Latest news with #HarKiPauri
Hans India
5 days ago
- Hans India
Six killed in Mansa Devi stampede
Haridwar: At least six people have been killed in a stampede that broke out at the Mansa Devi Temple in Uttarakhand's Haridwar early Sunday, SSP Pramendra Singh Dobal confirmed. The incident occurred due to overcrowding in the temple premises as thousands of devotees thronged the sacred site during the ongoing holy month of Shravan. Eyewitnesses reported chaos as people began pushing each other while waiting in queues, resulting in panic and a sudden rush. Rescue and relief operations were swiftly initiated. Medical teams and ambulances reached the site promptly, and the injured were transported to nearby hospitals for immediate treatment. Authorities confirmed that relief work is still underway, and the situation is being closely monitored. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami expressed sorrow over the incident. CM Dhami said that rescue and relief operations are ongoing, and he is closely monitoring the situation. "Extremely distressing news has been received about a stampede breaking out at the Mansa Devi Temple in Haridwar. Uttarakhand SDRF, local police, and other rescue teams have reached the spot and are engaged in relief and rescue operations," he said in a post on X. "I am in constant contact with the local administration regarding this matter, and the situation is being closely monitored. I pray to Mata Rani for the safety of all the devotees," he added. Further details regarding the incident are still awaited as authorities continue to assess the situation. Every year, Haridwar sees a massive influx of pilgrims during the month of Shravan, especially at the revered Har Ki Pauri and Mansa Devi Temple. This year, however, the situation turned grim due to an overwhelming crowd, triggering a stampede that has once again spotlighted the issue of crowd management at religious gatherings. This tragic incident adds to the growing number of stampedes that have occurred across India this year. So far, over 50 people have lost their lives in similar incidents at religious sites, railway stations, and public events.
Hans India
5 days ago
- Hans India
Stampede at Uttarakhand's Mansa Devi Temple, several injured
Haridwar: A stampede broke out at the Mansa Devi Temple in Uttarakhand's Haridwar early Sunday morning, leaving several devotees injured. The incident occurred due to heavy overcrowding in the temple premises as thousands of devotees thronged the sacred site during the ongoing holy month of Shravan. Eyewitnesses reported chaos as people began pushing each other while waiting in queues, resulting in panic and a sudden rush. Rescue and relief operations were swiftly initiated. Medical teams and ambulances reached the site promptly, and the injured were transported to nearby hospitals for immediate treatment. Authorities confirmed that relief work is still underway, and the situation is being closely monitored. Every year, Haridwar sees a massive influx of pilgrims during the month of Shravan, especially at the revered Har Ki Pauri and Mansa Devi Temple. This year, however, the situation turned grim due to an overwhelming crowd, triggering a stampede that has once again spotlighted the issue of crowd management at religious gatherings. This tragic incident adds to the growing number of stampedes that have occurred across India in 2025. So far, over 50 people have lost their lives in similar incidents at religious sites, railway stations, and public events. On January 8, a stampede occurred at the Lord Venkateswara Swamy temple in the Tirumala Hills, resulting in the deaths of at least six devotees and injuring many others as hundreds of worshippers pushed to obtain tickets for the Vaikunta Dwara Darshanam. On January 29, a stampede at the Sangam area during the Maha Kumbh claimed the lives of 30 people and left 60 others injured. Millions had gathered to take a holy dip on the occasion of Mauni Amavasya, considered one of the most sacred days in the Hindu calendar. In another major tragedy, 18 people were killed and more than a dozen were injured on February 15 at New Delhi Railway Station. The stampede broke out late at night, with most victims being Maha Kumbh pilgrims returning home. On May 3, at least seven devotees were killed and 80 were injured in a stampede during the annual 'Lairai Jatra' at Shree Lairai Devi Temple in North Goa's Shirgao village. On June 4, what was meant to be a moment of celebration turned tragic when at least 11 fans died in a stampede near Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium during the RCB victory celebration of their maiden IPL title win in 18 years. Further details regarding the Haridwar incident are still awaited as authorities continue to assess the situation.
Hindustan Times
23-07-2025
- General
- Hindustan Times
Half a month needed to dispose of garbage left behind by kanwariyas: Haridwar officials
The flow of devotees to Haridwar during the two-week-long Kanwar Yatra ended on Wednesday, but it would take another fortnight for the authorities to fully clean up the tonnes of garbage they have left behind. Several trucks with Kanwar Yatris seen carrying holy water from Haridwar via Dak Kanwar during the yatra.(Sanchit Khanna/Hindustan Times) A record 5.5 crore kanwariyas visited Haridwar this year, officials said. According to an estimate, so much waste has accumulated that a proper cleaning campaign would take at least half a month. Garbage disposal during the yatra had been a problem for the administration as the huge crowds of pilgrims made some areas inaccessible for the sanitation trucks. "During Kanwar Yatra, lakhs of kanwariyas reached Haridwar by foot and in vehicles every day. This made it impossible for the sanitation workers to take garbage trucks everywhere. As a result, regular cleaning was not done in some areas. But in the areas where they were able to go, cleaning continued uninterrupted," District Magistrate Mayur Dixit told PTI. Municipal Commissioner Nandan Kumar also admitted that constant arrival of devotees to Haridwar in the last 15 days had badly hit the regular cleaning system. "It is anticipated that about 10,000 metric tonnes of garbage has been accumulated in the corporation area. The exact figure will be known only after a day or two," he said. Cleaning of the city area has already begun; in the initial phase, urban roads and Ganga ghats are being cleaned, he said, adding that this will be completed in three days. Around thousand sanitation workers are deployed for cleaning the municipal corporation area, he added. Most of the Shiva devotees who visited Haridwar collected Ganga water from Har Ki Pauri. According to Nitin Gautam, President of Shri Ganga Sabha, an organisation that manages Har Ki Pauri, the biggest problem in the area is the plastic waste that kanwariyas left behind. This include bags, polythene sheets, plastic glasses and cups, and polythene or plastic sheets used for bedding. The Shri Ganga Sabha is engaged in the cleaning works along with the administration. They had anyway been trying to clean the ghats late at night. The major contributors to the waste in the Kanwar Mela area were the bhandaras set up by voluntary organisations and some private individuals for the service of kanwariyas, the locals said. According to Vipin Sharma, a local resident, the kanwariyas discarded the disposable glasses and plates they were served the juices and sherbets in on the roads. The municipal corporation and the district administration have however started a garbage disposal campaign, officials said, adding that if the weather remains favourable, the city is expected to be clean again in about a fortnight.
Hindustan Times
29-04-2025
- Business
- Hindustan Times
During Mahakumbh, Ayodhya leads as most preferred spiritual destination: Survey
Ayodhya, Prayagraj and Varanasi have emerged as the most preferred spiritual and tourist destinations among both Indian and international visitors, according to a survey conducted during the Mahakumbh 2025. The survey, commissioned by the department of tourism and culture and conducted by Deloitte, a global consulting and advisory firm, captured insights from over 3.5 lakh pilgrims, shedding light on travel trends and economic contributions linked to spiritual tourism. In terms of overall favourites, Ayodhya led with 22.55% of respondents naming it as their top choice. Sangam in Prayagraj followed at 19.96%, while Varanasi received 12.72% of the votes. Mathura stood at 6.31%, and Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar at 2.67%. A total of 3,52,388 pilgrims participated in the survey, including 1,093 foreign tourists from countries such as the USA, UK, Canada, Nepal, Australia, and Fiji. Minister of tourism and culture Jaiveer Singh, announcing the findings, said, the data collection for the 'Maha Kumbh Spiritual Survey–2025' took place from January 28 to February 26, at multiple points in Prayagraj including Teliarganj, Jhunsi, Arail, and Parade Ground. 'The initiative aims to identify key pilgrimage locations for focused development in coming years,' he said. Findings show that each pilgrim spent an average of ₹5,877.63 during their visit, contributing notably to the state's economy. The cumulative expenditure points to a major boost in Uttar Pradesh's tourism-led GDP during the Mahakumbh period). The study also revealed distinct travel preferences. Among domestic pilgrims, 40% travelled with their families, while 30.88% journeyed alone and 29.13% came with friends. In comparison, 55.26% of foreign tourists travelled solo. Only 24.43% of international visitors were accompanied by family and 20.31% by friends. These patterns help understand the kind of infrastructure and services that might be required at different pilgrimage sites. When asked about the last spiritual site visited, 27.32% of respondents named Ayodhya, followed by 22.68% who cited the Sangam in Prayagraj. Varanasi was the last visited destination for 8.81% of pilgrims, while 3.21% had been to Jammu & Kashmir and 3.05% to Mathura. Looking ahead, 32.57% of pilgrims said they intend to visit the Sangam in Prayagraj next. Ayodhya is on the future travel list for 12.46% of respondents, while 7.46% chose Varanasi, 3.77% selected Mathura, and 3.20% mentioned Akshardham as their upcoming destination.
