| Shivarathri Festival Is Rare Astronomical Re-Run After 54 Years |
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RAMESWARAM, INDIA, February 27, 2019 (Deccan Chronicle): Several hundred thousand pilgrims from different parts of India are expected to congregate in Rameswaram for the coming Shivarathri festival on March 4 this year, as it is a rare occasion with astronomical significance reappearing after 54 years. The Shivarathri Punyakaalam this year is accompanied by the transits of the planets of Guru, Sukran, Rahu and Kethu, and such a phenomenon is occurring as per the Hindu almanac after 54 years, said the chief priest at the Sri Ramanathaswamy temple here, Sri Chandrasekhara Sarma.
”Offering worship to Lord Shiva on this Shivarathri on such an occasion will confer all possible benefits to the devotees,” explained Sarma, adding, due to this rare astronomical combination with its astrological implications, a heavy rush of pilgrims, particularly from North India was expected for the festival this year. The 12-day festival, which began on Monday, has lined up special pujas each day and as part of the festivities, the processional Deities of Lord Ramanathaswamy and his consort Parvathavarthini Ambal, were taken in a procession on the four Mada streets around the temple today on the second day. Hundreds of people came out of their houses to have darshan of the Lord.
| At Kumbh Mela, UP Eyes Guinness Record for ”Largest Parade of Buses” |
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PRAYAGRAJ, INDIA, February 28, 2019 (NDTV): By rolling out a fleet of 500 buses at the ongoing Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, the Uttar Pradesh government is eyeing to break an existing Guinness World Record. The record of largest parade of buses is currently held by Abu Dhabi of 390 buses. A 3.6 mile-long convoy of 390 buses had travelled a stretch of 2.5 miles on the Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Highway in Abu Dhabi. The record attempt was to celebrate UAE 39th national day.
The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) buses will cover a distance of over 2 miles. The parade of the saffron-colored buses will be held at NH-19, between Sahson toll and Nawabganj toll plaza. ”The parade is also to demonstrate the traffic plan which worked very well during the ongoing Kumbh Mela where 3200 acres of land was used for parking of vehicles,” Additional Chief Secretary (Information and Tourism) Avaneesh Kumar Awasthi told news agency IANS. According to an official, the parade of 500 buses would be the longest anywhere in the world. A couple of observers from the Guinness Book of World Records will witness the record-making attempt on the route on which buses will run.
| Daily Inspiration |
Hinduism is such a joyous religion, freed of all the mental encumbrances that are prevalent in the various Western faiths. It is freed of the notion of a vengeful God. It is freed of the notion of eternal suffering. It is freed from the notion of original sin. It is freed from the notion of a single spiritual path, a One Way.
— Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927-2001)
