Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 3: Navratra Festival is commencing at Katra Mata Vaishno Devi with great fan fare, enthusiasm and religious fervour at the base camp from October 5.
Disclosing this at a press conference here today, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Shantmanu, who is also chairman of the festival organizing committee said that annual Navratra Festival will be held from October 5 (Saturday) to October 12, 2013 at Katra Mata Vaishno Devi.
The festival will be organized jointly by the Department of Tourism, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, District Administration Reasi and the local hostel industry.
Dy Chief Minister Tara Chand will inaugurate the festival at 11.30 am at Katra in presence of members of the organizing committee including he himself as chairman, additional CEO Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrina Board Dr Mandeep Bhandari, Director Tourism Soujanya Sharma, Deputy Commissioner Reasi Dr Shahid Iqbal Choudhary and others. A large number of permanent persons of the area and other special invitees/ guests would witness this grand occasion. He said this festival was started to promote the holy cave shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi as an important pilgrim destination of the State.
Shantmanu further disclosed that due to impressive efforts made by the Government, non-Government agencies and other stake holders, this festival has today reached at its optimum level and has contributed in the over all social, cultural and economical progress of the State. He said 16 organising sub-committees have been formed to make necessary arrangements in connection with the Navratra festival.
Giving more details, he said inauguration of the festival at Katra will take place at Hotel Asia Chowk at 11.30 am followed by cultural procession up to main chowk of the town. A Shobha Yatra of troupes and tableaux show-casing culture and tradition of the State will commence as per practice from Asia Chowk at 7 pm on all the days from October 6. All India devotional song competition will commence at 8 pm at Yog Ashram Ground Katra on all days. Song and Drama Division (Ministry of I&B) will organize ‘Ras Lila’ at Govt Higher Secondary School Katra at 8 pm daily Muskan Welfare Foundan, an NGO will also organize cultural programme with a difference on Oct 12 at same school at 11 am. Bhagwat Katha will be delivered daily at Shri Raghunath Mandir, Katra from 2 pm to 6 pm by Shri Sumanth Krishan Maharaj ji of Varindavan Wale.
International Wrestling competition will also be one of the events during this festival. One of the organizing committee members, Shiv Kumar Sharma, disclosed that apart from India, wrestlers from England, Ukraine, Belarus will participate in this event. He said wrestlers from Pakistan have not been invited this time in view of the prevailing situation.
Kavi Sammelan, Hasya Vyang events will also be the part of festival. On October 7, 8 and 9 at Durga Bhawan complex Panthal Road Katra Hasya Vyang event will be organized. Kavi Samelan will be organized at 7 pm on October 5 at Main Chowk Katra. Elaborate security arrangements have been made by the Police authorities in this regard.
Responding to a question, the Divisional Commissioner said that incidents of terrorist attacks in Samba and Hiranagar may cause a little impact on the festival but not much. He said a little decline in yatra has been witnessed for the last few weeks but over all there will be not much impact of it on the festival. He also claimed to improve facilities at Shiv Khori Shrine including improvement in road and sheds besides sitting arrangement along yatra track. He said that he was going to take review of the facilities shortly.
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