Rishikesh, June 14 -- Parmarth Niketan Ashram President Swami Chidanand Saraswati performed special prayers and aarti on the banks of the Ganga in Rishikesh to pay tribute to the victims of the tragic AI-171 plane crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed 241 lives.

Calling the incident "shocking and disturbing," Swami Chidanand said the entire environment was engulfed in grief as thousands joined in the collective prayer for the departed souls and the speedy recovery of the sole survivor.

He also paid tribute to former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who died in the crash, describing him as a "very dear person."

Speaking to ANI on Friday, Swami Chidanand Saraswati said, "The accident is shocking and disturbing. The whole environment is s...