Sangh Samachar
Shakthi Ratham relaunched in Tamil Nadu
FOC
Shri Ashok Singhal, working president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP), relaunched the Shakthi Ratham, a mobile temple, at Tirumalaikodi near Vellore on June 1. The Ratham was originally launched in 1984 on the advice and desire of Kanchi Parmacharya. A chariot with an idol of Seethala Devi (Mariamman), consecrated by the Parama-charya himself, had been visiting the villages and Vanvasi areas for the last 20 years. The villagers themselves performed the abhishekam and pooja to the idol without any restriction of caste or cult. There used to be bhajans and discourses in the evenings in which hundreds of villagers used to participate. The Ratham made the villagers feel that they are one as Hindus. The mobile temple was a big draw in rural areas and 20 years? continuous run covering 15,000 hamlets caused wear and tear and the Ratham needed renovation. Swami Narayani Amma came forward to offer assistance and got the Ratham renovated. This renovated Ratham was relaunched on June 1. Shri Ashok Singhal praised the concept of mobile temple and its role in consolidating Hindu society and the munificence and grace of Swami Narayani Amma.
