Latur: Poojas, mantras welcome special train carrying 5 lakh litres of water

Mumbai: A special train carrying five lakh litres of water to quench the thirst of drought stricken Latur city in Marathwada region, reached there Tuesday on Tuesday morning and was welcomed by a priest reciting mantras and smiling politicians who broke a coconut before it.

Local BJP politicians performed the ‘jal puja’, while Congress leaders broke a coconut before the train as it is considered as auspicious in Indian culture. Interestingly, when the local media asked the priest what he was reciting, he could not give recall what it was but said it was for ‘peace’.

“We performed jal puja as it is our tradition. We perform puja for all occasions like Diwali, Ganesh festival so I do not think that there was anything wrong.
“We, of course, thanked the Centre and also the people of Miraj who brought the water here,” Shailesh Lahoti, BJP city president said.