains in Patna after the Central government appealed to all the cities with a population of 10 lakh or above to find out possibilities of having alternate transit system to lessen over-crowding on the streets and minimize pollution in the urban areas.
"The goal is to develop a transit system that is capable of handling the growing population of Patna by the time it reaches 20 lakh," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.
The state Urban Development department has asked the Infrastructure Development Authority to study the current traffic pattern, available public transportation system, its pluses and minuses, and the geographical availability in the state capital to prepare its report that would also form the basis of the administration's traffic policy, Modi said.link
Modi said that the state has entrusted the Infrastructure Development Authority, Bihar, to prepare a feasibility report to develop metro trains in Patna after the Central government appealed to all the cities with a population of 10 lakh or above to find out possibilities of having alternate transit system to lessen over-crowding on the streets and minimize pollution in the urban areas.
"The goal is to develop a transit system that is capable of handling the growing population of Patna by the time it reaches 20 lakh," the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader said.
The state Urban Development department has asked the Infrastructure Development Authority to study the current traffic pattern, available public transportation system, its pluses and minuses, and the geographical availability in the state capital to prepare its report that would also form the basis of the administration's traffic policy, Modi said.link
Minor from Bihar rescued from wedding
Alert residents of Dadumajra village saved a minor girl from being married off to a 25-year-old man on Wednesday when they rushed to inform the police, who swooped down in time at the wedding venue to arrest four persons, including the priest, even as half a dozen invitees along with the groom managed to slip away.
Registering a case under sections 10 and 11 against all accused under the Prohibition of Child and Marriage Act, 2006, sub-inspector Baldev Kumar, incharge of Maloya police post, said, “As soon as we got information from Jagar Singh that the wedding of a 12-year-old girl was being solemnised in Maa Durga Temple, a police team raided the spot.” But spoiling the party for cops were groom Ganesh, a vegetable vendor, and the girl’s paternal uncle who escaped arrest along with many others.
“We, however, nabbed the girl’s mother Sita Devi, aunt Amrita, the temple’s priest Madan Lal and groom’s sister Seema Devi,” added cops. Sita landed in city from Bihar two days ago to get her daughter married. “But Anil was the main culprit as he pushed for the alliance,” said a cop. Sita claimed poverty had driven her to take such a step as she was no longer able to take care of her daughter even as rumours of money exchanging hands in the whole affair flew thick and fast. link
Registering a case under sections 10 and 11 against all accused under the Prohibition of Child and Marriage Act, 2006, sub-inspector Baldev Kumar, incharge of Maloya police post, said, “As soon as we got information from Jagar Singh that the wedding of a 12-year-old girl was being solemnised in Maa Durga Temple, a police team raided the spot.” But spoiling the party for cops were groom Ganesh, a vegetable vendor, and the girl’s paternal uncle who escaped arrest along with many others.
“We, however, nabbed the girl’s mother Sita Devi, aunt Amrita, the temple’s priest Madan Lal and groom’s sister Seema Devi,” added cops. Sita landed in city from Bihar two days ago to get her daughter married. “But Anil was the main culprit as he pushed for the alliance,” said a cop. Sita claimed poverty had driven her to take such a step as she was no longer able to take care of her daughter even as rumours of money exchanging hands in the whole affair flew thick and fast. link
Tuesday, 1 September 2009
Baby born with heart outside chest in Bihar
Five-day old baby is being described as a miracle after he survived being born with heart outside of this chest.
Vibha Devi, who was born on Thursday in a remote rural village in India’s Bihar state, was rushed by 24hr train to the capital by his desperate father.
Leaving his wife behind, Chander Manjhi and his father-in-law travelled to Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to try to save the child’s life.
During a complete check-up doctors found the baby also has multiple disorders. Apart from the protruding heart, he also has a hole in his heart and has a single pump (for pumping blood). A normal heart has two pumps.
Suffering from a condition known as Ectopia Cordis, which causes the heart to be abnormally placed inside or outside of the body, most babies die within hours of being born.
However, there is guarded optimism for Vibha after the child survived the arduous 800-mile train journey from Muzaffarpur to Delhi.
“He is stable and is being treated for infection. Once the infection goes, we will do the surgery,” said Dr A.K. Bisoi, a cardiologist at the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Department at AIIMS.
“His parents are lucky the baby is still alive even after infection as it has spread to all body parts. We are trying our best to save the baby.”
Due to the family’s income and the rarity of the child’s condition, cardiologists at AIIMS, including Dr Bisoi, are providing treatment for free.
A team of five surgeons is on stand-by to operate should Vibha survive the next few weeks.
“The surgery is a multi-layered procedure and might take months,” said Dr Bisoi.
“We have to create space step by step and the chest wall has to be reconstructed.
“In India, no infant with such a defect has survived,” Dr Bisoi added.
There are only three survivors suffering from the disease in the world. But this baby is the only one with two heart defects,’ he said.
‘It’s a miracle and challenge for doctors. Every extra day he survives gives us an opportunity to deal with the rare disease and we are learning a lot from the case. We are doing our best to ensure the child lives,’ Bisoi said.
For now, the baby’s heart has been covered with a synthetic membrane and infected blood fully replaced from his body.
In 2006, doctors in Florida, U.S. carried out a similar operation on Naseem Hasni who was born with his heart outside his chest.
Doctors wrapped his heart in Gore-Tex, a waterproof, breathable fabric used in outdoor clothing and medical applications. His heart was then wrapped in a layer of his own skin, to substitute for his missing pericardium, the sac that encloses the heart. The heart was then slowly eased inside his chest.link
Vibha Devi, who was born on Thursday in a remote rural village in India’s Bihar state, was rushed by 24hr train to the capital by his desperate father.
Leaving his wife behind, Chander Manjhi and his father-in-law travelled to Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to try to save the child’s life.
During a complete check-up doctors found the baby also has multiple disorders. Apart from the protruding heart, he also has a hole in his heart and has a single pump (for pumping blood). A normal heart has two pumps.
Suffering from a condition known as Ectopia Cordis, which causes the heart to be abnormally placed inside or outside of the body, most babies die within hours of being born.
However, there is guarded optimism for Vibha after the child survived the arduous 800-mile train journey from Muzaffarpur to Delhi.
“He is stable and is being treated for infection. Once the infection goes, we will do the surgery,” said Dr A.K. Bisoi, a cardiologist at the Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery Department at AIIMS.
“His parents are lucky the baby is still alive even after infection as it has spread to all body parts. We are trying our best to save the baby.”
Due to the family’s income and the rarity of the child’s condition, cardiologists at AIIMS, including Dr Bisoi, are providing treatment for free.
A team of five surgeons is on stand-by to operate should Vibha survive the next few weeks.
“The surgery is a multi-layered procedure and might take months,” said Dr Bisoi.
“We have to create space step by step and the chest wall has to be reconstructed.
“In India, no infant with such a defect has survived,” Dr Bisoi added.
There are only three survivors suffering from the disease in the world. But this baby is the only one with two heart defects,’ he said.
‘It’s a miracle and challenge for doctors. Every extra day he survives gives us an opportunity to deal with the rare disease and we are learning a lot from the case. We are doing our best to ensure the child lives,’ Bisoi said.
For now, the baby’s heart has been covered with a synthetic membrane and infected blood fully replaced from his body.
In 2006, doctors in Florida, U.S. carried out a similar operation on Naseem Hasni who was born with his heart outside his chest.
Doctors wrapped his heart in Gore-Tex, a waterproof, breathable fabric used in outdoor clothing and medical applications. His heart was then wrapped in a layer of his own skin, to substitute for his missing pericardium, the sac that encloses the heart. The heart was then slowly eased inside his chest.link
Bihar records plantation of one crore saplings in a single day
An IAS officer of Bihar cadre created history of sorts by planting nearly 1 crore saplings in a single day.
The Guinness Book of World Records has registered plantation of 5,41,176 saplings on July 15 this year in Pakistan. Bihar did it 20 times more and edged out Pakistan from the record book.
The man behind the mission is Tirhut Commissioner SM Raju, who hails from Karnataka and is an agriculture graduate.
“I’ve been nursing a dream to plant 1 crore saplings in a single day for two years. I achieved this goal through active cooperation of village panchayats and mukhias of my division,” Raju said.
Raju engaged 3 lakh people from 8,463 panchayats and 7,500 villages of six districts of Tirhut division. “We planted the 96,19,870 saplings under the rural job scheme NREG,” said an ebullient Raju.
He said though he had been planning for this day for two years, when he got the news of Pakistan’s Environment Ministry getting the Guinness certification, he decided to beat their record as soon as possible.
“I discussed my idea with the Bihar Chief Secretary and with the blessings of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, I plunged into this mission and ultimately succeeded,” said Raju.
“With groups of four families each planting 200 trees; now they must protect the saplings for three years, till the plants grow sturdy. During this period, they will be paid,” Raju said.
He has charted out a blueprint to protect the planted trees and to provide job to villagers simultaneously through his mission.
“Since Tirhut region in north Bihar is a flood-prone area, mukhias here find themselves unable to provide jobs to poor villagers throughout the year. So I’ve engaged them into this programme,” Raju said.
The workers will get the full pay of about Rs 102 under the rural job scheme if they can ensure the survival of 90 per cent of the plants under their care. For a 75-80 per cent survival rate, they will be paid only half the wage. If the survival rate is less than 75 per cent, the families in the group will be replaced.
The villagers of Tirhut have vowed to protect the trees at any cost and they’re taking constant vigil to the planted saplings.
“They seem to feel as if the trees they are protecting belong to them,” Raju said.
The non-fruit trees like neem, jamun, gulmohar and peepal have been planted along the state and national highways while the fruit-bearing saplings such as the guava, mango, litchi, lemon and amla were planted in the villages.
Raju explained that this tree plantation mission will promote social forestry in flood-affected areas of north Bihar.
A total sum of Rs 700 crore would be spent on this scheme in three years, said Raju, who was also actively associated with the Chief Minister’s much-praised Vikas Yatra.
Now, a beaming and confident Raju hopes to get his mission and the name of the State reflected in The Guinness Book.
The Guinness Book of World Records has registered plantation of 5,41,176 saplings on July 15 this year in Pakistan. Bihar did it 20 times more and edged out Pakistan from the record book.
The man behind the mission is Tirhut Commissioner SM Raju, who hails from Karnataka and is an agriculture graduate.
“I’ve been nursing a dream to plant 1 crore saplings in a single day for two years. I achieved this goal through active cooperation of village panchayats and mukhias of my division,” Raju said.
Raju engaged 3 lakh people from 8,463 panchayats and 7,500 villages of six districts of Tirhut division. “We planted the 96,19,870 saplings under the rural job scheme NREG,” said an ebullient Raju.
He said though he had been planning for this day for two years, when he got the news of Pakistan’s Environment Ministry getting the Guinness certification, he decided to beat their record as soon as possible.
“I discussed my idea with the Bihar Chief Secretary and with the blessings of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, I plunged into this mission and ultimately succeeded,” said Raju.
“With groups of four families each planting 200 trees; now they must protect the saplings for three years, till the plants grow sturdy. During this period, they will be paid,” Raju said.
He has charted out a blueprint to protect the planted trees and to provide job to villagers simultaneously through his mission.
“Since Tirhut region in north Bihar is a flood-prone area, mukhias here find themselves unable to provide jobs to poor villagers throughout the year. So I’ve engaged them into this programme,” Raju said.
The workers will get the full pay of about Rs 102 under the rural job scheme if they can ensure the survival of 90 per cent of the plants under their care. For a 75-80 per cent survival rate, they will be paid only half the wage. If the survival rate is less than 75 per cent, the families in the group will be replaced.
The villagers of Tirhut have vowed to protect the trees at any cost and they’re taking constant vigil to the planted saplings.
“They seem to feel as if the trees they are protecting belong to them,” Raju said.
The non-fruit trees like neem, jamun, gulmohar and peepal have been planted along the state and national highways while the fruit-bearing saplings such as the guava, mango, litchi, lemon and amla were planted in the villages.
Raju explained that this tree plantation mission will promote social forestry in flood-affected areas of north Bihar.
A total sum of Rs 700 crore would be spent on this scheme in three years, said Raju, who was also actively associated with the Chief Minister’s much-praised Vikas Yatra.
Now, a beaming and confident Raju hopes to get his mission and the name of the State reflected in The Guinness Book.
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