Tech push for Pitripaksh Mela this time
Gaya: District magistrate (DM) Shashank Shubhankar has put emphasis on the use of technology in this year's Pitripaksh Mela, set to take place from Sept 6 to Sept 21. In a review meeting held on Saturday with senior officials and stakeholders, the DM outlined plans to integrate digital tools for the convenience of visiting pilgrims.
A key directive was to tag all 'pind vedis', ritual platforms used for offerings to ancestors, on Google Maps, enabling pilgrims to easily navigate to their desired sites. He also called for the integration of an artificial intelligence-based chatbot into the existing mobile app and portals. "These advanced technologies will help the tech-savvy pilgrims to solve language-related problems and trace the landmark of desired 'pind vedis'," he said.
The administration has already launched a dedicated mobile application for pilgrims, which features detailed information on pind vedis, ponds and essential contacts. This includes local priests (Panda Ji), hotels, guesthouses, dharamshalas as well as district and police officers. The app also provides logistical details to help visitors reach Gaya Ji with ease.
In addition to digital upgrades, physical preparations are also.
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Desilting of the Gaya Ji dam began on Sunday to ensure clean water for ritual bathing. The DM also directed officials to clear silt from sites such as Saraswati, Dharmaranya and Pitamaheshwar along the Falgu river.
Pilgrims typically perform tarpan at eight ponds and pinddaan at 52 pind vedis stretching from Pretshila in the north of Gaya Ji town to Bodh Gaya in the south. The expansion of ghats in recent years has led to a sharp rise in attendance with around 23 lakh pilgrims visiting last year.
To ensure smooth organisation, the DM asked officials to form sub-committees for physical inspections and to hold weekly review meetings. A checklist will be prepared to monitor responsibilities across departments.
Further instructions included the repair of roads, slabs and drain grills in the mela area; restarting the laser light show and fountain at Vaitarni pond; replacing broken tiles at Deoghat and ensuring the availability of drinking water, as well as cleaning and maintenance of toilets and changing rooms.
The DM also called for the installation of additional power transformers, adequate lighting to eliminate dark spots and proper parking and accommodation arrangements to meet the needs of the large influx of visitors.
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