SURAT/AHMEDABAD, 25 June - The city of Surat, nestled on the banks of the Tapi River, celebrated the river's birthday with much fanfare on Sunday. The occasion, marked on the Ashada Shukla Paksha Saptami, saw a mammoth 1,100-meter long chundri being offered to the river deity, fondly referred to as Tapi Mata, by a throng of devotees.
Union Minister of State for Railways and Textiles, Darshana Zardosh, along with a large gathering of enthusiastic participants, graced the occasion, which took place on the riverbanks at Jahangirpura and Pal in Surat.
A giant cake was cut amid chants in honor of Tapi Mata. Following this, an impressive aarti was conducted with as many as 1.25 lakh wick lamps. Devotees flocked to the holy site of Kurukshetra Ghat in Jahangirpura, believing in the popular saying that merely remembering the Tapi river absolves one's sins.
The Union Minister, speaking on the occasion, commended the relentless growth and vitality of Surat, a city perched on the Tapi's banks. She emphasized the city's potential to transform adversities into opportunities, ensuring continued happiness, prosperity, and peace.
Echoing similar sentiments, Kamlesh Sailor, head of the Kurukshetra Cremation Ground Trust, highlighted the spiritual importance of rivers in Indian tradition. He pointed out that while bathing in the Ganga and visiting the Narmada are considered sacred acts, merely remembering the Tapi river is believed to free a person from sins. The attendees celebrated this cherished belief with great enthusiasm during the birthday festivities of Tapi Mata.
