Chitrakoot priest refuses to abandon temple amid floods
A priest in Chitrakoot refused to evacuate his temple despite severe flooding from the Mandakini River, citing his devotion to the deity. Local officials attempted to persuade him to leave for safety, but he remained behind as rescue operations continued for others.
Why it matters
The story highlights the intersection of religious devotion and emergency management during natural disasters.
Chitrakoot: The water was rising, the river was in spate and officials were urging people to move to safety. But inside the flooded premises of a temple at Ramghat, a priest chose to stay back.As the swollen Mandakini River submerged parts of Chitrakoot, District Magistrate Pulkit Garg and Superintendent of Police Arun Kumar Singh reached the Bada Math temple on Tuesday and appealed to the priest to leave the premises. The two senior officials reportedly folded their hands and urged him to move to a safer place.The priest, however, refused. His answer was that he could not leave the deity behind. The emotional exchange took place as the Mandakini continued to rise after around 36 hours of heavy rain in the hilly areas.
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