Rajasthan Launches Senior Citizens Yatra To South India Temples, First Train Leaves For Rameswaram, Madurai

The first special train under Rajasthan's Senior Citizen Pilgrimage Scheme - 2026 was flagged off from Durgapura railway station here on Monday, carrying 970 elderly pilgrims to Rameswaram and Madurai, officials said. Devasthan Minister Joraram Kumawat interacted with the pilgrims before departure, enquiring about their well-being and wishing them a safe journey.

According to officials, the train will reach Rameswaram on July 15, where the pilgrims will stay for a day before proceeding to Madurai the next day to offer prayers at the Meenakshi Temple. The train is scheduled to return to Jaipur on July 20.

An official statement said the first batch comprises 970 senior citizens from four districts of Rajasthan. Arrangements for food, accommodation and medical care have been made, while a team of 30 government personnel is accompanying the pilgrims.

Kumawat thanked Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma for the initiative and said similar pilgrimages will continue in the coming days. He said the next trains under the scheme will depart from Ajmer on July 20, Jodhpur on July 24 and Udaipur on July 30 for the same destinations.

The minister also announced the schedule for the air travel component of the scheme to Nepal's Pashupatinath Temple. "From July 20 to September 22, daily flights will operate to Kathmandu from New Delhi airport, with 44 senior citizens travelling each day," he said.

Kumawat said 2,860 senior citizens will visit the Pashupatinath Temple during this period, while the remaining pilgrims will undertake the journey in December.

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