Haridwar, January 13
The much-awaited holy bath of the century’s first Maha Kumbh in Haridwar commences tomorrow on the occasion of Makar Sakranti. The Makar Sakranti holy bath will be followed by Mauni Amawasya as on that day there will be a solar eclipse, further enhancing the significance of the bath. So with two holy baths falling back to back, the mela administration has geared itself up for providing wholesome and best of the facilities to the lakhs of pilgrims expected to throng the Ganga ghats on those two days.

The mela administration is expecting around a million people to visit Haridwar for the holy bath of Makar Sankranti.

Thousands of people had already reached Haridwar on the eve of the Makar Sakranti bath. Pilgrims are coming from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat and other states. Elaborate arrangements are being made for a peaceful conduct of the mela for consecutive two holy baths.

Meanwhile, a comprehensive security cover has been put in place for the first holy bath of the century’s first Maha Kumbh. In the Har-ki-Pauri zone, mela police personnel have been deployed at every nook and corner. In fact, on entering the city, the first thing one comes across is heavy security cover. The police is not taking any chances with terror threat looming large on the Maha Kumbh.

Inspector-General, Garhwal Range, MA Ganapathy has laid stress on a better coordination and cooperation among the mela police and the civil police to minimise inconveniences to the pilgrims.

Roorkee, January 13
Even as only a day has left for the first auspicious bath of the Maha Kumbh on Makar Sakranti, the highways leading to Haridwar are still without adequate lighting arrangements here.

Darkness reigns on the highways, including the Delhi-Dehradun and Delhi-Haridwar highways, and the main roads at Laksar, Bhagwanpur, Manglore, Jhabrera and Roorkee at night in the absence adequate lighting.

This attitude of the authorities concerned shows how non-seriousness they are towards making arrangements for the biggest religious congregation of this country.

Crores of pilgrims will visit Haridwar during the four-month period of the Maha Kumbh. A major section of them will travel during night also.

Blaming the mela authorities for the delay in sanctioning of required funds for installing adequate lights on these highways, local Municipal Board officials said they had been sanctioned the funds at the eleventh hour and it delayed the lighting works.

“Only this week we are given a sum of Rs 52.67 lakh out of the Kumbh funds to be used to install lights on both highways in the area,” said Pradeep Batra, Chairman of the Roorkee Municipal Board.

He claimed tenders had been floated immediately and these would be opened on January 25. After installing adequate lights on the highways, the work would be started on other main roads.

The work is expected to be completed by the end of February, said Batra. Earlier, the authorities had claimed that all such works would be completed by the end of December last year.

Similarly, the Manglore Nagar Palika got Rs 39.30 lakh out of the Kumbh funds this week only and these will be spent on the repair of the roads leading to Haridwar.

Dehradun, January 13
The Uttarakhand Congress today accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of siphoning off 60 per cent of the funds provided by the Centre for Kumbh preparations.

A six-member Congress committee, headed by its Lakshman Chowk MLA Dinesh Aggarwal, today submitted its findings before the media, alleging large-scale irregularities in the infrastructure works done by the state government for the Kumbh.

“Out of the total funds provided by the Centre for the Kumbh works, only 40 per cent are being utilised and the rest were being siphoned off at the behest of supporters of the ruling party, who have got a majority of contracts of the Kumbh works,” Aggarwal said.

Substantiating his claims by photographic evidence, Aggarwal said Haridwar was very poorly prepared for the Kumbh. Even the Har-ki-Pauri area, which was the very epicentre of the spot for holy baths, gave a look of disarrangements, he alleged. “The condition of the main road leading to Har-ki-Pauri is pathetic, what to say of other arrangements,” he alleged. “Even the authorities did not find it necessary to whitewash the historic Dam Kothi,” he added.

Similarly, the Chowk Bazar in Kankhal, from where the march of Naga sadhus passes through as they go to the Ganga ghats for bathing, is also in a sorry state of affairs.

Having a dig at the state government, the Congress leader said even though the Centre provided all assistance to the state for the smooth conduct of the Kumbh, the state government had taken a stance of blaming the Centre.

While admitting that there was a little time left for the government to amend its mistakes, Aggarwal said the best one could do in such a scenario was to pray to God for the peaceful and smooth conduct of the Kumbh.

The committee will now submit its comprehensive report to the Uttarakhand Assembly Speaker and also apprise the Centre of the same.

Haridwar, January 13
The fleet of life-saver mobile service vans of Uttarakhand Emergency Management and Research Institute, 108 Deen Dayal Upadhyay Medical Ambulance Services, now numbers exactly 108 in a span of less than one and half year since its launch.

With the addition of 18 ambulances to the fleet of service vans in view of the Maha Kumbh, the total number of vans has increased to 108.

In addition to this the 18 vans, 20 mobile health motorbikes have also been attached to the service for the Maha Kumbh so that where ambulances can’t easily reach these motorbikes can give interim medical treatment to the persons in need at the spot.

Aided with first-aid medical facility and medical staff, these mobikes are mini-108 ambulances and have been conceptualised keeping in mind the congested areas and lanes of Haridwar.

Also when lakhs of pilgrims will throng the mela area, these motorbikes will be quite handy as heavy traffic during mega baths is totally prohibited in the mela zone.

These ambulances and medico mobikes will be available round the clock during the four-month tenure of the Maha Kumbh and will be stationed at prominent and congested areas.

Haridwar, January 13
Despite work to strengthen existing roads and sewerage going on for the past 18 months to meet the Kumbh challenge, on the eve of the first holy bath of the Maha Kumbh, roads leading to Har-ki-Pauri present a poor picture.

Severe cold wave already prevailing in the whole North India and foggy weather in Haridwar may affect the first holy bath. The Meteorological Department has forecast overcast conditions during both festive baths of January 14 and 15, so pilgrims and devotees may face problems on account of weather.

As rain lashed Haridwar city today, the temperature dipped drastically and also hindered the pace of ongoing Kumbh-related projects. Specially at Har-ki-Pauri, the main mela area, rain exposed the civic facilities, which had been launched with much fanfare by the state government and the mela administration.

Streets of old Haridwar leading to the Har-ki-Pauri area were filled with deluge and sewage. Several potholes were seen on the roads, that are sure to inconvenience lakhs of pilgrims likely to throng the mela area on the two days.

People and devotees going towards the mela area are facing problems and it doesn’t seem that the Maha Kumbh has really started. Local traders also complained that their trade was also getting affected as devotees and tourists were not able to move freely in the area and the unlevelled roads were posing problems to them.

Also at Kankhal, Jwalapur and Ranipur, rain affected the normal life with water accumulating at various places. With Kumbh works still going on in the area, it didn’t seem that the Kumbh had already started and the city was well prepared for the mega event.

At Jwalapur, road work is going on for a religious procession of the one of the main akhadas, Juna Akhada. The department concerned is still engaged in the work out to lay the road. With pressure on the upper surface of road due to levelling by heavy rollers, sewer lines got choked and sewage was overflowing on the entire roads. Though officers said the choked sewer lines were being repaired, the work would be probably completed with a week.

“This is just the start of the influx of pilgrims and tourists in the city and just a rain has exposed the claims of the state government and mela administration. We have been pointing out this fact, which the state government had termed as unhealthy criticism. One just needs to have a walk in Haridwar city and all the truth of Kumbh works will itself get exposed,” said Tej Prakash Sahu, secretary of the city Congress committee.

Dehradun, January 13
Queen of Hills Mussoorie today experienced the season’s first snowfall with snow to an extent of 2-3 inches recorded from the region.

Light snowfall that started at 9 in the morning continued for an hour before a lull and proceeded for another 45 minutes.

Both residents and tourists came onto the streets to welcome the first snowfall as the snowfall certainly came as a surprise, especially for tourists. Visitors from Dehradun also started arriving in Mussoorie as the news of snowfall broke down the valley.

Apart from higher reaches of the state that experienced heavy snowfall, Nainital and Mukteshwar areas were other important tourist spots in the state that witnessed snowfall. For plain areas, including Dehradun, showers continued for most part of the day.

According to Dr Anand Sharma, Director, Dehradun Meteorological Centre, said snowfall was expected to continue for the next 24 hours in the higher reaches, the weather was expected to become clearer in other areas by the end of the day.

He predicted improvement in the weather conditions in the days to come.

Meanwhile, tourists in large numbers flocked to Mussoorie to witness the snowfall and the Dehradun-Mussoorie road was packed with speeding motors taking the direction to the Queen of Hills. 

Nainital, January 13
Chilly conditions marked by rain prevailed in Nainital today. The rain has brought the much-awaited respite to people of the region that desperately required precipitation.

People in Nainital are now awaiting the first snowfall of the season. Residents chose to stay indoors for most part of the day. A large number of hotels and business establishments have already closed for winter after the last tourist influx seen on New Year's Eve.

The Director of Meterological Department Dr Anand Sharma said rain and snow was expected across Kumaon till Thursday morning.

He said the weather conditions had been caused by a westerly trough, which is more strong towards the western part of the state.

Dehradun, January 13
The festival of Lohri was celebrated here today with gusto and merriment. Lohri marks the end of winter and the advent of spring and New Year. The bonfires lit at night, songs, dance and the coming together of families are some of the prominent features of this festival.

In the evening, with the setting of the sun, huge bonfires were lit in parks, in the front yards of houses, where people gathered around the rising flames to throw puffed rice, popcorn and other munchies into the fire, shouting "Aadar aye, dilather jaye" (May honour come and poverty vanish) and sang popular folk songs. “This is a sort of prayer to Agni, the fire god, to bless the land with abundance and prosperity. After the parikrama or circling of the bonfire is done, people meet friends and relatives, exchange greetings and gifts, and distribute prasad (offerings made to God). The prasad comprises five main items: til, gajak, jaggery, peanuts and popcorn,” said Mamta Sareen, a housewife.

However, to enjoy amid a cold wintry day, Doonites were busy shopping for the festival. Vendors selling popcorn, peanuts, rewri and jaggery were flocked by people. “Since morning people have been coming and purchasing large quantities of these items and by evening I am sure that I will make a good money today,” said Ramesh, a vendor.

Lohri celebrates fertility and the joy of life. In the event of the birth of a male child or a marriage in the family, it assumes a larger significance wherein the host family arranges for a feast and merry-making with the traditional bhangra dance along with music instruments like the dhol. The first Lohri of a new bride or a newborn baby is considered extremely important. “I am getting married this year and so me and my fiance’s family exchanged gifts and in the evening got together for a grand feast,” said Nisha, a resident.

Furthermore, along with winter savouries served around the bonfire, traditional dinner of makki-ki-roti and sarson-ka-saag also plays an integral part of the celebrations. Lohri of North India coincides with Pongal in Tamil Nadu, Makar Sankranti in Bengal, Magha Bihu in Assam, Tai Pongal in Kerala. They are all celebrated on the auspicious day of Makar Sakranti.

Haridwar: The festival of Lohri was celebrated with traditional fervour amidst chilling cold wave sweeping Haridwar district. Late night people gathered around bonfires at various colonies of Haridwar with rising flames and warmth setting the tone for the Lohri festivities.

“Apart from Diwali and Holi, this is the festival I wait for as all our family members gather together and celebrate Lohri. It reminds me of our Punjab home,” said Shikha Ohri, a Shiv Moorti resident, as she was busy in celebrations at her residence.

Dehradun, January 13
The golden period of Gorkha Military Inter-College seems to have faded away with time, much like the glorious period of Dehradun football.

The college no more produces high-calibre football players as it used to from the 1960s to 1977, when players like Amar Bahadur Gurung, Shyam Thapa, CP Thapa, Chandra Bahadur, Ranjeet Thapa and other came to the forefront.

Gurung, who is an international player and a product of the college, sheds light on the past glory of the college. He disclosed that during his time college team was a regular feature at the Subroto Cup Football Tournament and had thrice lifted the cup in the mid-60s to the delight of football fans of Dehradun. This achievement of the college is still fresh in the minds of Dehradun football lovers.

“The scenario was different from what it is today. There were two Gorkha hostels present at that time, which were said to be the reason behind the rich football culture of the college,” said Gurung.

One was Kanhaiya Hostel of 39 Gorkha Training Centre and the other was Thaman Hostel of 58th Gorkha Training. In all 2,500 children resided in these two hostels. These children were highly influenced by the military football tournaments like tournaments organised by Gorkha Brigade and Yudshershah tournament. The children tried to imitate their stars, thereby increasing their love for the game.

Apart from this, the college also did its bit to promote the tournaments. Special matches were organised by the college to promote the game. On the fee day of the college, there used to be a football match between the best teams of the colleges.

But now, Gurung said, the standard of football of college had gone down drastically. The main reason for the decline was the shifting of the two hostels from Dehradun. Apart from this he pointed finger at the increasing demands of the English language.

“Gorkha Military College is a Hindi-medium college. Therefore, most of the Army persons today prefer to get their children educated from a English-medium school. This is one of the reasons why the college is not finding good footballers in the recent time,” said Amar.

Budhiman Thapa, secretary of the Vijay Cantt football club said, “Children have a potential to play good football, but they do not have that interest going with them for the game. Apart from this, there should be more effort of the school to create football atmosphere, which is lacking presently”.