Latest news with #VaishnoDevi
Business Mayor
22-05-2025
- Business Mayor
Piepowder, are you?
Learning new words is always exciting, especially when their meanings are interesting. Take, for instance, the word ' piepowder '. Now, what would you think that means? Powdered pie? Uh-huh, wrong. It comes from the old French 'pie' meaning foot, and 'poudre', meaning powder or dust. Basically, when you put foot and powder together, you are referring to the dust on your feet. In English, piepowder has come to mean a traveller , especially a travelling merchant, says word expert Anu Garg. He says that in the pre-sneaker, pre- sidewalk, carriage-less era, travellers earned their name the hard way, one dusty footstep at a time. Merchants would trudge from fair to fair, handling disputes as well. Pilgrimages to sacred destinations and places of worship were undertaken on foot in earlier times as there was no other option; all pilgrims were piepowders. Even today, some devotees take a vow to trek barefoot, say, to Vaishno Devi, to Mumbai's Siddhivinayak mandir and to Kerala's Sabarimalai. Pilgrims to Sabarimalai chant 'Kallum Mullum Kaalukku Methai' – 'stones and thorns are but soft cushions to our feet' – but the mother of all walking pilgrimages is the Camino de Santiago (The Way of St James) in Spain. The journey itself is said to be a transformative experience, taking one to exalted spiritual heights, revealing deep insights. Interestingly, the Spanish name for the Milky Way is El Camino de Santiago – a medieval legend says that the Milky Way was formed from the dust raised by travelling pilgrims!
India.com
21-05-2025
- Business
- India.com
There are only 2 pure vegetarian outlets of McDonald's in India, they are located at...
Pilgrims heading to the sacred Vaishno Devi shrine have the option to grab a bite at McDonald's, which has opened two new outlets along the route, one at New Track-Tarakote Marg and the other at Ardhkuwari in Jammu. Understanding the spiritual significance of the place and local food preferences, both outlets serve a fully vegetarian menu. To respect religious sentiments, none of the items include onion or garlic. Sharing the news, Rajeev Ranjan, Managing Director of McDonald's India – North and East had earlier said, 'We're happy to bring McDonald's to Tarakote Marg and Ardhkuwari for the many pilgrims and locals who travel this path. It's our way of making our popular food and drinks more accessible to people on this important journey.' The restaurant at Tarakote Marg offers both dine-in and take-away options, along with easy-to-use self-service digital kiosks for faster ordering. At the Ardhkuwari location, visitors can pick up food to go. 'Our presence here is a step towards making the world-famous McDonald's great tasting food and beverages accessible to travelers and residents of the area. We have formulated a special menu for our no onion and no garlic restaurants, consisting of menu items such as McAloo Tikki, McVeggie, McSpicy Paneer Burger, McSpicy Paneer Wrap, along with McDonald's World Famous FriesTM, refreshing beverages and choice of desserts.' Ranjan also highlighted that McDonald's places a strong emphasis on quality. 'From the farm to the plate, we make sure everything meets our global food safety and quality standards. We've spent 25 years building solid partnerships with local suppliers to make that possible,' he said. What truly sets McDonald's apart is its people, who are at the core of delivering a warm, welcoming, and smooth customer experience. In North and East India alone, the company has a workforce of over 5,000 employees spread across more than 150 outlets. The restaurant near Vaishno Devi has hired team members from the local area, providing them with a workplace that is both flexible and supportive. 'We believe in creating a workplace where everyone has the chance to grow,' said Rajeev Ranjan. 'Working at McDonald's helps people build valuable life skills like teamwork, responsibility, and quick thinking. These are qualities that go far beyond the job and can really help shape a better future for our employees.'
NDTV
20-05-2025
- Business
- NDTV
"Chalo Kashmir": Travel Association's New Campaign Aims To Restore Tourism In J&K
Jammu and Kashmir remains one of the most iconic, scenic and culturally significant destinations in India and globally. In response to concerns over tourism following the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has launched the "Let's Visit J&K" or "Chalo Kashmir" campaign. TAAI, the oldest and largest association representing the travel, tourism and hospitality industry in India, said the campaign aims to restore the region's vibrancy and support tourism revival. According to official data, tourism in Kashmir saw record numbers in 2024. Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a historic footfall of 2.35 crore tourists during the year, PTI reported. This included domestic travellers, pilgrims visiting Amarnath and Vaishno Devi, and around 65,000 foreign tourists. "While recent disturbances have raised concerns, they cannot diminish the timeless appeal of the region. An incident meant to cause disruption cannot take away the legacy of Jammu and Kashmir," TAAI said in a press statement. "By encouraging travel to Jammu and Kashmir, we support local livelihoods and send a message of resilience, unity and hope," the association added. At a meeting held on May 16, 2025, the Managing Committee and Chapter Chairpersons of TAAI passed a unanimous resolution to promote travel to Jammu and Kashmir in an active and sustained manner. The association aims to reach more than one million travellers - including families, groups and individuals - through the direct customer base of its 2,400+ member companies across India. Key Initiatives Under "Let's Visit J&K" Campaign: Coordination with J&K Government: TAAI has requested the Hon'ble Chief Minister and concerned authorities to implement strong safety measures for all visitors to the Union Territory. Support From The Hospitality Sector: The campaign plans to coordinate with hotels and local tourism operators to offer special promotional packages and personalised services to tourists. Engagement With Airlines: Airlines are being invited to offer promotional fares to make travel to Jammu and Kashmir more affordable and appealing. Mobilising Local Network: The TAAI J&K Chapter, which includes over 100 member companies from the travel and tourism sector, is actively participating in the campaign. The Campaign's Message To Travellers Across India:
Indian Express
14-05-2025
- Indian Express
As ceasefire holds, an uptick in pilgrim numbers to Vaishno Devi
With the ceasefire between India and Pakistan holding along the international border and the Line of Control, the number of pilgrims reaching Katra town for their onward journey toward the Vaishno Devi shrine has begun picking up. Official sources said that nearly 4,000 people had reported for registration at the shrine board counter in the town in 24 hours ending 10 pm Tuesday. By 4 pm Wednesday, the number of pilgrims turning up for registration had gone up to 4,000 pilgrims and the figure was going to touch 8,000 by 10 pm, they added. A shrine board official said that until April 22, when terrorists killed 26 people – mostly tourists but also a local pony operator — in Pahalgam, between 30,000 and 35,000 pilgrims had been visiting the shrine in Trikuta Hills. But numbers began dipping after the attack, standing as low as 2,000-odd pilgrims a day amid border tensions in the aftermath of India's strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and Pakistan on May 7, the official said. 'With peace now holding between the two countries and the results of the (Central Board of Secondary Education) Classes 10 and 12 announced, the number of pilgrims visiting Mata Vaishno Devi shrine is expected to further go up by the end of the week,' he said. On Wednesday, a day after flights resumed at 32 airports, including Jammu and Srinagar, the helicopter service to the Sanji Chat near the holy shrine from Katra town too was restored. On Tuesday, there was only one Delhi-Jammu-Srinagar flight, with a senior official at the Jammu airport saying that the number of flights will increase with more passenger bookings. The Jammu and Kashmir administration has reopened educational institutions not located along the international border or the Line of Control.
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Time of India
After 7 days, chopper service resumes at Mata Vaishno Devi shrine
PTI photo JAMMU : The helicopter service to the cave shrine of Shree Mata Vaishno Devi in J&K's Reasi district resumed on Wednesday after a week-long closure due to the recent Indo-Pak hostilities in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor . An official of Shree Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board said pilgrim footfall had begun picking up after a sharp decline since the beginning of May. Officials said the battery car service for devotees was also functional. In view of the recent cross-border tensions , blackouts were observed along the track leading to the Vaishno Devi shrine since May 7. The chopper service resumed a day after flight operations restarted at 32 airports across the country, including Jammu and Srinagar airports. Since Jan this year, more than 30 lakh pilgrims have visited the shrine as against 94.84 lakh last year, said shrine board CEO Anshul Garg. 'Ease of registration is being ensured for pilgrims through 45 counters and self-dispensing kiosks for RFID cards ,' he added.
