Preparatory meeting held for Chaitra Yatra at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine

As part of the preparations for the upcoming Chaitra Yatra at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine in Odisha, the District Collector of Ganjam and Vice Chairman of the Tara Tarini Development Board Dr. Krishan Kumar called a special meeting at the Conference Hall of the Collectorate in Chhatrapur on March 19, 2013. Notable, that the month long Chaitra festival at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine, believed to be the Breast Shrine of Adi Shakti, has a special significance in the annual calendar of events of the Hill Shrine. This year the Chaitra Yatra will start on the first Tuesday from April 02. As per the English calendar the Second, Third and Fourth Tuesdays which are the most auspicious days during the Chaitra month falls on 09th, 16th and 23rd April respectively.  As per the trends witnessed in the previous years, lakhs of devotees are expected to gather during the whole month. Especially on each of the four Tuesdays, considered most auspicious at the Hill Shrine, around 5-6 lakhs of devotees gather at the shrine. Taking the huge gathering into consideration and for peaceful management of the Chaitra yatra, the meeting discussed all aspects relating to the management of the Yatra.  Chairman of the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) and Revenue Divisional Commissioner Southern Odisha Shri Bikash Chandra Mahapatra presided over the meeting.   Reviewing the preparations made by the district administration he sought the help of all to make the holy Shrine a polythene free destination during the yatra period. He instructed the district administration and the Development Board to strictly implement this decision from April 01.  Ganjam district collector Dr. Krishan Kumar reviewed the law and order, water supply, transportation, parking and sanitation arrangements in and around the holy shrine.  He informed that taking the huge gathering into consideration 10 more temporary lavatory complexes will come up on the hill top. Drinking water will be provided to the people both on the hill top and on the foot hill of the shrine and for that the administration will arrange adequate number of water tankers on the foot hill area, he said. The collector also informed that the administration will take all necessary steps to provide uninterrupted power supply to the shrine from each Monday midnight to Tuesday midnight during the whole month. He said the chief district Medical officer will open health camps and look into the food quality on the road side eateries in and around the shrine area.  The Collector informed that akin to the practice of previous years, facility for Special Darshan at the shrine and special buses to the hilltop will be arranged for the benefit of the devotees. Huge police deployment will be made on all Tuesdays of the month for the maintenance of law and order and traffic management in and around the hill shrine. He said that clean water will be released on every yatra day from the reservoir to the holy Rushikulya River on the foot hill for bathing purpose of the devotees. It is noteworthy that the modernization work of the Ropeway to the hill top by the USHA BRECO Company, Ghaziabad, is currently underway. The district collector has given instructions to the company to make it ready by the first week of April for quicker and hassle free transportation of devotees.    Among others, Chhatrapur sub-collector, District Culture officer, BDO Purushottampur, Tahasildar Purushottampur, TTDB Secretary Pramod Kumar Panda, Executive officer MBK Rao, District Superintendent of Police other officials and TTDB office bearers were present on the occasion. Preparations in full swing for Chaitra Jatra BERHAMPUR, March 24, 2013: Preparations were in full swing for the annual Chaitra Jatra festival at Tara Tarini hill shrine in Ganjam district................... All set for Tara Tarini Mela Bhubaneswar: 23/March/2013: Kishan Kumar has asked the officials to get in readiness for the upcoming Chaitra Yatra at Maa Tara Tarini Hill Shrine in Odisha, This is the Holiest shrine ................................ Preparatory meeting held for Chaitra Yatra at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine Report by OdishaDiary bureau, Berhampur: As part of the preparations for the upcoming Chaitra Yatra at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine in Odisha, the District Collector of Ganjam and Vice Chairman of the Tara Tarini Development Board Dr. Krishan Kumar called a special meeting