IRCTC Launches Ashta Jyotirlinga Shravan Special Yatra: Book Your Journey Now!
This is a golden chance for people who want to explore the spiritual side of India and visit these famous temples in a single tour. The bookings for this journey are now open and seats are filling fast.
What is the Ashta Jyotirlinga Yatra?
In Hindu belief Jyotirlingas are the sacred shrines of Lord Shiva There are 12 main Jyotirlingas in India and this IRCTC tour covers eight of them in one trip. These eight temples are known for their spiritual power and beauty.
The yatra includes the following Jyotirlinga temples:
Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain
Bhimashankar in Maharashtra
Omkareshwar in Madhya Pradesh
Trimbakeshwar in Nashik
Mallikarjuna in Andhra Pradesh
Grishneshwar near Ellora
Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi
Baijnath in Jharkhand
These are some of the most famous temples dedicated to Lord Shiva and each one has a unique story and spiritual importance.
IRCTC Launches Special Jyotirlinga Yatra: Key Details Below
IRCTC invites you on a soul-stirring Ashta Jyotirlinga Shravan Special Yatra aboard the Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train. Be a part of this prominent tour and collect countless memories.
Book Now: https://t.co/pC1faIUQOe@GujaratTourism @RailMinIndia pic.twitter.com/RcqhNGTrNM
— IRCTC Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train (@IR_BharatGaurav) May 13, 2025
Special Features of the Train Journey
This yatra is designed to give a comfortable and spiritual experience to travelers The tour is done by a Bharat Gaurav Tourist Train which is a fully air conditioned train with modern facilities.
The train has clean sleeping arrangements hygienic food and friendly staff to assist passengers during the journey.
It also includes comfortable bus transfers to temples clean hotels for freshening up and all meals throughout the trip.
There will also be guides onboard who explain the importance of each temple and help devotees with temple visits and darshan.
How to Book Tickets for the Yatra?
People can book their tickets easily on the official IRCTC Tourism website. They can also visit the nearest IRCTC tourist facilitation center for offline booking.
IRCTC has made different packages for different budgets so that more people can join this holy journey. There are budget options as well as premium ones depending on the traveler needs.
Seats are limited so people are advised to book their places early to avoid missing out.
Why You Should Not Miss This Spiritual Trip
Shravan is one of the most important months in the Hindu calendar for worshiping Lord Shiva and this yatra is a great way to do it in a peaceful and organized manner.
Instead of planning temple visits one by one this train tour covers 8 Jyotirlingas in one single journey with no worry about transport food or stay.
It is safe convenient and spiritually fulfilling for all age groups and especially ideal for families and elderly people who may find individual travel difficult.
IRCTC have started Jyotirlinga yatra package priced at 22,820 to 54,660 INR class wise IRCTC Budget berths are filling up fast due to high demand Now bookings are available on IRCTC's tourism portal where it has generated quite a bit of interest among the travelers.
This is not just a train journey it is a spiritual path that takes you closer to faith and peace. So if you have always wanted to visit the Jyotirlingas, now is the best time to go ahead and book your seat.
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In 1925, India's first-ever midday meal scheme was introduced for disadvantaged children in the Madras Municipal Corporation. Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat, and the UT of Pondicherry had universalised a cooked midday meal programme with their resources for primary students by the 1980s. The Union government launched the National Programme of Nutritional Support to Primary Education, a nationwide mid-day meal scheme, on August 15, 1995, to ensure enrollment, retention, and attendance, as well as improve nutritional levels among children across India. 'In Tamil Nadu, M Singaravelar, a member of the erstwhile Madras Municipal Corporation in the 1920s, took the initiative to introduce the first ever Midday Meal Scheme for marginalised children under the Corporation limits. Later, it was transformed into a fully-funded government scheme along with the inclusion of vegetables, fruits and pulses into the menu,' said P.B. Prince Gajendra Babu, general secretary of the State Platform for Common School System-Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN). The Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman (PM-POSHAN), which was introduced for an initial five-year period (2021–22 to 2025–26), aimed to provide one cooked meal to students up to Class 8 in Government and Government-aided schools. It replaced the earlier midday meal scheme, launched in 1995, which focused on universalising primary education. PM-POSHAN's cost is shared by the Centre and States on a 60:40 basis, with the Centre supplying foodgrains. Taking the vision to the next level, Tamil Nadu launched the Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme on September 15, 2022. Initially rolled out in 1,545 government schools, the programme covered over 1.14 lakh primary school students from Classes 1 to 5. The scheme, designed to eradicate hunger, malnutrition, anaemia, vitamin B12 deficiency and underweight conditions, has already shown measurable impact. 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'We have been struggling to get funds from the government for midday meal schemes for the last 4-5 years. Some teachers had to take loans to meet these expenses last year,' she said. Vasudha pointed out that even when payments are cleared, they often arrive after a delay of three to four months, and usually in instalments. 'We won't receive the amount of vegetables, eggs, and milk together, and we have to visit the offices multiple times to complete the process. But we have to settle the expenses with shopkeepers and milkmen every week. With this new menu, we will have to find at least ₹ 40 per child. Besides, we will have to spend ₹ 7 for an egg, ₹ 60 for milk twice a week, ₹ 12,000 for LPG for a month, and transportation charges for foodgrains. Be it the regular rice and grain or the new dishes, we are permitted to appoint only one cook to prepare for 500 students. 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'With the current inflation, these funds were never sufficient. We are providing 100 grams of milk every Wednesday by spending from our pockets. We are not receiving the funds for the mid-day meal scheme every month. The grant is often given after 3 months or 6 months without any specific timelines. With the current grant, we won't be able to feed everyone. The government believes that only 80% of the children require food and the remaining 20% of children bring tiffin from home. But in reality, the majority of the children aren't able to afford such luxuries and all of them eat their lunch from the school,' he added. Educationist Anil Sadgopal claims that universalised midday meals are still a distant dream in States like Bihar. Sadgopal, who was part of Bihar's Common School System Commission in 2007, recommended universalising school education until Class 10 to provide equitable quality for all students through initiatives like the midday meal scheme. 'There is a complete mismanagement in midday meal schemes in Bihar. Back in 2007, our Commission submitted a set of recommendations calling for universalised nutritious mid-day meals cooked by trained staff. But the proposals were shelved. Six years later, in 2013, 23 children lost their lives and over 100 were hospitalised after consuming contaminated food in a school meal. More than a decade on, nothing has changed and there are various areas in the State where the scheme is blatantly absent,' said Sadgopal. Caste-based discrimination Caste-based discrimination has been reported in serving and consuming mid-day meals. Discriminatory practices, such as separate seating arrangements or denial of meals based on caste, have been reported in both Northern and Southern States, breaching the principles of equality and inclusion. Students from marginalised communities often face social exclusion in accessing mid-day meals. 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