Durga worship for commandos' safety in Maoist den
Source http://m.timesofindia.com/city/ranchi/Durga-worship-for-commandos-safety-in-Maoist-den/articleshow/49469662.cms
RANCHI: In the campus of Jharkhand's Gorkha battalion, one of the premier security agencies fighting Maoists, women are busy invoking goddess Durga for the safety of their husbands, sons and brothers who are trained commandos deployed in various districts of the state to fight Maoists. Several women members are observing nine-day-long fast while others offer prayers for the safety of the men. Several Gorkha jawans have been killed fighting Maoists in Jharkhand.
"A jawan can win the battle only when he carries the blessing of the goddess. Prayers offered here during the festival give power to the jawans in the battlefield to defeat the enemies," said Bimlal Pathak, the chief priest at Gorkha battalion (also known as Jharkhand Armed Police 1) headquarters in Ranchi.
The women will worship arms and ammunition on Wednesday in the Gorkha battalion campus. In this temple the Gorkhas do not worship idols of the goddess, rather they worship 'kalas' installed for the occasion, a tradition spanning several decades.
In the festival season the temple complex is brimming with devotees, mostly women dressed in red. An emotional Shweta Tamang, whose husband Dhiren Tamang was killed in a blast triggered by Maoists in 2004 in Khunti's Rania block, also flocked to the temple to offer prayers. "I pray for the well being of my brother and family friends who are serving in the battle-fields. May the goddess save them from the enemies," said Anjula Thapa, who lost her husband Tam Thapa in a gun battle with Maoists in 2008 in Giridih district.
Some devotees like Anita Thapa, also sacrifice goats for the purpose. "My mother has been sacrificing goats since my father returned unhurt from an encounter in Tamar (Ranchi district) in 2005," Anita said.
Women from the families of Gorkha battalion commandos during a prayer in the battalion campus in Ranchi. (Photo by Mukesh Kumar Bhatt)
Meena Gurung, who offered prayers at the temple for her husband Gopal Gurung, posted at Serendag in Maoist-hit Gumla district, said, "My husband is serving the country. He is also fighting for the security of the state and the people. I consider it my duty to pray so that he remains safe and continue to do his duty with all dedication."
Geeta Rai is invoking the goddess for the safety of her brother Ujjwal Rai, posted in Ghurabanda in East Singhbhum, another Maoist-hit district.
Sargent Major of JAP-1 Prabash Chhetri, who took part in the prayers, said: "The tradition is age-old. Due to the blessings of the goddess the jawans of Gorkha battalion have done very well in all difficult jobs they have been assigned to."
The jawans from Gorkha battalion are the first choice of state's who's who in politics, executive and judiciary for bodyguards. The force which proved its mettle during 1962 Sino-Indian war, 1972 Indo-Pak war and several other historic law and order crisis is fighting the Maoists in several places across the state. A total of 22 out of 24 districts are Maoist hit in Jharkhand.
"A jawan can win the battle only when he carries the blessing of the goddess. Prayers offered here during the festival give power to the jawans in the battlefield to defeat the enemies," said Bimlal Pathak, the chief priest at Gorkha battalion (also known as Jharkhand Armed Police 1) headquarters in Ranchi.
The women will worship arms and ammunition on Wednesday in the Gorkha battalion campus. In this temple the Gorkhas do not worship idols of the goddess, rather they worship 'kalas' installed for the occasion, a tradition spanning several decades.
In the festival season the temple complex is brimming with devotees, mostly women dressed in red. An emotional Shweta Tamang, whose husband Dhiren Tamang was killed in a blast triggered by Maoists in 2004 in Khunti's Rania block, also flocked to the temple to offer prayers. "I pray for the well being of my brother and family friends who are serving in the battle-fields. May the goddess save them from the enemies," said Anjula Thapa, who lost her husband Tam Thapa in a gun battle with Maoists in 2008 in Giridih district.
Some devotees like Anita Thapa, also sacrifice goats for the purpose. "My mother has been sacrificing goats since my father returned unhurt from an encounter in Tamar (Ranchi district) in 2005," Anita said.
Women from the families of Gorkha battalion commandos during a prayer in the battalion campus in Ranchi. (Photo by Mukesh Kumar Bhatt) Meena Gurung, who offered prayers at the temple for her husband Gopal Gurung, posted at Serendag in Maoist-hit Gumla district, said, "My husband is serving the country. He is also fighting for the security of the state and the people. I consider it my duty to pray so that he remains safe and continue to do his duty with all dedication."
Geeta Rai is invoking the goddess for the safety of her brother Ujjwal Rai, posted in Ghurabanda in East Singhbhum, another Maoist-hit district.
Sargent Major of JAP-1 Prabash Chhetri, who took part in the prayers, said: "The tradition is age-old. Due to the blessings of the goddess the jawans of Gorkha battalion have done very well in all difficult jobs they have been assigned to."
The jawans from Gorkha battalion are the first choice of state's who's who in politics, executive and judiciary for bodyguards. The force which proved its mettle during 1962 Sino-Indian war, 1972 Indo-Pak war and several other historic law and order crisis is fighting the Maoists in several places across the state. A total of 22 out of 24 districts are Maoist hit in Jharkhand.
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