Police step up security for last two days of Navratri at Vindhyachal temple

Police have stepped up security as more than 4 lakh devotees are likely to visit the Vindhyachal temple here on October 4 and 5 - the seventh and eighth day of the nine-day Hindu Navratri festival.Elaborating on the arrangements, District Magistrate Divya Mittal told PTI, The footfalls of the devotees on Saptami seventh day and Ashtami eighth day is likely to touch 4 lakh-mark on each day. However, the administration has made enough preparations even if the number of devotees increases.

Police have stepped up security as more than 4 lakh devotees are likely to visit the Vindhyachal temple here on October 4 and 5 - the seventh and eighth day of the nine-day Hindu 'Navratri' festival.

Elaborating on the arrangements, District Magistrate Divya Mittal told PTI, ''The footfalls of the devotees on 'Saptami' (seventh day) and 'Ashtami' (eighth day) is likely to touch 4 lakh-mark on each day.'' ''However, the administration has made enough preparations even if the number of devotees increases. In order to make the visit of the devotees easy, especially for the elderly, police and homeguard jawans will be deployed to facilitate 'darshan' of the Goddess,'' he said.

Additional District Information Officer Omprakash Upadhyay said the mela area covering around 15 square kilometres has been divided into 10 zones and 12 sectors, with magistrate-ranked officials overseeing each zone.

He also informed that during the festival, only five ghats will be allowed to be used for bathing purposes. As many as 150 pucca toilets, 20 change rooms and temporary toilets have been made.

To help the visitors, eight health centres have also been made, he said and added that four 'raen baseras' (halting places) including three of the government, have been made, where visitors can stay for free.

The district administration has also made provisions to provide food at an affordable rate, and five eateries have been opened, where the devotees could get 5 pooris and sabji at Rs 10.

As far as the security arrangements are concerned, two additional SPs, 15 COs, 47 inspectors, 97 sub-inspectors, 19 women sub-inspectors, 1427 constables, 350 women constables and 12 head constables have been deployed.

Explaining the importance of Vindhyadhaam, the priest at Vindhyachal temple Harsh Shukla said, ''The devotees who come here get the glimpse of Maa Vindhyavasini, Maa Kaali and Maa Asthbhuja (in form of Maa Saraswati). The darshan of these three goddesses is called the 'Vindhyachal kaa trikon' (the triangle of Vindhyachal), and its importance is mentioned in Devi Puran.'' ''This is the only 'darbaar' of the Goddess, and the rest of the Goddess have their temples. All the Gods and Goddesses come to her to mark their presence, and hence, Vindhyachal is also called Vindhyachal Darbaar,'' he said.

Sunny Dutt Pathak, who is a member of Panda Samaj Vindhya Vikas Parishad said, ''Auspicious works like mundan, wedding are done during the Navratra. Devotees who come here stay for nine days recite Devi Paath, Nav Chandi Paath, Shat Chandi Paath, Sahastra Chandi Paath and Durga Shaptshati.'' PTI COR NAV RDT

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