NEWS: Five lakh devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine of Orissa on Fourth Tuesday of Chaitra festival

Five lakhs devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine of Orissa

Report by Orissadiary correspondent; Berhampur: On the sacred occasion of Fourth Tuesday of the famous Chaitra festival around five lakhs devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine from various parts of the state and outside. It may be noted that all the Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine and this is the biggest fair held here in honour of the twin goddess. Read More............. Link. http://www.orissadiary.com/Ganjam/ShowDistrictNews.asp?id=17472,

Tara Tarini hill shrine a big draw

 

Rise in number of visitors to the hill shrine

Four Tuesdays of ‘Chaitra' are special days for darshan of deities

Plan to build four more ‘parshwa temples'

BERHAMPUR: After its development, the Tara Tarini hill shrine in Ganjam district is fast emerging a major tourist destination of Orissa.

During the current month of Chaitra more than 20 lakh tourists have already visited the hill shrine. Last year around 17 lakh tourists visited the hill shrine during the same period. It may be noted that the four Tuesdays of Chaitra are considered special days for darshan of the deities. During these days, a large rural fair also comes up at the foothill of the shrine. The rush of devotees continued during the Navaratri, which ended on Ramnavami. Read More............. Link.........

http://www.hindu.com/2010/03/26/stories/2010032659340200.htm,

Lakhs throng Taratarini shrine for Chaitra festival

PNS, Bhubaneswar: On the sacred occasion of the fourth Tuesday of the famous Chaitra festival, around five lakh devotees from various parts of the State and outside thronged the Taratarini hill temple. All the Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine. This is the biggest fair held here in honour of the twin goddess.

Like the third Tuesday when about seven lakh devotees gathered, there was also a heavy rush on the fourth Tuesday in the temple of Adi Shakti Maa Taratarini as coincidentally it was also Mahastami of the Navaratri festivities. Read More............. Link.........

http://www.dailypioneer.com/244608/Lakhs-throng-Taratarini-shrine-for-Chaitra-festival.html, 

Devotees throng to Taratarini

Berhampur:25/March/2010: On the sacred occasion of Fourth Tuesday of the famous Chaitra festival around five lakhs devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine from various parts of the state and outside. It may be noted that all the Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine and this is the biggest fair held here in honour of the twin goddess. Read More............. Link......... http://www.tathya.in/news/story.asp?sno=3902,

With 300% increase in number of visitors on 4th Tuesday

Chaitra festivities reach a crescendo at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine

TARATARINI HILL SHRINE. BLOGSPOT

SOUTH ORISSA.BLOGSPOT (The Essence of Orissa)

Tara Tarini Temple.BLOGSPOT

Odisha Observer.BLOGSPOT

On the sacred occasion of Fourth Tuesday of the famous Chaitra festival around five lakhs devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine from various parts of the state and outside. It may be noted that all the Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine and this is the biggest fair held here in honour of the twin goddess.

Like the Third Tuesday (Around 7 lakh devotees gathered on that day) there was also heavy rush on the Fourth Tuesday on the hill top temple of Adi Shakti Maa Taratarini as coincidentally it was also Mahastami day of Navaratri festivities. On this Tuesday, the massive gathering broke all records of previous years as it saw a three fold increase in the number of visitors as compared to the last year. There were visitors from far of places like Assam, North eastern States, and Tamilnadu apart from states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand. Read More............. Link......... http://taratarini.blogspot.com/2010/03/with-300-increase-in-number-of-visitors.html,

http://odishaobserver.blogspot.com/.

http://charshaktidham.blogspot.com/,

http://southorissa.blogspot.com/,

http://taratarinitemple.blogspot.com/2010/03/with-300-increase-in-number-of-visitors.html,

Devotees throng Tara Tarini shrine

Staff Reporter BERHAMPUR, The Hindu: Large crowd gathered at Tara Tarini hill shrine in Ganjam district on third Tuesday of Chaitra. It may be noted that the four Tuesdays of Hindu month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine. On this Tuesday more than three lakh devotees had reached the hill shrine. There was heavy rush as it was also day for the start of Navaratra festivities. There were visitors from other states like Andhra........................

With 300% increase in number of visitors on 4th Tuesday, Chaitra festivities reach a crescendo at Tara Tarini Hill Shrine

On the sacred occasion of Fourth Tuesday of the famous Chaitra festival around five lakhs devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine from various parts of the state and outside. It may be noted that all the Tuesdays of the month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine and this is the biggest fair held here in honour of the twin goddess.

Like the Third Tuesday (Around 7 lakh devotees gathered on that day) there was also heavy rush on the Fourth Tuesday on the hill top temple of Adi Shakti Maa Taratarini as coincidentally it was also Mahastami day of Navaratri festivities.

On this Tuesday, the massive gathering broke all records of previous years as it saw a three fold increase in the number of visitors as compared to the last year. There were visitors from far of places like Assam, North eastern States, and Tamilnadu apart from states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand.

The festivities had started at this shrine from Monday evening. Throughout the night there were cultural programmes to entertain the devotees. After some ceremonial works the sanctum of Maa Tara Tarini opened at around 2 a.m in the morning and darshan started after that. As per the report available on that occasion at least 50,000 people offered the hair of newborn babies at the Shrine similar to the practice found at Tirupati Balaji.

It may be noted that last year during the month of Chaitra more than 17 lakh people visited the hill shrine. So, sensing that the devotees would increase further, the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) has carried out a lot of development works and made wide arrangements for the smooth darshan of devotees.

Meanwhile, Orissa Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik has also taken steps for the development of this Shrine. As part of the development programme, on the eve of the commencement of Chaitra festivities at the Shrine the CM has inaugurated a multifunctional complex and a lavatory complex on the foot hill of the Shrine and another ultra modern lavatory complex is also coming up on the hill top for the benefit of devotees. Appreciating the developmental projects taken up by the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB); which led to major transformation of this ancient hill shrine Shri Patnaik expressed his satisfaction with the progress made so far which has led to the emergence of this Adi Shakti Peetha as a major centre of religious tourism in Orissa.

Principal Secretary Urban Development Government of Orissa Sh. Arun Panda, RDC Southern Division and Chairman of TTDB Shri Chandrasekhar Kumar, Ganjam District Collector Shri VK Pandian, Collectors of many other districts, BMC Commissioner Sh. Veemsen Manseth, Superintendent of Police Berhampur and Ganjam and many other senior state and central government officials, apart from the office bearers of TTDB were present on the Fourth Tuesday.

On the sidelines a meeting was held where the Principal Secretary Urban Development Government of Orissa Sh. Arun Panda and all office bearers of TTDB participated.

• It was decided that for the benefit of devotees next year steps would be taken to arrange around 5000 tents with all other facilities on temporary basis for the accommodation of atleast 50,000 people.

• More number of buses would ply for the smooth transportation on to the hill top.

• It was also decided that retaining walls would be constructed on both sides of the hill top to protect the area from land sliding.

• And the work of the hill top temple complex with four Parshwa temples and boundary wall will be completed in a time bound period.

Principal Secretary Urban Development Government of Orissa Sh. Arun Panda, RDC Southern Division and Chairman of TTDB Shri Chandrasekhar Kumar, Ganjam District Collector Shri VK Pandian assured all help from government side to the Development Board.

The Ganjam District administration made elaborate arrangements for the visitors. The volunteers of the TTDB, different NGOs and voluntary organizations, the temple management and local residents extended their helping hand to devotees who came from various parts of the state and other neighbouring states.

______________________________

R P Tripathy

Media & Publicity In-Charge

Tara Tarini Development Board

Berhampur

Orissa

Lakhs of turtles nest in Rushikulya beach near Taratarini Hill Shrine,Orissa

Over one lakh endangered Olive Ridley sea turtles have laid eggs on the beach adjoining the Rushikulya river mouth near Taratarini Hill Shrine in district Ganjam, Orissa since March 13 as scientists observed the phenomenon with interest. The eggs are expected to hatch in the first week of May, about 45 days after the mass nesting. Rushikulya river mouth is just 20km from the famous Shakti Shrine Taratarini and around 40 km from Berhampur city, Orissa.

While 6,000 turtles emerged from the sea to lay eggs in the wee hours of March 13, around 65,000 swarmed the four-km long sandy beach between Gokharakuda and Kantiagada the next day. The number of nesting turtles came down thereafter.

Kartik Shanker, a turtle biologist from the Indian Institute of Science - Bangalore and Basudeb Tripathy of the Wildlife Institute of India, who are here to study the pattern of mass nesting, said the laying of eggs could continue sporadically for a few more days.

Source: PIT

Source: Anupam Bharat (Odiya Daily)

Sea of devotees throng TaraTarini Hill Shrine on 3rd Tuesday of Chaitra

Lakhs of devotees thronged Tara Tarini hill shrine near Berhampur, on third Tuesday of Chaitra and on the first day of Navaratri. It may be noted that the four Tuesdays of Hindu month of Chaitra are days of festivity at this hill shrine. On this Tuesday more than three lakh devotees had reached the hill shrine. There was heavy rush as it was also day for the start of Navaratra festivities. There were visitors from other states like Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand as well as some NRI families. Following major transformation due to developmental projects taken up by the Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB); this hill shrine has now become a major centre of religious tourism in south Orissa.

Chaitra month

It may be noted that last year during the month of Chaitra more than 17 lakh people visited the hill shrine. The TTDB authorities hope this year the devotees would increase further. The festivities had started at this hill shrine from Monday evening. Throughout the night there were cultural programmes to entertain the visitors to the shrine. Although this hill shrine boasts to be having the only ropeway to a hilltop in the State, yet most of the devotees due to their traditional belief decided to climb to the top of the hill shrine. They walked on the ghat road or used the steep stair case. They climbed 999 steps as a penance to the deities.

Rural fair

A rural fair was on at the foothill. Urbanites who had reached the spot as picnickers enjoyed the village fair. Forgetting mental blockades related to hygiene for some time they relished fresh sugarcane and colourful sweets sold by the roadside vendors at this rural fair. The beautification and developmental works were taken up at the hill shrine by the TTDB from donations from the public. The State government in cooperation with the Ganjam district administration has formed the TTDB for development of this hill shrine into a major tourist destination. This board includes eminent persons of Orissa especially from southern region. The TTDB has now replaced the old temple with a new one in the traditional ‘Rekha' style of Orissa.

Source: The Hindu

Thousands throng Tara Tarini hill shrine on first Tuesday of Chaitra

The famous annual Chaitra festival at the Tara Tarini hill shrine near Berhampur city in Orissa started from Tuesday. It is believed that Taratarini Sthana Peeth (Breast Shrine of Mata Sati) is one of the ancient and among the four major Shakti centers in India. Thousands of devotees had started gathering at the hill shrine from Monday afternoon itself. Transport Secretary Government of Orissa Shri Satyabrata Sahu, RDC Southern Division and Chairman of TTDB Shri Chandrasekhar Kumar, Ganjam District Collector Shri VK Pandian and many other senior state and central government officials, apart from the office bearers of TTDB and Temple Management were present on the occasion.

The Tara Tarini Development Board (TTDB) made elaborate arrangements for the devotees. Apart from the aerial rope way the TTDB had also arranged special buses to carry visitors to the hill top. But most of the devotees, of all age groups, preferred to climb the 999 holy steps to the hilltop as they consider it to be a penance. Recently the steps have been repaired before the annual festival. The ghat road to the hilltop and the foot hill roads have also been widened in view of the growing number of visitors to the Shrine. On Tuesday only the special buses of the TTDB were allowed to ply on the ghat road for security reasons.

The Army Air Defence College, Gopalpur, Berhampur Municipal Corporation, Ganjam District administration and District police made elaborate arrangements for the visitors. The volunteers of the TTDB, different NGOs and voluntary organizations, the temple management and local residents actively helped the devotees who came from various parts of the state and other neighbouring states.