The 20th Pingla Mata Akhand Jyoti Yatra was organised today by the Shri Adi Shakti Sewak Sanstha, Pingla Mata, Udhampur. Deputy Commissioner Udhampur Minga Sherpa was the chief guest and flagged off the Yatra. The Deputy Commissioner congratulated the organisers for conducting the annual religious event.
He appreciated the Sanstha's efforts in preserving the region's spiritual traditions and said such religious gatherings play a role in strengthening moral values, promoting communal harmony and encouraging society, particularly the youth, to stay away from drug abuse.
The Shri Pingla Mata Akhand Jyoti Yatra is one of the prominent religious events of the district and attracts a large number of devotees every year. Thousands of devotees participated in the Yatra and paid obeisance at the Cave Shrine of Shri Pingla Mata, situated atop a hill at Village Pinger in Tehsil Ramnagar, Udhampur.
President SASSS Ashok Gupta said the Sanstha, with support from local residents, had organised free langar and refreshment stalls at locations along the Yatra route. He said special bus services were arranged from Udhampur to Village Kahua, the base camp of the Cave Shrine.
Among those present were Chief Planning Officer Uttam Singh; Chief Executive Officer, MCU, Saddam Hussain; Tehsildar Jai Singh; President, Shri Adi Shakti Sewak Sanstha (SASSS), Ashok Gupta; and prominent citizens.