Jaipur, Mar 24 : In anticipation of the much awaited annual Gangaur festival, shops in Jaipur have starting stocking the idols of Hindu God Shiva and her consort Gauri.

Gangaur festival is one of the most important festivals in Rajasthan and is observed throughout the state with great fervour and devotion by womenfolk who worship the idols of Gauri for the welfare of their life partners.

Jodhpur, Mar 18: A massive fire gutted down over hundred shops in Jodhpur during the early morning hours of Wednesday.

Eyewitnesses said that 150-200 shops were completely destroyed.

Residents said that the police team arrived on time. However, the fire had spread and became uncontrollable when the fire brigades reached the spot.

"At around 3:00 a. m. fire was raging in this area. Police officials came on time, but the fire brigades arrived late. By the time the fire brigades came, the fire had already spread. The loss is estimated to be to the tune of Rupees two crores," said Mohammad Ali, an eyewitness.

Jodhpur, Mar 17 : Traders here are performing a ritual in honour of Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth, to ward off global recession.

The nine-day ritual being held at the central grounds here commenced on Friday and will conclude on March 21.

Over 400 priests have been performing the rituals amid Vedic chants which reverberate in the entire neighbourhood.

According to head priest Prakharji Maharaj, the ritual would release latent energies of intellectuals and enable them to solve the global recession.

Da

Jodhpur, Mar 8 : Around 70 vintage cars rolled out at a rally here on Sunday.

The Jodhpur Heritage Car Club hosted the rally.

An array of classic and vintage cars were first lined up at the famed Umed Bhawan Palace of the erstwhile Maharaja (ruler) of Jodhpur from where they were flagged off to Khimsar, a village on the outskirts of the city.

The cars will head back to Jodhpur in the evening and would assemble at Mehrangarh Fort, where a prize distribution ceremony is scheduled to be held.