Ambubachi Mela of Kamakhaya temple begins in Assam; devotees expected from across the world

In Assam, the four -day long Ambubachi Mela of Kamakhaya temple begins from June 21. The temple door was closed at 6:12 AM and would reopen at 7 AM on 25^th of this month. It is expected that around 5 lakh devotees from across the world are expected to gather in the annual festival. The District administration and Kamakhaya Debuttar Board have made all necessary arrangements.

Nine pandals have been set up to shelter the devotees atop the Nilachal hillock. Medicals teams and ambulances are being deployed for any eventuality. Security arrangements have also been put in place to avoid any untoward incident. A -24 hour control room has been set up at the Mela premises.

More than 500 police personnel, 4 companies of Para -military forces, 200 volunteers and 150 NCC cadets have been deployed to maintain law and order situation .CCTV cameras have already been installed across the temple premises.  About 100 Scouts and Guides and 60 NCC cadets would also assist the police to avoid any untoward incident while river police would patrol the Brahmaputra, flowing below the Nilachal Hills sources said.

Solar lighting project approved for Tara Tarini Hill Shrine

• Tata group has agreed to take up massive plantation work at Tara Tarini hill
• Rs. 50 lakh would be financed by the Central government for the project
• Bathroom complex & facilitation centre for pilgrims would be built up

A big solar lighting project would be taken up at the famous Tara Tarini hill shrine in Ganjam district. It was part of discussion in the Annual General Body Meeting of the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) held in the conference hall in the office of the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern division, in Berhampur on May 25, 2012. This meeting was presided by the RDC Laxmi Narayn Nayak, who happens to be the chairman of the TTDB. Vice-chairman of the TTDB, the Ganjam Collector Kishen Kumar, its secretary Pramod Panda, and officials of different departments, office bearers of TTDB, members of TTDB and dignitaries of the city were present at the meeting.

TTDB secretary Mr. Panda said such major solar light project is being implemented in any religious shrine in the State for the second time. A similar solar light project is already on in Sri Jagannath temple in Puri. According to Mr. Panda for this solar lighting project Rs. 50 lakh would be financed by the Central government and it would be installed by Odisha Renewable Energy Development Agency (OREDA). The hill top of this hill shrine would be lighted up by this renewable source of energy.

During discussions it was also revealed that funds worth around Rs.72 lakh from the Central government and State government for development of tourism prospects of this hill shrine was already with the district administration. Using this fund a bathroom complex and a facilitation centre for pilgrims would be built up at the hill shine.