16th Maa Jwala Devi Mela concludes in Mussoorie

MUSSOORIE, 31 Oct: The Shri Maa Jwala Devi two-day Religious and Tourism festival concluded today with devotees in large number congregating at Benog Hill, a 5 kilometre trek from Mussoorie. The festival was organised by the Maa Jwala Devi Mandir Samiti, Mussoorie. The festival began by installing the new idol of Goddess Durga amidst chants of ‘Durga Maa Ki Jai’. The temple priests also performed religious rites and ‘havan’ on the occasion in which the President, Mussoorie Nagar Palika, OP Uniyal, along with members of the board actively participated. They offered flowers and ‘prasad’ to seek the blessings of Goddess Jwala Devi. The temple flag was also hoisted on the occasion.
A ‘bhandara’ was also organised for the devotees. A cultural programme under the aegis of the Durga Vahini Kala Manch, Mussoorie, and Gandiala village, was also organised which was much appreciated by the devotees present.
Chief Guest OP Uniyal said on the occasion that Benog Hill was a historic and heritage site, which could be developed into a new tourist place in the future if the funds were provided by the government. He also commended the efforts of the Jwala Devi Samiti in organising such a festival.
Later, prizes were distributed to the participants at the festival.
Ram Krishan Rahi, General Secretary, Jwala Devi Samiti, thanked all the devotees and the invited guests for their support to the temple.
Kedar Singh Chauhan, Sushil Kumar, Kanta Bisht, Jasveer Kaur, Jeevan Chauhan, BJP’s Sarojini Kaintura, Anita Saxena, BSP leader Sunil Sonkar, Rakesh Aggarwal and Baisakh Singh Rana were present on the occasion.
Satish Chhabra and family members donated the idol of the Goddess to the temple.
Sardar Harbhajan Singh Chadha, President of the Samiti, thanked the Chief Guest and the devotees for their participation in the festival and prayed for peace and prosperity for all on the occasion. 

Sultan Mohammad, a bangle seller from Mussoorie, has been making the round of such fairs for the last 20 years. He said on the occasion that God was one and he liked selling bangles to add colour to the festivities. He has trekked to nearly all melas held in this region and will keep doing so, thus presenting an example of communal harmony to others