https://indianmasterminds.com

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

Pilibhit Starts Gomti River Aarti to Bring In the Tourists

Indian Masterminds Stories

Believed to be a divine river, Gomti is one of the many tributaries of the holy river Ganges. According to vedic text and Hindu mythology, this river is the daughter of Rishi Vashist, one of the Saptarishis. It flows through the capital of Uttar Pradesh, Lucknow. However, very few people know that the river originates from Madho Tanda, Pilibhit. There are some underground water pores that forms a lake called Gomat Taal or Fulhar Jheel, and this lake is where Gomti originates from. The current District Collector of Pilibhit, Mr. Pulkit Khare, has not only taken initiatives to develop the Gomti Udgam Sthal into a tourist spot but is also working towards keeping the pores in their natural condition. 

Pulkit Khare, DM Pilibhit

SLEW OF TOURISM DEVELOPMENT MEASURES

In conversation with Indian Masterminds, Mr. Khare said, “Pilibhit is blessed naturally. While it is the home for India’s youngest tiger reserve, the pious Gomti river also originates from here. Since I came to the district, I have been focusing on its USPs – whether it is flutes, tiger reserve, or the river. We have enough to convert this place into a major tourist hub. We started developing the Udgam sthal with an idea to provide more visiting points for the tourist who comes to visit the reserve.” 

After visiting the place, Mr. Khare sat down with his team to plan about things that can be added to the Udgam sthal to make it more attractive. According to the plan, a canteen has been built and boating has also started in the lake. A children zone with lots of rides and swing and even a mini zoo has also been built there. 

The temple of Gomti Mata which is also situated near the origin point has been renovated. With the efforts of Mr. Khare, Gomti aarti is also performed every evening between 5-6 PM which has become a major attraction for people. “We called a team from Varanasi to train the locals to perform the aarti in the similar way as it is done on the Ghats of Varanasi,” Mr. Khare said. 

Gomti originates from a lake in Madho Tanda, Pilibhit. Now the tourist has enjoy boating in the lake

He also mentioned that this initiative has generated employment opportunities for the people living in the nearby villages. The locals have started selling diyas and other items related to the aarti and many vendors have opened their shops around that place. Thus, this project has not only added beauty to the city but also provided livelihood to the local people. 

A team from the zoological department is also working on a project here to maintain the natural state of pores as they frequently get clogged. 

SHOP FOR GAUSHALA PRODUCTS

Mr. Khare and his team have been successful in opening the first shop in the state to sell Gaushala-based products which is run by the women of self-help groups. The team started with one shop and now there are eight such shops in the district. 

Pilibhit Administration opened first shop in the state to sell Gaushala Products. The shop is run by SHGs women

There are 23 gaushalas in the district which are managed by the administration and the state government. Mr. Khare’s vision was to make these gaushalas self-sufficient and, also, generate some amount of money. So, his team first identified the women self-help groups in the villages where these gaushalas are situated. Then a team started training them for making products out of cow-dung and gaumutra. There is a huge demand for these products. The SHGs women make items like flower pots, diyas, idols of god and goddesses from these products. 

Now the district have eight such shops

Mr. Khare said, “When we made the teams of SHGs, we told them that they have to work for two hours in the gaushala. Whatever items they will make, they will get an outlet to sell it. People were already purchasing those items locally, so, we opened shops in the places where the footfalls are very high.”

The whole process from training to opening the first shop took around six months but it has certainly changed the lives of the women of the SHGs as they have become financially independent and self-reliant. 


Indian Masterminds Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Related Stories
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
NEWS
Mohan Yadav
Jal Ganga Conservation Campaign Becomes a People's Movement for Water Preservation
Uttar Pradesh UP Government
Uttar Pradesh Government Transfers Eight IAS Officers in Major Administrative Reshuffle; Check Names Here
Uttar Pradesh CM resized
Uttar Pradesh Govt Transfers 15 PCS Officers, Key Appointments in Lucknow, Gorakhpur, and Ayodhya; Details Here
Rath yatra Stampede
Odisha Tragedy Sparks Administrative Shakeup and High-Level Probe; Collector and SP Removed
Uttar Pradesh UP Government
UP Government Reshuffles Five IPS Officers in Key Administrative Changes; Check Names Here
government-of-haryana
Haryana Government Announces Major Pension Reforms for Pre-2016 Retirees
SSB
IPS Officer Shashvat Kumar Appointed as Commandant in SSB
bhajanlal-sharma-2024-06-c48355f4a09ac40a1c3b9d1bea89a474
Action Against Corrupt Officers Approved by CM Bhajanlal Sharma
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
Ex-IRS Officer C. Rajendiran Illuminates Thirukkural’s Timeless Wisdom in Exclusive Interview
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Why Has the DGCA Fined Air India Rs 5 Crore Since Privatisation?
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
Iran Is Weakest Now, Needs a Face-Saver
ADVERTISEMENT
UPSC Stories
IPS Deepak Meghani
Deepak Meghani, IPS: A Journey of Focus, Failure, and Quiet Discipline
A passionate writer, he has authored several books in Gujarati, ranging from exam strategy guides to...
Sanish Kumar Singh
“If you want it badly enough, you’ll find a way,” Sanish Kumar Singh AIR 8, UPSC IFS 2024 
The real interview, he says, was much more humane. “The board was conversational. The chairman opened...
Raju Wagh
When the Battlefield Became a Study Room and a Dream Took Flight
Amid IED blasts and anti-Maoist operations in Bastar, CRPF Commando Raju Wagh taught village kids, studied...
Social Media
Shailaja Chandra
“Nanis & Dadis Have a Brain”: Former IAS Officer Shailaja Chandra Weighs in on 1970s vs 2025 Life Debate - “This Generation Has It Better”
Responding to Viral Post on Middle-Class Struggles, Ex-Bureaucrat Offers Candid Reflection on Then and...
Tigress Arrowhead
The End of an Era: A Queen Falls - Ranthambore’s Iconic Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) Passes Away at 14, Hours After Daughter’s Relocation
Ranthambore mourns the loss of one of its fiercest and most beloved tigers, Arrowhead, the granddaughter...
Screenshot 2025-06-13 194001
Wild Elephant Disrupts Riverside Picnic, Sparks Debate on Human Encroachment; IFS Parveen Kumar Shares the Video - Watch Here!
Mr. Kaswan used the viral video, which has garnered over 1.5 lakh views, to highlight the risks of human...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Latest
Mohan Yadav
Jal Ganga Conservation Campaign Becomes a People's Movement for Water Preservation
Khushboo Upadhyay
The Woman Who Listened to the Forest: Meet 'The Tiger Woman' Khushboo Upadhyay, Who Rescued 18 Leopards
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Videos
Ex IRS C Rajendiran
WhatsApp Image 2025-06-25 at 5.07
Former Diplomat Ashok Sajjanhar
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT