Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 11: What can be more disconcerting for the hapless women in border areas who were forced to leave their homes and hearths than this that for the first time in history they were forced to perform the rituals of auspicious festival of Karva Chouth away from their home in relief camps today.
Though there was no usual hustle and bustle on the occasion in the border villages on this auspicious day today which otherwise used to be there due to Pak shelling , the border women kept the fast with same devotion and dedication in their temporary shelters which they used to have during the normal occasion.
However the usual festivity was missing in the camps as there was no privacy for the women which otherwise used to be in their own residential houses. But to keep the tradition alive, the border women kept the fast and performed all the rituals which were to be performed on this festival.
It was a unique experience for these women to observe the festival in camps with strangers. But thanks to the Indian Army and civil administration which offered Sargi to them in the morning for keeping the fast and also offered other necessary food items during the breaking of fast in the night. The Army offered Sargi and food items to women in two camps of Bishnah tehsil while the civil administration offered Sargi and food items to fasting women in migrant camp at Chechi Mata Samba and 12 migrant camps in Hiranagar, Ghagwal and Raipur tehsils, other camps of Vijaypur tehsil, Pargwal and Damana Camps in Akhnoor and Jammu tehsil respectively.
However having their true faith in the rituals the border women kept the fast with the same devotion and dedication. They also offered special prayers during the appearance of Moon in the Sky invoking divine blessings for their loved ones and prayed for their long lives.
Hoping against the hope these women also prayed not to see such a travesty in future where they have to celebrate the auspicious festival away from their homes in camps as celebrating the festival of Karvah Chouth for first time in last over six decades was a unique experience for these women.
The district administration Jammu also extended all facilities to border women in the relief camps. The officers made personnel contributions to ensure that Sargi and other related food items were provided to the women to observe the Karva Chouth.
The district administration led by Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Ajeet Kumar Sahu took initiative to ensure that facilities be provided in all 16 relief camps set up in district Jammu.
Mr Sahu is closely monitoring the facilities being provided to the inmates of these camps and has directed the officers to come up to the expectations of the people and ensure adequate facilities are put in place for them.
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