Two special trains from Delhi for Gangasagar Mela
November 29th, 2009 - 9:52 pm ICT by IANS ( Leave a comment )
Singur (West Bengal), Nov 29 (IANS) To help pilgrims attend the annual religious fair Gangasagar Mela, the railway ministry has decided to run two special trains in January connecting Delhi and Namkhana, a station close to the venue.
“Two special trains will run from Delhi carrying pilgrims for Gangasagar on January 10,” Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee announced at a function here Sunday.
The trains will go via Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and reach Namkhana in South 24-Parganas.
On the return journey, the trains will start from Namkhana Jan 16.
“These trains will be of immense help to the pilgrims,” Banerjee said after laying the foundation stone of a perishable cargo centre in Hooghly district.
“In fact, the south 24-Parganas district council had requested me to arrange for special trains for the pilgrims,” she said.
Sagar Island, about 150 km south of Bengal, is a famous Hindu pilgrim spot. Every year, on Makar Sankranti (an auspicious day on the Hindu calendar) on Jan 14, thousands of people gather there to take a dip in the Ganga river and offer puja.
This year, Makar Sankranti falls Jan 14.
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- Pilgrims not to pay tax at fair: Mamata - Oct 20, 2011
- Three lakh take holy dip at Gangasagar, cold kills two (Second Lead) - Jan 14, 2012
- 400,000 take holy dip as Gangasagar Fair ends - Jan 15, 2012
- Over five lakh pilgrims take holy dip at Gangasagar - Jan 15, 2011
- Tens of thousands throng the Ganges (Lead) - Jan 14, 2012
- Devotees take holy dip to mark 'Makar Sankranti' - Jan 15, 2011
- West Bengal makes elaborate arrangements for 'Ganga Sagar Mela' - Jan 13, 2011
- Eight pilgrims killed in West Bengal - Jan 13, 2010
- Absence of police, volunteers caused Ganga Sagar tragedy: Eyewitnesses - Jan 14, 2010
- Five pilgrims die after Makar Sankranti dip - Jan 14, 2009
- Seven killed, 14 injured in West Bengal stampede - Jan 14, 2010
- Stampede at Ganga Sagar kills six women, one child (Lead) - Jan 14, 2010
- Kites, feasts, dancing mark Makar Sankranti celebrations (Roundup) - Jan 15, 2012
- Authorities gear up, as Gangasagar fair likely to see 500,000 pilgrims - Jan 09, 2010
Tags: auspicious day, ayodhya, bihar, foundation stone, ganga river, gangasagar mela, hindu calendar, hindu pilgrim, laying the foundation, makar sankranti, mamata banerjee, perishable cargo, pilgrims, railway minister, return journey, singur west bengal, trains
