Armed robbery in Mullanpur village
Cash and jewellery stolen
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov 18 — Four persons armed with weapons looted the house of a karyana shop owner in Mullanpur village here this afternoon.

The robbers came on two scooters and spent about 45 minutes in the house. They locked the two women, Krishna and her daughter-in-law, in a room and a servant in another room, and decamped with cash and jewellery.

A police team was busy finding some clues from the spot till late evening. Finger print experts were taking the prints. According to villagers, the owner of the house, Pawan Jain, runs a karyana shop in the village but was reportedly out of the village today. His son, Munish, was managing the shop in his absence. Munish's mother, his wife and a minor servant were at the house when the robbers struck.

The two women were terror-stricken till late evening. The villager were also panic-gripped.

The police has registered a case of robbery.

Police sources and villagers said that the four persons came on two scooters at about 1 p.m. No one in the village came to know about the theft. They became aware of it only after the women and the servant broke the locks and raised the alarm.

Police sources said information was flashed at certain nakas on several approach roads to the village, but no success was achieved till late evening.

The sources said the robbers decamped with jewellery and cash, but the exact amount of loss was yet to be ascertained.

Contests mark opening of youth festival
 From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 18 — Students of nine women colleges vied with one another for the various fine arts contests held at the inauguration of the zonal Youth Festival at the Khalsa College for Women here today.

In the morning session, contests for rangoli, collage making, poster making, on-the-spot painting, clay modeling, cooking and embroidery were held, while in the evening session, contests for essay, short story and creative writing were held.

For poster making, 11 students from six colleges contested who had to choose from the three topics — pollution, why Ludhiana famous and eye donation. For collage making, 12 students from six colleges took part and most of them selected the theme, women liberation. Two other topics were science — boon or bane and adult education.

In the rangoli contest, 12 girls from seven colleges participated. The two topics were abhinandan and Saraswati puja. For clay modeling, the two themes were struggle for life and gossiping. The three themes for cartoon making were ministers in scam, today’s education and police at your service.

In the embroidery contest, Jagdeep Kaur of the host college, stood first, Sukhdeep of the Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women was declared second and Pardeep of Mata Ganga College, Kotan, got the third position.

In the cooking contest, the students prepared various summer punches. Karamdeep of the Government College for Women clinched the first prize, Monika of the Guru Nanak Khalsa College for Women was declared second and Neelam of the Arya College for Girls third.

In the bread-making contest, Kusum of the Ramgarhia College for Women, Sofia of the host college and Monika of Devki Devi Jain College were declared first, second and third, respectively.

Ms Bably Sandhu, wife of the Ludhiana Deputy Commissioner, was the chief guest.

Shock for dental college students
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov18 — The future of about 300 students of the Khalsa Dental College and Hospital for Women at Nangal Kalan Mansa is uncertain after the refusal of the Dental Council of India to recognise the college. The management body of the college management and the DCI have blamed each other.

The college was established in 1995 with great fanfare. The college management body has been saying that it had applied to the DCI for in 1995, seeking recognition for the college. If the DCI declines to recognise a college, it has to issue a letter in this regard within a year. If the letter of refusal is not issued within a year of the filing of application, it is presumed that the college has been recognised.

While the classes continued in the college, the DCI reportedly conducted two inspections as part of the process of granting recognition. In 1997, the Secretary of the DCI, Mr A.L. Miglani, reportedly attended a prize distribution function of the college. He also presented degrees to students of junior and senior batches.

As the management body believed that the recognition would be granted, classes and annual admissions continued. However, students were shocked to learn that the DCI was not going to recognise the college for various reasons.

Today, parents of the students held a meeting and decided to approach the Union Health Ministry. They want that the college should granted recognition for the sake of the careers of its 300 students. One of the parents, Mr P.S. Grewal, said the college had earlier been affiliated to Punjabi University at Patiala and subsequently to the Baba Farid University for Medical Sciences. He said students of the college had topped in the examinations conducted by these universities.

However, the parents are now being told that the admissions of there wards are not valid. Students of the first batch were likely to get their degrees this year. Now they have learnt that whatever they did in the past five years was without the permission of the DCI. “Should we presume that the labour put in by students in the past five years will go waste?” Mr Grewal said.

Cut in afternoon water supply opposed
From Kuldip Bhatia

LUDHIANA, Nov 18 — Despite strong opposition by public, many councillors and leaders of various political parties, the Municipal Corporation has withdrawn the afternoon water supply in the city from Friday. The MC had adopted a resolution in September to do this after the festival season.

There have been heated debates on this issue in the General House of the MC. Councillors, cutting across party lines, had opposed the proposal. Many of them said the move was like putting the cart before the horse. They said this was because the MC was not able to supply adequate water to even 60 per cent of the city residents.

The MC and the city Mayor, Mr Apinder Singh Grewal, supporting the move. The Mayor stressed the need for intensive efforts to conserve ground water in view of the rapid depletion of water table in the city. Some BJP councillors, partners in the ruling SAD-BJP coalition, refused to accept the proposal. It were the women councillors of Congress who openly came in support of the move and saw the proposal through.

The Deputy Speaker of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha and the local BJP legislator, Mr Sat Pal Gosain, has openly supported the move. However, the leader of the party in the MC, Mr Pran Bhatia, has refused to follow suit. The councillor is a close confidant of Mr Gosain, but has made clear that he is against the move. He said, “We had opposed the proposal in the MC General House, knowing well that residents, particularly women, would not like a cut in their water supply. However, councillors of the Congress and women members of the House adopted a different stand and the proposal was adopted.”

Mr Bhatia, said in view of the widespread resentment among the people over the issue, his party had taken up the matter with the Commissioner of the MC and the Mayor. He said cutting the afternoon water supply would also affect the commercial and industrial sectors. “By the time shops and industrial establishments open every day, the morning water supply is over. This means that there will be no water supply for employees during the working hours. Our party will not accept the decision. If needed, we will raise the issue again in the MC General House meeting.

Some councillors of the Congress and independents were also upset due to the public reaction to the move. They fear that they will become a laughing stock if they publicly oppose the decision. This is because women councillors of the party were supporting the move. A Congress councillor, on the condition of anonymity, said the matter had not been discussed seriously in the party meeting. “The support shown by some of our councillors was a spontaneous action and not a planned move,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal has opposed the move. The General Secretary of the mandal, Mr Mohinder Aggarwal, and the Vice-President of the body, Mr Raju Bindra, said “We will take up the matter with the National Human Rights Commission and the Punjab and Haryana High Court.” Mr Aggarwal said the steps taken for water conservation were welcome, but the cut in the water supply was unjust.

He said it would have been better to reduce the time of water supply by one hour instead. Activists of the body said the city residents, including trade and industry bodies, would see that the decision was reviewed and the afternoon water supply restored.

Undertrial escapes from police custody
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov 18 — An undertrial prisoner, Man Singh, Nepali teenager, lodged in Borstel Jail here, escaped from police custody from the New District Courts last late evening. He was brought to the court in connection with hearing of a theft case registered against him in Division No 5 police station in 1998.

No clue to his possible hideout or whether he was still in the city or not had been found. According to information available, about 10 to 12 police personnel had taken about 35 undertrial prisoners from the Central Jail and the Borstel Jail here yesterday morning. However, when the police personnel counted them in the evening they were shocked to find one undertrial prisoner less. Immediate efforts to trace him proved futile.

No police personnel has so far been held responsible for the laxity. Borstel Jail sources said that Man Singh was arrested more than a year ago on the charge of a theft in the civil lines colony of the city.

The Nepali youth was working as a servant in a house, but committed theft in the same place. He was arrested some time after committing the theft.

Meanwhile, Mr Amarjit Singh, Superintendent, Borstel Jail, and Central Jail here has sent a report to the Inspector-General (Jails), the Deputy Commissioner and the Senior Superintendent of Police here about the escape of the undertrial prisoner from police custody.

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, he said that according to the police personnel accompanying the undertrial prisoners, the nepali youth escaped through an open window of the bus.

Though the report directly holds the police personnel responsible for the lapse, the police authority had till this evening taken no action against the alleged erring officials.

Kamalpura college gets PU affiliation
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 18 — The Guru Gobind Singh Khalsa College for Women, Kamalpura, in Jagraon tehsil, was granted affiliation by the Panjab University Syndicate today.

This information was given by Mr Satish Kumar Sharma, Lecturer, Arya College for Boys and member of the Syndicate. The examination of more than 250 students of BA (I), who have taken admission in the college, will, thus, be conducted by the university.

In addition, functional English will be introduced as a subject for the BA students of the Arya College for Boys here.

Meanwhile, members of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers Union staged a dharna outside the venue of the Syndicate meeting, demanding that extension be given to Mrs Gursharan Kaur of Master Tara Singh College whose retirement is due on November 30. The members of the union also demanded that the teachers under uncovered posts at the Khalsa College for Women be paid their salaries adequately.

In a telephonic call, Mr Sharma also informed that the teachers of the Khalsa College for Women could not reach Chandigarh as they were not allowed to take their casual leave for getting their demands fulfilled. He said that he would complain about this denial by the Principal to the higher authorities. Ms Harrinder Dhillon, Principal of the college, could not be contacted for her comments.

Chemists come out against spurious drugs
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov 18 — The District Chemists and Druggists Association has come out against the reports of spurious drugs in the market. The association said if any person was to be found involved in such activity, he should be identified and brought to book.

According to a press note, a meeting of the association was held under the chairmanship of its President, Dr C.K. Sharma. The association claimed that no spurious drugs were in the market. However, it added, in case any chemists were selling such drugs they should be identified and punished.

The Chairman of the association, Mr Bhagwan Singh, said the chemists were perturbed over the report as it would create suspicion against the entire chemist community. He said that in case such chemists, who were selling these drugs, were identified the association would itself initiate action against them.

The association denied that any spurious drugs were being supplied from the Pindi Street area, the main drug market in Ludhiana. The association said it was as much concerned about the public health as anyone else and would at no cost allow the supply of spurious drugs.

At the same time the association urged the public that whenever they purchased medicines, they should get a proper bill as this would help in fixing responsibility.

THE BOTTOMLINE
Consumer forum faces paucity of funds
Orders remain undelivered
Tribune News Service

LUDHIANA, Nov 18 — With no money to bear the cost of sending orders and notices by post, the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum here has been ‘forced’ to send its employees to the local offices for personally hand over the documents.

In spite of this practice, a large number of orders of the Forum dating as early as July this year, have been gathering dust in its office, as the employees cannot be sent to all destinations, especially those located outside the city.

If the present financial condition of the Forum is alarming, the future appears more dismal. The Forum has not only spent the funds for the first three quarters of the present financial year but has, in fact, over drafted some of the amount payable to it in the fourth quarter, beginning from January next year.

Due to this over drafting, the Forum will not be able to clear the backlog of the pending orders in the coming months. At the same time, with about 100 cases either decided or instituted every month, the number of orders or notices waiting to be dispatched is likely to increase rapidly.

According to sources, these are the latest off-shoots of the deep financial crisis faced by the Forum. Due to the delay in sending orders or notices the beneficiaries have to wait longer unnecessarily for hard-earned compensation. As per established practice, the Forum gives time of say one or two months to the party penalised for compensation. The time starts only after the receipt of the order, but as the orders keep gathering dust, the payment of compensation is automatically delayed.

The Forum requires about Rs 10,000 per month as expenses on stamps only, to deliver the orders through registered post. The high cost is because at an average each case involves at least three parties, all of whom have to be sent orders through post. Expense on serving notices to the parties is also quite high.

The funds supplied for this purpose are just about Rs 20,000 per year. The sum is provided in four installments under the new policy of quarterly payment of the state government. Due to this, the fund amount is further reduced.

The paucity of funds faced by the Forum can also be gauged from the budget provided for the payment of telephone and power bill payments. The annual amount earmarked for the payment of the telephone bill of the two telephone connections of the Forum is Rs 5,500 but if one calculates the monthly rent of these connections only , the amount falls short.

Mr Hardial Singh, President of the Forum, when contacted confirmed the paucity of funds. He said with the co-operation of the employees , they were able to carry on the work as orders or notices to nearby locations were being hand-delivered.

The president said that the State Commission has been apprised of the serious problems being faced by the Forum here and he was hopeful that some additional funds would be sent to them.

Financial problems are not restricted only to costs of stationery and stamps. The furniture of the Forum also needs repairs or replacement. Due to shortage of almirahs, the employees are finding it hard to maintain files and store them properly.

CITY SCAN
Contribution of Dr Kotnis
By M.S. CHEEMA

Acupuncture is a Chinese system of treatment. It is based upon intuitively derived principles of life and health by the sages of the past. Such sages are neither geographically contained not historically limited. Wisdom breaks all barriers. A seeker collects priceless pearls of knowledge and claims no patent or copyright.

In an age of media and films, it will be relevant to recall V. Shanta Ram who produced and directed — Doctor Kotnis Ki Amar Kahani. The said medical genius was a seeker of such rare knowledge and higher wisdom for helping the ailing and sufferings of mankind. He went all the way to China. He witnessed the shades of a Japanese Imperialism, perils of the second World War and the civil war during the years 1938-42.

Dr Dwarka Nath Kotnis returned to India and shared his vast treasure of practical medical knowledge with as many people as he could do during the closing years of his life.

The knock by the wise was responded by the wise. One such person was from Punjab who envisioned relevance of this system in disease-cure and restoration of natural functions of the human body. Late Gian Singh Dhingra, a freedom-fighter and a devoted social worker, founded Dr D.N. Kotnis, Health and Education Centre Charitable Acupuncture Hospital, Ludhiana) about 25 years ago. Impressed by the genuinness of the system as confirmed by the ailing people after restoration of health, the Makkar family donated a piece of land at Salem Tabri. S. Parkash Singh Badal performed the formal inauguration ceremony of this hospital in December 1978. Through voluntary donations, it has, expanded in infrastructure. Ludhiana Acupuncture Medical College and Hospital is run by Sant Ram Society with Mr K.L. Malhotra as its honorary secretary.

This hospital has gained a special credibility in deaddiction. Pain in the joints is very common these days due to sudden change of life style and food-habits. Patients are treated for paralysis, asthma, arthritis, backache, cervical spondylitis, insomnia, drug addiction, etc.

Chemistry has become advanced, but the basics are same. Students of chemistry only try to balance equations. They learn that energy flows from a higher to a lower level. In physics, forces tend to achieve a balance, from electrons in an atom to galaxies in space. Likewise, man wants to grow and remain balanced at the same time.

Disturbance in balance causes disease. To arrest the enemy, one has to develop awareness. All kinds of intoxicants and drugs disturb the systems working to keep the person healthy.

The acupuncture locates energy points, energy-bearing zones, energy carrying channels and energy-needing battlefields in the body. The friends are energised and the enemies throw down weapons, either fall captive or simply run away. The small needle does not injure the skin. Blood is purified and sent to restore health.

The younger sister of Dr D.N. Kotnis, Manorama Shataram Kotnis, on December 12, 1980 observed, “I am deeply moved to see this Medical Institution coming up to commemorate the humanitarian service rendered by my brother, Dr Kotnis, more than 2000 km away from the place to which he belonged. I hope it has set an example for which Dr Kotnis worked and lived.

COMMUNITY

Towards community participation
From Our Correspondent 

LUDHIANA, Nov 18 — The Neighbourhood Sanitation Committees are operational in more than 144 localities of Ludhiana. The scheme of Neighbourhood Committees has been introduced by the Municipal Corporation of Ludhiana to garner the active participation of the residents in activities related to sanitation. It is purported to be a conscious move towards shifting the maintenance of public utilities from the local government bodies towards community-based organisations.

At present, more than 2,000 workers are employed by the Neighbourhood Sanitation Committees of Ludhiana. The scheme is said to be cost-effective.

DYC block chiefs nominated
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 18 — The District Youth Congress (DYC) President, Mr Parminder Mehta, has nominated Mr Sarbjeet Singh Bunty as Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the district unit of the party. Mr Sarbjeet Pandey, Mr Inderjit Parmar, Mr Abbas Mohammed and Mr Sat Pal Ghai will be the members of the committee.

According to Mr Mehta, Mr Pankaj Sood will be the new General Secretary of the party. The block Presidents, nominated with the approval of the Indian Youth Congress President, Mr Randeep Singh Surjewala, are Mr Narinder Gupta (Block 1), Mr Kamal Kumar (Block 2), Mr Kishore Ghai (block 3), Mr Inderjit Singh Makkar (Block 4), Mr Rajinder Singh Kala (Block 5), Mr Raj Kumar Dabi (Block 6), Mr Rajesh Kumar (Block 7), Mr Surjeet Kaushal (Block 8), Mr Sanjay Sharma (Block 9), Mr Surinder Dhiman (block 10), Mr Harvinder Singh Sokhi (block 11), Mr Arun Bedi (block 12), Mr Raj Kashyap (block 13), Mr Gaurav Mehta (block 14) and Mr Ashwani Behl (block 15).

All party MPs, legislators, former MLAs, councillors and senior Youth Congress leaders will be special invitees, Mr Mehta said.

Phenomenal increase in canine population

The population of Ludhiana has increased mani-fold. The number of cars has multiplied also rapidly. It seems everything in Ludhiana is prospering, including the canine population.

The increase in the number of stray dogs has been phenomenal. Vermins had infested the town of Hamlin Similarly stray dogs can be seen in every colony, in residential areas and in markets.

They are proving to be a great source of anxiety to people as everyone knows that if a rabid dog bites, then the victim dies a most horrendous death.

Dr K.B. Singh of Veterinary hospital, PAU, feels very strongly about the consequences of the growing population of stray dogs. He said, “Stray dogs can be a source of a score of potential infections, accidents, and in case certain deaths. Both animal and human beings are not safe from these stray dogs. According to the Society of People for Animals, the stray dogs should be sterilised, but how many dogs have they sterilised? Moreover, it needs a huge task force to catch the dogs and sterlise them. All the N.G.Os have done precious little to curb the growing menace of dog population.

These days stray dogs are causing a lot of accidents while people are trying to save them. While saving a stray dog a scooterist can fall down and injure himself gravely. The driver of the car can bang into another one. The PFA is not facing the reality. The rabid dogs can enter any unprotected shed and bite the tied cattle. The hapless villagers keep coming to us and we prescribe them the vaccine. “When a human being is bitten by a dog of unknown origin of the street, then the bitten person has to be vaccinated. Each vaccine costs Rs 300 and minimum of five vaccines are needed. These vaccines are very painful too. What about the people who cannot afford money? They will surely die a most painful and horrible death. Eutahansia is the only way to get rid of them. In all other countries too, they follow similar line of action. We have to balance human rights against animal rights. After all human lives are more precious,” said Mr Singh.

Dr Bhardwaj, a leading Veterinary and Ex-Head of the Department of Veterinary Sciences in Hisar says: “We should follow what the other countries are doing to tackle this problems. The dog catcher squad catches all stray dogs and then puts in the press if any one wants to adopt a dog, or has lost one. People come and claim their lost dogs while others who wish to adopt one, take away the dog after it has been vaccinated. Rest of the dogs are put to sleep. This is the only solution to solve this problem. I am a member of P.F.A. but I know what they suggest, i.e. sterlisation of dogs, is not practical.”

Another physician, Dr Vikas Loomba, said, “These dogs are growing in alarming number. Children are not safe.They can even bite the pet dogs, and pet dogs if not properly vaccinated or partially vaccinated can bite their masters and other members of the family. Then the bitten members of the family are in mortal fear and go in for anti-rabies injections. The only to do away with this menace is to resort to euthanasia.”

According to reliable sources from Municipal Corporation, they have no dog squad. They said:” We can’t do anything till PAF allows us. They have been telling us that killing of stray dogs is unlawful. There is a directive from the High Court that bans the killing of animals. We are directed to follow ABC programme which means animal birth control’. But we are faced with so many social -religious problems, that we have to maintain a balance between our priorities. We don’t charge any license fees from the owners of pet dogs as again we are directed by Ministry of Wildlife that one should not chain dogs as it is violation of animal’s rights.”

Quite contrary to the views of the Municipal Corporation were the views of members of the PFA. Mr Ajay Jain, General Secretary, said: “We do not understand why the municipality insists on killing dogs. Why can’t they give the dogs anti-rabies vaccine.” Where is the money going to come from for all these vaccines?

“The dog owners should be charged a licence fee and that should be utilised for buying the vaccine. There should be a dog pound where stray dogs can be kept. Our society has offered to pay the rent of the premises. We do not think that animals should be killed as it is unlawful and since they are mute, it is we, the human beings, who have to protect their rights.”
 — AA

Create a bedroom of your dreams
From Shivani Bhakoo

LUDHIANA, Nov 18 — Liberalisation appears to be catching up in all fields. Even imported furniture is making its way into bedrooms of people. Specially decorated bedrooms are a blend of style, comfort and coziness.

Mr B.N. Maheshwari, owner of an interior decoration and furniture shop, said the concept of theme bedroom was gaining popularity. He said it was more popular in places like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore than Punjab. Some persons give their daughters creatively decorated bedrooms instead of loose furniture items as wedding gifts.

A marble bedroom costs about Rs 5 lakh. Bedrooms have furniture made of wood, wrought iron or plywood.

People who have a plenty of money get themselves theme bedrooms. They choose a theme for their bedrooms and the rest is created by interior decorators. The price of a theme bedroom depends on the quality of the furniture and various accessories it has. A wrought-iron bedroom costs between Rs 40,000 and Rs 1.5 lakh.

Another showroom in Feroze Gandhi market offers material for such theme bedrooms. A simple bed of wrought iron is priced Rs 10,000 and Rs 65,000. A complete bedroom includes a bed, side tables, centre table, sofa chairs, dressing mirror, curtain rods, magazine stands, candle stands, bedsheets, quilts, pillows and window panes. Bedrooms with imported wooden flooring and films on windowpanes and doors can also be created. No wooden material is used in creating such bedrooms.

Mr Hitendra Arora, owner of the showroom, said, “We lay out the plan, get it approved from the customer and the bedroom of their dreams gets ready within a week. Customers normally do not interfere in our work. A simple bedroom can be created within two days. Since the concept of theme bedrooms is new, most prospective clients will like it.”

Temple that signifies the spirit of oneness
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, Nov 18 — With massive industrial development, the megacity has attracted people from across the country belonging to different castes and communities. These people have also brought with them their cultural rituals, symbols and institutions in an attempt to create a home away from home. There are people from Bengal, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Sikkim and Kerala, who have created various societies of their ‘own’ people and do not feel out of place.

Sree Ayappa Sewa Sangam, the society of Keralites, was formed decades ago in the city to celebrate the Mandala Pooja — Makaravilaku festivals and subsequently the same was got registered under the Societies Act, Punjab, and affiliated with the Akhila Bharatha Ayappa Seva Sangham, Fort, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.

In order to perform regular poojas as per the tantrik vidhi, a small ‘Sree Ayappa’ temple has been constructed as per instruction of Brahmashree Kandaru Rajeevaru, chief Tantrik of Sabarimalai temple, Kerala, who also solemnised the idol installation of Lord Ayappa, Lord Ganesh, Devi Mata, Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and deities of Nagas after performing necessary parihaara (remedial) poojas.

Sree Ayappa Sewa Sangam began the construction of the temple with the spirit of oneness and has been constructed in typical ancient Indian style strictly in accordance with Vaastu shilp shastra. The unique temple complex has a spread area of approximately 30,000 sq. ft. and is located at the focal point. Sree Ayappa Sewa Sangam plans to go for a school for better education and also a charitable hospital in the name of Lord Ayappa. Lord Ayappa is an incarnation of Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu.

The mandala pooja — Makaravilaku festival is continuously being celebrated at Sree Ayappa temple for the last so many years. During the entire pooja, people wear a chain of tulsi beads and clothes of blue and black colours, leading an austere life refraining from all family desires and taste and always thinking of good things. The festival of Sabarimalai in Kerala, where the main shrine of Lord Ayappa exists, is considered to be a holy place like Kasi.

The Keralites celebrate the festival with great enthusiasm every year and the festival is known as Mandala Pooja. Makaravilaku is celebrated on Makarsamkranthi day. The pooja begins at Sabrimalia. The people of Kerala believe that a sacred star appears high above the hills followed by a divine light signing the graceful presence of Lord Ayappa. Many devotees flock Sabrimalai to witness and seek blessings of Lord Ayappa.