Chhattisgarh shrine attracts overseas devotees

Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, Oct 14 (UNI) Devotees from America, Canada, England and Australia were among those who have offered jyoti kalashs at the famed Bamleshwari temple in this district's Dongergarh for fulfillment of wishes.

''This year, 4,302 kalashs have been offered and the figure includes about 20 people of Indian origin,'' Bamleshwari Mandir Trust Manager K K Tiwari told UNI.

Most of the non-resident Indian devotees are from America and England. Other kalashs were offered by people from Delhi, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Orissa, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.

Several political leaders from Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were among the devotees. They include Union Aviation Minister Praful Patel, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, Congress General Secretary and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Digvijay Singh, ex-Minister Urmila Singh, Congress leader Govind Singh Rajput, Chhattisgarh Pradesh Congress Committee President Charandas Mahant, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Lakhiram Agrawal and many other Ministers and MLAs.

Dr Singh's wife Veena, daughter and son in ere also present on the occasion.

UNI