Bikaner namkeen export crisis: The attacks by America and Israel on Iran and the increasing tension in the Middle East have now started affecting the famous namkeen and snacks brand Bikaner. Due to the continuation of the war, the pace of salt export is slowing down. Exporters from Bikaner area of ​​Rajasthan are facing a lot of obstacles in sending consignments of Bhujia, Papad and spices to Gulf countries and European markets.

New challenge before exporters

Bikaner is very famous for its salty industry. From here, namkeen and papad are sent to Gulf countries like Iran, Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Oman, UAE and European countries like Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Spain. Now amid the war in Iran, exporters say that due to this conflict there has been a huge shortage of containers.

Earlier, goods were sent in 15-20 containers, but now due to their shortage, goods worth crores of rupees are stuck at ports or in transit. On top of that, it is the peak export season, hence due to delay in sending goods and rising costs, the crisis on Bikaner’s export-based industry is deepening.

longer delivery time

Along with the shortage of containers, ships are having to take long routes in search of safe sea routes. Due to this, the shipment which earlier used to reach in 30 days, is now taking 60 days to reach. This means delivery is now taking double the time. Meanwhile, due to increase in risk in sea routes, freight charges have also increased manifold, insurance companies are also now charging higher ‘risk premium’ for ships.

Will Bikaneri Namkeen become expensive?

The prices of raw materials have also increased due to war. In the last one month, the prices of edible oil have increased by 20 percent. Amid rising prices of petrol, the expenditure on packaging has also increased by 30-40 percent. Amidst all this, manufacturers fear that due to the instability caused by war, the prices of products may increase, which will affect the pockets of the common man. This means that in the future, enjoying Bikaneri Namkeen and Bhujia may prove costly.

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Gangaur Puja in Bikaner: Gangaur festival, celebrated on the special occasion of Navratri in Bikaner, Rajasthan, is known for its unique traditions. Here, a statue of Maa Gangaur, the form of Maa Parvati, is installed, which is kept for darshan in the open square only for two days in a year.

During these two days, huge crowd of devotees gather and darshan is done under special security arrangements.

Why is the statue kept under tight security?

The main reason for keeping this Gangaur statue of Bikaner under special protection is its amazing decoration. This idol of Maa Gangaur is decorated with precious jewelery of diamonds, kundan and gold, whose value is said to be in crores of rupees.

For this reason, strict arrangements are made for the security of the statue and the police administration also remains alert.

History of 150 years old tradition

This Gangaur statue is considered to be more than 150 years old. According to the legend, a person named Udayamal had no children. At that time the worship of Mother Gauri was limited only to the royal families.

Udayamal went to the king’s house and worshiped Mother Gangaur and after a year he was blessed with a son, Ratna, who was named Chandmal.

After this, the Gangaur which was worshipped, came to be known as “Gangaur of Chandmal” and since then this tradition is continuing till today.

Darbar is held only two days in a year

During Navratri, this special court of Maa Gangaur is decorated only on the days of Teej and Chauth. Devotees from far and wide reach here during these two days. People from all over the country and abroad come to see this unique tradition and have darshan of the mother. During this time, a fair like atmosphere is created in the entire area.

Special puja for having a son

The biggest belief of this Gangaur is related to the birth of a son. During these special days of Navratri, women dance in front of Mother Gangaur and pray for the birth of a child. It is believed that prayers made with a true heart definitely get fulfilled.

Unique statue feature

The most special thing about this Gangaur statue of Bikaner is that the legs have been made in it. Usually the statues of Gangaur do not have legs, but this statue is completely different and unique in this respect.

This is the reason why it is counted among the most famous Gangaur of entire India.

What do devotees do when their wishes are fulfilled?

Devotees whose wishes are fulfilled, offer Chunari to the Mother Goddess and coconut and batasha at her feet. Many devotees bring their children to the mother’s court to get them blessed and pray for their long life and happiness and prosperity.

center of faith and belief

According to Yashwant Kothari, resident of Dhadon Chowk, this Gangaur is famous not only in Bikaner but all over India. The fair organized here every year on Teej and Chauth is a wonderful confluence of faith, tradition and belief.

This unique Gangaur tradition not only reflects the cultural heritage of Bikaner, but also shows that even time becomes short in front of faith and belief. During these two days of Navratri, this divine court of Mother Gangaur brings special blessings for the devotees.

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Suresh Jain’s report from Bikaner

Rajasthan is going to get the gift of two new Vande Bharat Express trains from next week. The Indian Railways is ready to start two new Vande Bharat Express trains connecting Jodhpur and Bikaner with the national capital Delhi. With these new services, travel time on both routes is expected to be less than an hour. According to the report, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the new Vande India on 25 September.

These trains will ensure travel with fast and better convenience for passengers. Which will also give a boost to business along with tourism. According to a possible timetable, this train will leave Jodhpur at 5:30 am and reach Delhi Cantt at 1:30 pm. In return, it will leave at 3:10 and will reach Jodhpur at 11:15 pm on the same day. Will reach Jodhpur from Delhi in about 8 hours.

Vande Bharat Train from Bikaner to Delhi Cantt

According to the possible timetable of the second Vande Bharat train, it will leave Bikaner at 5:45 am and reach Delhi Cantt at 11:50 am. This train will come back from Delhi Cantt at 4:45 pm and reach Bikaner at 11:00 pm. However, no official statement has come about the exact dates of the inauguration of both trains. It is being said that on September 25, PM Modi will flag it off.

Connectivity with semi-high-speed trains will be stronger

According to railway officials, these new semi-high-speed trains will connect connectivity and strong, passenger experience will be better and the regional economy will be boosted. The maintenance and operation of these new trains will be done by the North Western Railway (NWR) zone.

How many Vande India trains are running in Rajasthan?

Currently, four pairs of Vande Bharat Express trains are running in Rajasthan. According to the report of Financial Express, Prime Minister Modi gave the first Vande Bharat Express train of Rajasthan on April 12, 2023. This train, running from Ajmer to Delhi Cantt, also claims to be the world’s first semi high speed passenger train in the High Rise Overhead Electric (OHE) region.

On which routes are 4 pairs of Vande Bharat trains in Rajasthan?

• Train number 12461/12462 Jodhpur-Sarmati-Jodhpur Vande Bharat Express
• Train number 20977/20978 Ajmer-Chandigarh-Ajmer Vande Bharat Express
• Train number 20981/20982 Udaipur-Agra Cantt-Udaipur Vande Bharat Express
• Train number 20979/20980 Udaipur-Jaipur-Udaipur Vande Bharat Express

These trains are designed at 180 km per hour, although the current maximum speed is 160 km per hour due to track limits.

MiG-21, the oldest and brave warrior of the Indian Air Force, is formally retiring next month. This fighter aircraft, which protected the sky for about six decades, was once called the “backbone of the Air Force”. MiG-21 waved India’s victory in many important campaigns from the 1971 war. But increasing technical challenges and accidents have put a complete stop on its journey. Now this aircraft will always be remembered by becoming a glorious chapter of Indian defense history. On Monday (August 25, 2025), the MiG-21 fighter jets took their final flight at the air base at Naal in Bikaner. These aircraft will be given a final farewell in the formal retirement ceremony held in Chandigarh on 26 September.

Air Force chief filled the final flight of MiG
Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh flew from Nal to MiG-21 on August 18-19 on the symbolic farewell of MiG-21. It was a passionate moment for several generations of trained pilots on a fighter aircraft of the Russian origin serving the Air Force for 62 years. Air Chief Marshal Singh said after his flight- ‘MiG-21 has been the most powerful fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force since its inception in the 1960s and we are still using it. It is one of the highest, large -scale supersonic fighter aircraft in history, with more than 11,000 aircraft used in more than 60 countries.

VIDEO | Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh Takes A Sortie in Mig-21 Aircraft in Bikaner. The IAF is all set to bid adeiu mig-21 aircraft from operation roles on September 26.#Indianairforce #mig21 pic.twitter.com/7t9nqcszk7

– Press Trust of India (@Pti_News) August 25, 2025

MiG-21 starts in India
In 1963, India won the first batch of MiG-21 aircraft. A total of 13 aircraft were brought during this period. At that time, the Air Force was looking for a high-altitude interceptor that could compete with aircraft like American U-2 spy plane. This was the reason that India bought MiG-21. MiG-21 was not limited to interceptors only. Over time its role reached ground attack, fighter reconnaissance mission, air defense and even new pilots training. However, training was not part of its original design. Initially, permission to fly MiG-21 was given only to the most experienced pilots of the Indian Air Force. The reason for this was its challenging flight capabilities. The small size of the aircraft, limited cockpit visibility and landing speed of more than 300 kilometers per hour made it extremely difficult for new pilots.

MiG-21 made historical contribution in many wars
The contribution of MiG-21 in many wars was historic. The aircraft participated in the 1965 war and played an important role in the 1971 battle on the attack on the Governor’s residence in Dhaka, especially on 14 December. The Governor resigned the next day and on 16 December, Pakistan surrendered and 93,000 of its soldiers laid down their arms. Subsequently, in 1999, under the Operation White Sea, the aircraft also showed enlightenment when MiG-21 killed a Pakistani Atlantic aircraft infiltrating Indian territory. In the 2010s, MiG-21 showed its strength when India launched accurate airstrikes on terrorist bases in Pakistan after the 2019 Pulwama terror attack. At the same time, this aircraft remained active in the 2020s and played an important role in Ladakh patrolling the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

Air Force’s backbone remained for decades
Despite the difficulties, the MiG-21 remained the favorite aircraft of the Indian Air Force. Not only this, it remained the backbone of the Air Force until Russia-made Sukhoi SU-30MKI was included in the fleet in the mid-2000s. During the years MiG-21 was continuously upgraded to modern weapons and avionics. This made it much more than “just one fighter jet”. MiG-21 was not just a fighter jet, but it also became a symbol of strong military relations in India-Russia. This relationship also persists for decades like MiG-21 and is equally strong today.

Price of MiG-21
What was the exact price of MiG-21 in the 1960s is not clear, but this aircraft was considered very cheap due to mass production. Its cost was much lower than the western fighter jets like F-4 phantom of that time. During this period, the Israeli intelligence agency gave an Iraqi pilot 3 million dollars in lieu of its MiG-21. It is clear that at that time it was important to achieve this aircraft for testing.

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PM Modi Bikaner Visit: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is on a tour of Bikaner in Rajasthan. He visited the Karni Mata temple here on Thursday morning and bowed his head. PM Modi also inaugurated the rebelled Deshnok railway station. He laid the foundation stone for many development projects costing more than 26 thousand crores. This is Prime Minister Modi’s first public program after Operation Sindoor. He is accompanied by Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal and Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma.

PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of several development projects in Railways, Roads, Electricity, Water and New and Renewable Energy Sector in Bikaner district. After this, he also showed the green signal to the Bikaner-Mumbai Express train. The Prime Minister has inaugurated 103 rebellious nectar stations in 86 districts of 18 states and union territories at a cost of more than Rs 1,100 crore in the process of improving the railways in the country.

update in progress…

A major railway accident occurred on Sunday (April 6, 2025) in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. A fierce fire broke out in two coaches of a train going to Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh. On receiving information about the fire incident, many vehicles of fire brigade were called by railway personnel.

Where this accident happened in Ujjain, there was an atmosphere of chaos. Hundreds of people gathered near the railway tracks to see the accident. Police reached the spot and removed all the people from there. Shortly after the accident, the fire brigade vehicles came on the spot and controlled the fire.

Train was going from Bikaner to Bilaspur

Khemraj Meena, PRO of Indian Railways, talked to the news agency PTI about the accident. He told that the train going from Bikaner to Bilaspur became the victim of the accident. He told that a fire broke out in the power car cabin of the train near Ujjain.

VIDEO | Ujjain: Reports of two coaches of the bilaspur-bound train Caught Fire Earlier Today. Further Details Are Awaited.

(Source: third party)
(Full video available on pti videos – https://t.co/DV5TRARJN4, pic.twitter.com/u9Q95VPPUU

– Press Trust of India (@Pti_News) April 6, 2025

No casualties in the accident

The PRO of the Railways said that the fire brigade vehicles were immediately called to extinguish the fire and the fire was controlled shortly. He said that no casualties have been reported in the accident. He told that the accident took place at around 5 pm on Sunday evening.

According to eyewitnesses, there was a sudden bang in the train coaches, which created an atmosphere of chaos. The train that was a victim of the accident was Bilaspur-Bikaner Express (20846). However, there were no casualties in the accident. If a passenger jumped from the train after seeing the fire, there was a possibility of a danger of life and property, but no such accident happened.

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