New Delhi: On the occasion of Anant Ambani’s 31st birthday, Reliance Industries has donated Rs 32.50 crore to the Ambaji Temple in Gujarat. According to the officials, the donation will be used to improve facilities for pilgrims, including building a modern accommodation complex and expanding free meal services. It is important to note that the Ambaji Temple is one of the prominent pilgrimage sites in India. The temple attracts devotees from across India and abroad.
The temple welcomes over two crore devotees every year to seek the blessings of Goddess Amba. The temple trust also provides accommodation and food facilities for devotees through funds received as donations. As per the Shri Arasuri Ambaji Mata Devasthan Trust, a part of the donation will go towards constructing a new state-of-the-art pilgrim accommodation facility.
Notably, the development comes after older rest houses like Ambika Rest House and Jagadjan Pathikashram were demolished as part of the Gabbar Corridor development project. The new complex aims to offer better amenities to visiting devotees.
Here are some of the key details:
- Temple Trust Administrator Kaushik Modi said that the new multi-purpose complex will be built at an estimated cost of around Rs 13 crore.
- It will include 65 rooms, dormitories, and parking facilities
- It is expected to serve more than one lakh pilgrims at subsidised rates.
- Reliance has contributed Rs 5 crore specifically for the construction of 17 rooms on the ground floor.
- A major portion of the donation, Rs 27.50 crore, has been allocated to support the temple’s food distribution initiatives.
- Under the ‘Jai Ambe Tithi Bhojan Yojana’, the funding will provide free meals to over 30 lakh pilgrims annually for the next five years.
It is important to note that the temple already runs a free meal service through the ‘Ambika Annakshetra’. Under the scheme, food is being served to around 7,000 to 8,000 devotees daily. Officials said the contribution will significantly improve facilities for pilgrims and strengthen ongoing services at the temple.
