Chandigarh, March 19 Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini paid his respects at the Mata Mansa Devi temple in Panchkula on the first day of Chaitra Navratri on Thursday.
Accompanied by his wife, Suman Saini, Saini sought the blessings of the goddess and prayed for the happiness, peace, and prosperity of the people of the state.
According to an official statement, the chief minister also performed 'havan-yagya' at the 'yagyashala' within the temple complex, amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras, and offered oblations. Earlier, he planted a sapling on the temple premises, conveying a message of environmental conservation.
On this occasion, Deputy Commissioner and Chief Administrator of the Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board, Satpal Sharma, presented a portrait of Mata Mansa Devi and a Hindu New Year calendar to the chief minister. Saini extended his greetings and best wishes to the people of the state on this auspicious occasion.
He said that Navratri is a symbol of our rich culture and values, and devotees have immense faith in Mata Mansa Devi, as lakhs of people visit the shrine during Navratri. He said that to enhance the temple's grandeur, a new corridor is being developed at a rapid pace, which will be equipped with lift and escalator facilities.
In addition, renovation work is also in progress at the Kali Mata temple in Kalka and the Chandi Mata temple in Chandimandir, he said.
Later, the chief minister visited a blood donation awareness camp organized within the temple complex by the Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board, District Red Cross Society, Panchkula, and Shiv Kanwar Mahasangh Charitable Trust, Panchkula, where he encouraged blood donors by pinning badges on them.
Present on this occasion were the Additional Deputy Commissioner and the Chief Executive Officer of the Mata Mansa Devi Shrine Board, Nisha Yadav; Deputy Commissioner of Police, Panchkula, Srishti Gupta; the Chairperson of the Haryana Women Commission, Renu Bhatia; former Speaker of the Haryana Legislative Assembly, Gian Chand Gupta, among others.