Page 6 - Mann Ki Baat - English

brothers and sisters of Pakaria greenery and joy. That's why,
village have already started Sawan has been very important
working on this. Here, with the from the spiritual as well as
help of the administration, cultural point of view. The swings
people have converted about of Sawan, the mehendi of Sawan,
a hundred wells into water the festivities of Sawan... that
recharge systems. Rain water is, Sawan itself means joy and
now flows into these wells, and enthusiasm.
from the wells, the water enters Friends, there is yet another
the ground. This will gradually facet to this faith and these
improve the ground water level traditions of ours. These festivals
in the area. Now all the villagers and traditions of ours make
have set a target of using us dynamic. Many devotees
about 800 wells in the entire undertake the Kanwar Yatra to
area for recharging. One such worship Shiva in Sawan. These
encouraging news has come in days numerous devotees are
from Uttar Pradesh A few days reaching the 12 Jyotirlingas on
ago, in Uttar Pradesh, a record account of Sawan. You would
of planting 30 crore trees in also be happy to know that the
a single day has been made. number of people reaching
This campaign was started by Banaras is also breaking
the State Government; it was records. Now more than 10 crore
completed by the people there. tourists are reaching Kashi
Such efforts are great examples every year. The number of
of public participation as well devotees visiting pilgrimages
as public awareness. I would like Ayodhya, Mathura, Ujjain is
like all of us to be a part of these also increasing rapidly. Due to
efforts to plant trees and save this, lakhs of poor are getting
water. employment; their livelihood
is being taken care of. All this
My dear countrymen, is the result of our collective
at present the holy month of cultural awakening. Now, for
'Sawan' is going on. Along with darshan, people from all over
worshiping Sadashiv Mahadev, the world are coming to our
Sawan is associated with pilgrimage sites. I have come to

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