(MENAFN- IANS) Jaipur, Sep 3 (IANS) Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma flagged off a pilgrimage special train from Jaipur to Madurai and Rameswaram on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, CM Sharma said that visiting pilgrimage sites gives peace to the mind and infuses new energy and positivity.
The special train was flagged off from Durgapura Railway Station here under the state government's Senior citizen Pilgrimage Scheme.
"Our country was attacked many times by invaders, who destroyed our cultural and religious heritage. However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has protected and developed our cultural centres. Under his leadership, India's centuries-old dream of building a grand temple of Lord Ram in Ayodhya has been fulfilled. Our cultural heritage has also been strengthened by unprecedented works like the construction of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor in Varanasi and Mahakal Lok in Ujjain," the CM said
CM Sharma further said that taking inspiration from the Prime Minister, the state government is doing works like the development of shrines and organising pilgrimages for senior citizens.
"At the start of this year, about 3000 pilgrims were taken to Ayodhya for the darshan of Shri Ram Lalla. Under the Senior Citizen Pilgrimage Scheme, this year, 15000 pilgrims will be taken to Ayodhya and equal number of pilgrims will be taken to other pilgrimage sites, which include Rameswaram-Madurai, Jagannathpuri, Tirupati, Dwarkapuri-Somnath, Vaishno Devi-Amritsar, Prayagraj-Varanasi, Mathura-Vrindavan-Barsana, Ujjain-Omkareshwar-Trimbakeshwar (Nashik), Gangasagar (Kolkata) and others. Also, 6000 pilgrims will be taken on pilgrimage to Pashupatinath Temple in Kathmandu (Nepal) by air," he added.
CM Sharma said that all the arrangements, including transportation, food, and accommodation, of these pilgrims will be made by the state government, on an estimated expenditure of about Rs 80 crore.
About 780 senior citizens of Jaipur, Dausa, Sawai Madhopur and Kota districts are travelling in the special train that left for a seven-day journey from Jaipur to Madurai and Rameshwaram. In this pilgrimage, two government employees have been deputed in every coach to take care of the passengers. Also, a doctor, two nursing officers and security personnel are present on the train to take care of the health and safety of the passengers.
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