Pilgrims pledge before goddess Ambaji to take part in green drive

The committee that oversees the temple activities has since the last one year endeavoured for the pilgrims’ involvement in any social cause,by way of taking a pledge before the goddess.

Last year,over five lakh pilgrims had signed the ‘Sankalp Patras’ pledging against female foeticide.

Banaskantha District Collector and chairman of the Ambaji Temple Committee

R J Patel said: “The fair is organised during the monsoon. The time is ideal for plantation of saplings. For the plantation drive,we held a katha session at the temple. Last year,a total of five lakh of the 25 lakh devotees took the pledge,and this year the number went up to six lakh.”

Every day,two to three hours were dedicated for

the plantation of saplings along the approach road

to the temple. Traditional water harvesting method of boriband was taught to the pilgrims,many of whom come from the tribal belt of Banaskantha and other parts of Gujarat.

Notice boards along with the ‘Sankalp Patra’ and the katha did well to persuade the devotees to take up the pledge this year.

With the success of the ‘Sankalp Patras’ in attracting devotees’ attention to social causes,the Patvitra Yatradham Development Board plans to extend the experiment to other religious destinations in the district.