Mahant Kamalgiri applies tilak to give Narmada purification message

Bhopal: “Namami Devi Narmade” – Seva Yatra left Kachhratola in Anuppur district on Monday. During the Yatra, Mahant Kamal Giri, resident of Maheshwar of Khargone district applied ‘Tripund Tilak’ on the villagers present to give message of keeping Narmada clean and pollution-free. He said that he was accompanying the yatra on his Honda Activa two-wheeler ever since it reached Maheshwar about two months back on March 4. So far he has inspired thousands of villagers of nearly a dozen districts of the Narmada banks for conservation of Narmada river by applying tilak.

Mahant Kamal Giri informed that he joined the Yatra from Maheshwar with Rs 1000 and his daughter’s two-wheeler. Ever since he has been applying Tripund and Om-shaped tilak with chandan and roli on the Yatris. A few yatris give him dakshina that provides for the cost of fuel for his vehicle. Mahant said that he has been residing in Maheshwar on the banks of Narmada since birth and has been serving at the Maa Satmatra Mandir situated there.

Due to immense faith in Maa Narmada since childhood, he has always wanted to do something to purify the river and keep it pollution-free. He says that by initiating the Narmada Seva Yatra, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has created history. He said that the Yatra has become a very good medium to create awareness to de-addiction, Beti-Bachao, water, river and environmental conservation. This is why he too was inspired to take part in the public movement.

Educated up to Higher Secondary, Kamal Giri dispatched reel for films in Indore.

He said that earlier his mother would perform pooja at the Maa Satmatra temple but after her death, he took up the work. Mahant Giri said that earlier he has done the work of applying tilak on lakhs of devotees at Kumbh mela in Allahabad and Ujjain Simhashata also.-WTN