1.95 lakh devotees throng Mansa Devi, Kali Mata temples on Day 2

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, April 7

Over 1.95 lakh devotees paid obeisance at Mansa Devi temple in Panchkula and Kali Mata temple in Kalka on the second day of the Chaitra Navaratra festival today.

SP Arora, CEO, Sri Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board (SMMDSB), said the counting of notes was going on as half of the cash boxes were yet to be opened. He said a sum of Rs 21 lakh donated by the devotees had been accounted so far taking the total to Rs 46 lakh since yesterday.

He said the amount was likely to double as counting of notes was going on. He said devotees also donated gold and silver jewellery items and foreign currency.

Meanwhile, the devotees were all praise for the arrangements made by Shrine Board officials.

Sanjeev Kumar, a resident of Narayangarh, who along with his family members had come to pay obeisance, said this year the movement of devotees towards the sanctum sanctorum was smooth due to the third entry gate.

He said the Narayani worshipping place created between the two gates was proving to be a memorable one as one could hear to the devotional songs sung by eminent singers during the evening hours.

Mukesh Kumar, a resident of Baddi in Himachal Pradesh, said there was a problem of parking near the Kali Devi temple in Kalka as the authorities had failed to earmark the site to park the vehicles. He said the shrine board should take initiative to construct a multi-level parking.