

JAISALMER: Around 1,200-year-old Tanot Mateshwari temple at Tanot village on Indo-Pak border, famous by the name of Bammowali Devi, is bustling with a huge crowd of devotees this year. Seeing this, 135 BSF has made special arrangements for aarti darshan for the crowd.

Huge TVs have been set up outside the temple for devotees who are unable to enter the temple at the time of aarti. Daily thousands of people have food in the 'bhandara' organized by BSF.

Due to the miracles of Mata at the time of 1965-71 Indo-Pak war, the goddess is also known as Jawanon ki Devi. Hundreds of devotees come on foot to the temple.

During Navratras, there is a huge crowd of devotees. The priest of this temple is jawan of 135 BN BSF. The jawans from 135 BSF not only take care of the temple, but also take care of thousands of pilgrims by providing food and extending other facilities. With Ghat Sthapana at Shaktipeeth Mateshwari Tanot, the nine-day fair has started and large number of devotees have started coming to the temple to take part in special one-hour aarti that takes place in the evening.

The temple has been decorated and lit up. There is a kerchief room in the temple premises where devotees tie kerchiefs praying goddess to fulfill their wish. Many temporary shops have been set up for selling sweets and other 'prasad' items. Looking to the increasing crowd of devotees, strict security arrangements have been made at Tanot. BSF jawans of 135 BN BSF and police personnel have been deployed here.

Tanot temple priest constable Manish telling about the history of the temple said that Mateshwari Tanotraitemple at Tanot check post at the Indo Pak border has many miracles during 1965 and 1971 war and army and BSf jawans and officers are quite proud of the miracles. This temple along with jawans and officers is centre of faith for many devotees. The importance of temple increased after 1965 war and even the jawans and commanders of Paksitan were quite surprised by the miracles of temple. During the Indo-Pak war, around 3000 bombs were shot from Pakistan out of which 459 bombs fell into the premises of temple and maximum bombs did not explode and a few bombs are kept even today as miracle. The bombs falling into the temple did not explode due to which there was no damage to temple and nearby areas. In 1965 war, India defeated Pakistan and then Brigadier Khan quite impressed with the miracle of Tanot Mata presented a silver umbrella, which is kept even today.

Apart from these miracles, during 1971 war, Pakistan tried to encroach Longewala on Decembr 16 and with the blessings of Tanot Mata, Indian army destroyed hundreds of enemy's tanks and vehicles and the enemy was forced to run back to their country. December 16 is celebrated even today as Vijay Diwas. As a memory, Rajasthan govt has built a Vijay Stambh at Tanot mata temple entrance. He said

