Mansa Devi temple goes high-tech
By V.P. Prabhakar

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Shri Mansa Devi Temple Board, while sitting in his room, can watch and control the activities in various parts of the temple and can identify and catch hold of any miscreant who tries to create any nuisance.

This becomes possible by watching the television in his room. He can also watch other activities like pilgrims offering obeisance to Mata Mansa Devi, the activities of priest and any other activity in other places.

Mr M.K. Miglani, member of the Shri Mansa Devi Temple Board and Financial Commissioner, Local Bodies, and Mr Anurag Aggarwal, Chief Executive Officer, said that eight cameras had been fitted at different places in the premises of the temple which relay everything on the television installed in the CEO’s office.

Though the flow of pilgrims continue throughout the year, their number swells to 24 to 30 lakhs during the Navratras, which will start on October 10. These Navratras will also be the last of the 20th century. This ‘hidden eye’ will be particularly helpful during rush hours.

A Yagyashala is almost ready and the haven on the first Navratra will be performed this time there. Finishing touches are being given. The Yagyashala has been constructed at an estimate cost of Rs 20.70 lakh. Its capacity is about 400 feet. An identical structure of Pooja Bhavan/Dhayan Kendra, measuring 2500 sq feet, is under construction at a cost of Rs 21.50 lakh. It will be completed in two or three months.

The ‘Pravachan Sthal’, which will have an area of 55,000 sq feet is also being constructed on three sides of the Patiala Temple at an estimated cost of Rs 1 crore. About 12,000 people will be accommodated in this Sthal. A stage will be constructed from where ‘pravachan’ or kirtan or ‘jagrata’ can be held and there will be ample space for visitors. Provision of 24 toilets, a stage and a green room is also being made at the ‘Pravachan Sthal’.

There are three temples at present of Mata Mansa Devi, which is one of the 51 ‘Shakti Peeth’. The main temple was constructed by Raja Gopal Singh of Manimajra in 1811-15. After the merger of the princely states into PEPSU, the patronage of the Manimajra Raja ended and with this the temple was neglected. The priests, perhaps, were not able to provide the facilities to pilgrims and also the upkeep of the temple suffered.

The Patiala temple of Mata Mansa Devi, which is situated about 200 metres away from the main temple, was built by the Maharaja of Patiala, Maharaja Karam Singh, when he was able to conquer the hill areas of Kandagaht. He built this temple in 1840. The third temple is called Sati temple and it is built just behind the main temple. It was also constructed by the royal family of Manimajra.

The temples were taken over by the government under the State Act on September 9, 1991, and a board, under the chairmanship of the Chief Minister, was constituted for managing the affairs of the temples.

In the first phase, the board had not only widened the road to the temple but also provided parking places, street light, dispensary and completed two dharamshalas. A guest house, which is called Lajwanti Guest House, has also been constructed where modern facilities are provided.

Sound and music system has been installed in the whole temple complex. At the back of the main temple and in front of the Patiala temple a spacious park has been laid out where recreational equipment for children has been installed. Many devotees come here to have a picnic after paying obeisance at the temple. A library having books on religion, astrology, palmistry and mythology has been set up.

HUDA has constructed a new shopping centre where all the existing shops in the 'khokas' in front of the temple will be shifted there as a result of which the road would be further widened.

A Satsang Bhavan and a Committee Room have also been constructed. All musical functions will now be held in Satsang Bhavan

The popularity of the Mansa Devi temple is increasing day by day. The offerings in the beginning were negligible and in 1988-99 the offerings were of the order of Rs 2 crore. Since the takeover of the temples, the incomes till 1998-99 came to Rs 9.62 crore and the expenditure Rs 4.59 crore. The money was spent on various projects and on day-to-day expenditure in the temples.

Mr Miglani said that there is no dearth of money for new projects. He said the projects in the pipeline were construction of multi-storeyed dharamshala, juta ghar, providing railing in the park, sanskrit vidyalaya, office building and home for the aged.

He said that land was being acquired for the dharamshala. A case for a home for the aged had been sent to the Government of India (Rs 30 lakh) through the Social Welfare Department of the Haryana Government for financial assistance.

Books versus television boom
By Kshiti Nijhawan and Sourav Sanyal

CHANDIGARH, Oct 6 — Have books taken a backseat in this era of satellite invasion? The general feeling is that this has been happening in the hi-tech world of today. Chandigarh Tribune team visited a number of bookshops in the city to find the answer.

Mr Bhagwan Das of Universal Book Shop in Sector 17 said there was a decline in the sale of books, especially fiction, ever since cable television spread its tentacles. However, he said the demand for career oriented books related to management and information technology and guide books for entrance examinations had shot up over the years. The demand for books on humanities and allied subjects was comparatively less.

An employee of one of the oldest bookshops in the city was dejected at the state of affairs. He attributed the downslide in book sales to the proliferation of the electronic media and added that prices of books also made buyers keep off these. However, he said books which were critically acclaimed by the press sold more.

Mr Somdev Chhabra of National Book House in Sector 17 said though there had been a decline in the readership of fiction, there had been a considerable increase in the readership of books on astrology, palmistry, meditation, mantra and health. Festivals like Durga Puja and Navratri also accelerated the sale of books.

The lack of interest in fiction was also apparent in Variety Book Store. Although the shop was crowded, there was nobody at the fiction counter. Books on interior designing and personality development seemed to be in demand.

Sanjay, a B.Com student, who plans to appear for the MBA entrance examinations, said, "I don't even have time to watch television, so, when do I sit down to read fiction? I would rather spend time solving CAT papers than waste it in reading." Ms Kiki Ratta, mother of a young girl, says that TV has spoiled the present generation. "They are either studying or watching TV and ignore sport and reading."

Mohneet Singh, an engineering student, said that he read only biographies and encyclopaedias as these were informative. His mother who is a teacher, said due to the heavy burden of studies and the time consuming 'tuition syndrome', children were unable to devote enough time to reading.

Contrary to this, Mr Ajay Arora of Capital Book Depot in Sector 17 said there had been no decline in the demand for books in recent years. Commenting on the present trend, he said there had been a rise in the demand for non-fiction but not at the cost of fiction. Indian authors and what is termed as 'new age reading' (which includes books like 'The Celestine Prophecy', 'The Chicken Soup' series and titles by Andrew Weils and Deepak Chopra) have also become popular. However, best-selling authors like Jeffrey Archer and Sidney Sheldon continue to be perennial favourites. Among the present releases, 'Many Lives, Many Masters' by Brian Weiss and Khushwant Singh's 'In the Company of Women' are doing roaring business.

Mr Sudarshan Syal, Sales Executive of The English Book Shop in Sector 17, also said T.V had not dimmed the enthusiasm of book lovers. He added that due to an increased awareness of people on a variety of subjects, sale of books had rather shot up. Commenting on the trend of readership, he said readers patronised a wide variety of books, ranging from Rob Hardy Boys series had stagnated.

The sale of the former series had been affected due to increased prices and the latter due to arrival of 'racier' titles for the youth like 'The Baby Sitter's Club' and 'The Judy Blume' series. He said he saw no cause for pessimism as books would continue to thrive in the coming years.