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9 dead in attack on church in Pakistan (Lead)

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7 years ago

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Islamabad, Dec 17 (IANS) At least nine people have been killed, including two of the attackers, and another 30 injured after four armed insurgents attacked a Methodist church on Sunday in Quetta in Pakistan.

The attack on the Bethel Memorial church on Imdad square, where around 400 people were present, started at 12.10 p.m. when a suicide attacker detonated the explosives he was carrying at the church’s entrance, police spokesperson Muhammed Ramzan said.

Another of the attackers, who failed to detonate his explosives-laden vest, was killed in a shootout with the police inside the church while the remaining two assailants fled the scene, reports Efe news.

“The police are hunting for those who ran away,” a police officer added.

According to the police spokesperson, among the nine killed were two women and five men, in addition to the two attackers. Another 28 people have been injured, including a police officer guarding the church.

However, Hidayat Ullah, a supervisor at the Civil Hospital Quetta, told EFE that 30 people had been wounded, including women and children.

The government of Balochistan declared an emergency in public hospitals of Quetta when the attack started and asked all medical staff to be ready to receive the injured, according to an official statement.

Quetta, capital of Balochistan, is located in one of the most conflict-ridden areas of Pakistan, with the presence of armed separatist groups, Taliban factions and Islamist groups.

There have been frequent attacks on religious minorities in Balochistan, including the last incident in October, in which 18 people were killed and 25 injured in a suicide attack on a Sufi shrine.

Pakistan is a Sunni-Muslim majority country, with four million Christians in a total population of around 200 million residents.

–IANS
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Chaitra Navratri 2022 Day 2: Maa Brahmacharini Significance and History

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3 years ago

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April 3, 2022

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Chaitra Navratri 2022 begins on the first day of the Hindu month (lunar-solar calendar) Chaitra. It marks the end of spring season and beginning of summer season, and that’s why it is also known as Vasant Navratri. The nine-day-long festival has already started from April 2. Tomorrow, that is April 3, is the second day of Chaitra Navratri, and Goddess Brahmacharini is worshipped on the second day of the holy festival.

Chaitra Navratri 2022 Day 2: Maa Brahmacharini Significance

Maa Brahmacharini is known for her pure and sincere devotion and determination. According to the drik panchang, Goddess Parvati took birth at the home of Daksha Prajapati. In this form, the Goddess Parvati was a great Sati and her unmarried form is worshipped as Goddess Brahmacharini. It is also believed that Lord Mangal, the provider of all fortunes, is governed by Goddess Brahmacharini. She did severe penance to get Lord Shiva as her husband and performed hard austerity. Due to this, she was called Brahmacharini. According to Hindu mythologies, Goddess Brahmacharini was on a diet of Bilva leaves for 3000 years while she prayed to Lord Shankar. Later, she even stopped eating Bilva leaves and continued her penance without any food and water.

Chaitra Navratri 2022 Day 2: Maa Brahmacharini Puja Vidhi

Step 1: The devotees should get up early and should take a bath.

Step 2: Then, the devotees should take flowers, roli, chandan, among other puja samagari and offer them to the idol of Maa Brahmacharini.

Step 3: The devotees should chant mantras and conclude the puja by performing a special Maa Durga Aarti.

The favourite flower of Maa Brahmacharini is Jasmine. The website also mentions the mantras to chant for Maa Brahmacharini.

Om Devi Brahmacharinyai Namah॥

Stuti:

Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu Maa Brahmacharini Rupena Samsthita।
Namastasyai Namastasyai Namastasyai Namo Namah॥

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