Kashi to Kedarnath, temples hold prayers for Captain Machchhar after flydubai attack

BJP leaders and workers held puja and havan at several temples across the country on Wednesday for the speedy recovery of Captain Smit Machchhar, who was stabbed while foiling his co-pilot's alleged attempt to crash a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

Prayers were organised at temples including Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the Kedarnath shrine and the Somnath temple, while offerings were also made at the Khajrana Ganesh Temple in Indore and the 108-ft Hanuman Temple in Jhandewalan in Delhi.

Machchhar, captain of flydubai flight FZ1073, sustained serious injuries during the incident. The flight, carrying 174 passengers, including 27 children, transmitted emergency signals and made a sharp descent of more than 17,000 feet from 34,000 feet before diverting to Prince Sultan Bin Abdel Aziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

A BJP leader said, "His courage and sense of duty in adverse circumstances have made the entire country proud." The party said its leaders and workers offered prayers at the Kedarnath Temple for Machchhar's recovery, while a havan was also performed at the Jhandewalan Hanuman Temple in Delhi.

At Shri Kashi Vishwanath Dham, the temple administration said special religious rituals were performed for the pilot's good health and long life, and to honour his courage, dedication to duty and efforts to protect human lives. As part of the ceremony, Rudrabhishek was performed by 21 priests using kusha-infused water, while 11 priests chanted one lakh Maha Mrityunjaya mantras for his recovery.

Special arrangements were also made during the evening Ganga aarti at Namo Ghat and the Kashi Vishwanath temple ghat. In a repost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's post on X praising the pilot, the temple trust said, "May Baba Vishwanath grant him a speedy and complete recovery and a long life to serve the nation and humanity."

At the Somnath temple in Gujarat, a special puja was held for Machchhar's speedy recovery and long life, and a continuous Mahamrityunjaya mantra chanting ritual was started.

In a post on X, the temple said, "For the pride of the nation, brave pilot Smit Machhar, a special grand worship was performed at the first Jyotirlinga, Shri Somnath, for his excellent health and long life."

It also said, "During the flight to Tel Aviv, displaying indomitable courage, wisdom, and unparalleled dedication to duty, he foiled a cruel conspiracy like 9/11 and saved nearly 180 precious lives." The temple added, "May Lord Shiva, with His special grace, swiftly restore this brave young man to complete health."

Prayers for Machchhar were thus held at multiple temples across India, with BJP leaders, workers and temple authorities invoking his recovery after the captain was seriously injured while preventing the alleged attempt to bring down the aircraft.