Chhatarpur, 26 February (HS): President Droupadi Murmu will attend a special mass marriage ceremony at Bageshwar Dham on February 26, Mahashivratri. A total of 251 girls from various states will be married, with the event being facilitated by Pt Dhirendra Shastri.Of the 251 girls, 108 belong to tribal communities, while 143 are from other communities.

Among the selected girls, four are disabled, while 54 are orphans, with 94 having lost their fathers and 12 having lost their mothers. Moreover, 87 girls belong to very poor families, with many facing financial hardship due to serious illnesses in their families.

This event is being organized by Shri Bageshwar Jan Seva Samiti under the leadership of famous storyteller and Bageshwar Dham Peethadheeshwar Pandit Dhirendra Krishna Shastri in Gadha village, about 23 km from the headquarters of Chhatarpur district.

Governor Mangubhai Patel, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav, cricketers Virender Sehwag, Robin Uthappa and RP Singh will also attend the program. Singer Sonu Nigam, actor Puneet Vashisht and wrestler The Great Khali will also attend the ceremony.

Chhatarpur district collector Parth Jaiswal said President Murmu is scheduled to reach Gadha between 10 am and 11 am, and is likely to leave around 2 pm, on Wednesday.

All preparations have been made in view of the President's visit, said Jaiswal.

He said that 1500 to 2000 soldiers will be deployed for security, and water, toilets and other arrangements are being ensured for the convenience of the devotees. The venue has been divided into 30-35 sectors and large TV screens will also be installed for the people.

Arrangements have been made for a bhandaar for 20 lakh people for the event. 13 dishes including boondi, raita, jalebi, malpua, pulao will be served in the menu. For this, 400 people have been engaged in cooking food for the last six days. Newly married couples will be given household items worth Rs 2.5 lakh as gifts. These include 56 items of household use including double bed, sofa, flour mill, cupboard, dressing.

Local people say that this visit of President Draupadi Murmu is not only important from religious and social point of view, but it also underlines the efforts for development and social upliftment of the Bundelkhand region. There is an atmosphere of enthusiasm among devotees and local people due to her arrival.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar