Latest news with #GayaMunicipalCorporation
Time of India
6 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
100 pink toilets to be built in 16 cities: Minister
Patna: At least 20 pink toilets will be installed under state schemes in six urban local bodies, in addition to 70 more being constructed under the (Urban) 2.0 in 10 other cities across Bihar, the urban development and housing department announced on Friday. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now In total, 100 pink toilets are being built across 16 urban local bodies as part of an initiative to provide safe, hygienic and private sanitation facilities for women. According to an official press release issued by the department, the project aims to protect women from sexual harassment and violence, while also safeguarding their health and dignity. Urban development and housing minister Jibesh Kumar highlighted the importance of this initiative in promoting women's well-being. "Safe, private and hygienic facilities are essential for women's health, dignity and empowerment. The pink toilet initiative is a novel step towards providing high-quality personal hygiene facilities for women and girls in the state," he said. "These toilets will be equipped with essential amenities such as electricity, water, cleanliness, and, most importantly, the availability of sanitary pads," he added. Abhay Kumar Singh, secretary of the department, outlined the cities and towns where the pink toilets will be constructed. These include Gaya Municipal Corporation, Muzaffarpur Municipal Corporation, Biharsharif Municipal Corporation, Purnia Municipal Corporation, Sasaram Municipal Corporation, Sitamarhi Municipal Corporation, Rajgir Nagar Parishad, Bodh Gaya Nagar Parishad, Sultanganj Nagar Parishad, Bhabua Nagar Parishad, Barahiya Nagar Parishad, Buxar Nagar Parishad, Jale Nagar Parishad, Singhwara Nagar Panchayat, Kamtaul-Ahiyari Nagar Panchayat and Dev Nagar Panchayat. Also, helpline numbers will be made available for each pink toilet and women caretakers are being appointed to manage and maintain the facilities.
Time of India
07-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Where souls find salvation, Gaya Ji regains its sacred name
1 2 3 4 Patna: Though the Bihar govt has officially renamed Gaya as Gaya Ji, long-time residents have always referred to it by this name, thanks to its deep mythological and religious significance. Considered the only place where performing "pind daan" (rituals for the salvation of ancestors) is believed to grant " moksha " (liberation) to departed souls, the town has long been revered by pilgrims and spiritual seekers. Also known as Gaya Dham, Gaya Ji Dham, Gaya Kshetra and Moksha Dham, the holy city derives its name from the demon Gayasur, son of Tripurasur and Prabhavati. In 2022, the Gaya Municipal Corporation passed a resolution to officially rename the city as Gaya Ji. Acharya Brajendra Kumar Mishra, a scholar of Hindu texts, said the place has been known as Gaya Ji since ancient times and is frequently referenced in various Hindu scriptures. "It became Gaya after the foreign invasions. The only place whose name has traditionally been addressed with the suffix 'ji' is Gaya Ji," he said. Quoting a shloka from the Vayu Purana, Mishra recited, "Gadadharam Vishnu Padam Ashtadash Padandvim, Vande Akshay Vatam Chaayam Phalgum Gaurim Gayeshwarim." He added, "Due to the change in the names of many religious places after foreign invasions, Gaya Ji became just Gaya. The glory of Gaya Ji is described in the Vayu Purana, Bhagwat Maha Purana and other scriptures. It is where Raja Ramchandra came with Mata Sita where Dharmaraj Yudhishthir Ji visited, where Mata Mangala Gauri is seated atop Bhasm Kut mountain, where the inner stream of the river Falgu flows continuously and where the feet of Lord Sarveshwar Shriman Narayan are enshrined. It is the place where the souls of the departed find satisfaction and salvation through shraddh rituals. That is why the scriptures refer to Gaya as Gaya Pranah," he said. Shambhu Nath Vitthal, the chairman of Vishnupad Temple Management Committee (VTMC), Gaya Ji, said the place is known for 'pitra mukti' or "moksha". "It is probably the only place in the world known as the land of both gyan (knowledge) and moksha," he said, pointing to Bodh Gaya, where Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, just 7km away. Discussing the spiritual importance of Vishnupad Temple, Vitthal said it is referenced in numerous sacred texts including the Shrimad Bhagavad, Ramcharitmanas, Vayu Purana, Agni Purana, Vishnu Purana, Padma Purana, Garuda Purana, Devi Bhagavad and the Upanishads. The temple, he said, was built in 1787 by Queen Ahilyabai Holkar. "Gayasur, a demon, offered his body to Lord Brahma for performing a yajna. When he wished to rise again, Lord Vishnu placed his right foot on him, leaving His footprint at the spot where Vishnupad Temple stands today. When Lord Vishnu asked him for a boon, Gayasur requested that the place become a site of moksha," Vitthal said. "That is why the ancestors of 121 kuls (lineages) under the seven gotras of a person performing pinddaan here attain salvation. These 121 lineages include not only ancestors from the paternal and maternal sides but also animals like cows that served the family," he added. Mahesh Lal Gupt, a former lawyer who returned to his ancestral profession as a panda (priest), said the renaming had been a long-standing demand of locals for over four decades. "We are happy that the state govt has notified it as Gaya Ji. It is the only place in India with the 'ji' suffix in official records now. People call Varanasi 'Kashi Ji' out of reverence, but it is recorded as Kashi in official documents. The same goes for Jagannath Puri in Odisha, known for 'Ann Brahma' and Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh," he said. "Gaya Ji is known as Pind Brahma and is mentioned extensively in scriptures. Pandharpur in Maharashtra is known as Nad Brahma. Gaya Ji is also referred to as Panch Kosham, Gaya Kshetram and is considered the most sacred site where all teerths were summoned by yajna. Vayu Purana, Vishnu Purana, Skanda Purana, and Garuda Purana describe the significance of shraddh and pind daan since the Dwapar and Treta Yugas, including references to Ram-Sita's Ramshila and Sita Kund," Gupt said. "Hindus, Sikhs and even Jains from across the globe come to Gaya Ji during the Krishna Paksha of the month of Ashwin to perform pind daan. The fortnight is known as Pitrapaksha," he added. On the recent construction of a rubber dam to retain water year-round for pinddaan rituals, Gupt said the Rs 300-crore project was a matter of technical concern. "There is no water source except the undercurrent of the river Falgu beneath the sand. The aim of the rubber dam is to ensure water availability throughout the year. But silt flows in with the water and accumulates, causing inconvenience to both the public and pilgrims. There is no system in place for silt removal. You cannot fill a river with water from a tubewell," he said.
Time of India
30-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Gayaji to replace Gaya in official civic records
Gaya: Gaya Municipal Corporation will now be officially known as the Gayaji Municipal Corporation, following the state cabinet's approval to rename the city as Gayaji. In a notification issued by the general administration department, additional chief secretary B Rajender said, "Taking into consideration the glorious history of Gaya city and the sentiments of common people, the name of the city 'Gaya' is changed as 'Gayaji' by the state cabinet on May 16 this year. " The decision to change the name in the civic body's official records was taken during a municipal board meeting held on Wednesday. Municipal commissioner Kumar Anurag said during the meeting, "There is no confusion in writing Gayaji in Hindi, but a direction from the state urban development department is awaited whether the city would be spelt as 'Gayaji' or 'Gayajee' in English." Member of the standing committee and former deputy mayor Akhauri Onkarnath, alias Mohan Shrivastava, said, "The municipal board had passed a resolution and sent [it] to the state govt for changing the name of the city as Gayaji." Mayor Virendra Kumar announced a series of development initiatives. "All the roads of the municipal area will be illuminated with LED and high-mast lights. The municipal board has approved the installation of at least 6,000 LED lights. Installation work of 100 high-mast lights in the municipal area is ongoing. A team of technicians will repair non-functional street lights and high-mast lights. The roads will also be decorated with tricolour rope lights," he said. He added, "Apart from this, beautification of 10 ponds, including Digghi pond located in the heart of the city near the Collectorate, will be undertaken. There is also a plan to set up a construction and demolition plant for the disposal of waste construction materials. To generate income for the civic body, bricks will be made from the construction waste materials at the plant."
