The Tamil Nadu government has announced a free pilgrimage tour from Rameswaram to Kashi to promote spiritual tourism. Senior citizens are benefiting from this scheme. This year, 420 people will benefit from this program.
Spiritual schemes of the Government of Tamil Nadu
The Government of Tamil Nadu has been implementing various welfare schemes for the people. Just as importance is given to education and employment, many schemes are being implemented for spirituality. In that way, the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments has been implemented well since the DMK government came to power.
Conducting Kumbabhishekam for temples, 85 new marriage halls have been constructed at an estimated cost of 321 crores, and 121 Annadhanam buildings are being constructed at an estimated cost of 86.97 crores. Projects like setting up of rope car facility are being inaugurated continuously. In that way, importance is being given to spirituality. Also, the Murugan festival was successfully conducted at Palani temple.
Free Spiritual Tour
In addition to this, free spiritual tours are being organized on behalf of the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments. Accordingly, the Department of Tourism and the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments have jointly taken various measures to attract foreign and domestic tourists to tourist destinations in Tamil Nadu. Especially on the occasion of the month of Aadi, the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department jointly implemented a one-day Aadi Amman tour program for spiritual tourists. A fee was collected for this depending on the respective zone.
Apart from this, free spiritual trips were also arranged. Accordingly, senior citizens were taken to temples in Tamil Nadu on the occasion of the month of Aadi. Following the overwhelming response to this scheme, senior citizens were taken to Perumal temples on the occasion of the month of Purattasi two days ago.
Aadi, Puratasi Tour
It was arranged by the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments. Spiritual devotees were brought from more than 10 zones including Chennai, Trichy, Madurai and Coimbatore. In this trip, special worship was held at the Perumal temple and lunch was provided free of cost. While such schemes have received great response from the spiritual people, the most preferred spiritual devotees are the Rameswaram - Kashi trip. They would like to go at least once in their lifetime. Those with higher income can travel easily. But those with low income cannot go to both the cities at the same time.
Kashi-Rameshwaram Tour
Considering this, a free spiritual trip from Rameswaram to Kashi was organized on behalf of the Government of Tamil Nadu. An announcement was made in this regard in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. Accordingly, this trip worth Rs 25,000 per person was arranged free of cost. Accordingly, 200 people were taken on a spiritual journey from Rameswaram, Ramanathaswamy Temple to Kashi Vishwanathaswamy Temple in the announcement of the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments for the year 2022-2023. The Tamil Nadu government allocated Rs 50 lakh to implement this scheme effectively.
Expanding the project
Following the overwhelming response to this trip, 300 people were taken this year. The Tamil Nadu government allocated Rs 75 lakh for this and spiritual devotees registered with great enthusiasm. Following this, 420 senior citizens will be taken to Rameswaram Kashi in the year 2024-2025. It is planned to select 420 persons at the rate of 21 persons per zone in 20 Joint Commissioner Zones of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department. It has been informed that the applicant who is interested in this spiritual journey should be a Hindu, a believer in God and between the age of 60 and 70 years.
January - Opportunity for 420 people
Applicants can obtain application forms for Kashi-Rameswaram free travel in person from the office of the concerned Zonal Joint Commissioner or download them from the website of the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments at www.hrce. tn.gov.in. In this case, this scheme will be launched in January next year. Officials of the Department of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments have informed that the pre-booking for this scheme will start in October.