Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 10: As a part of Navratra celebration, ‘Surya Putri ‘Aarti’ was today performed on the bank of river Tawi near Hari Ki Pauri in Bahu Fort area this evening with great religious fervour and gaiety.
Minister for Housing, Horticulture and Culture, Raman Bhalla, accompanied by a group of Brahmans performed ‘Surya Putri Aarti’.
Director Tourism, Soujanya Sharma, Managing Director, JK Housing Board, Ram Pal Sharma, Joint Director Tourism, Shiv Kumar Gupta besides prominent citizens including large number of pilgrims participated in the celebrations.
After ‘Surya Putri Aarti’, the devotees offered flowers and earthen lamps ‘diyas’ to river Tawi in order to pay regards to their ancestors.
Addressing the pilgrims, Bhalla said Government is taking up several steps to develop Bahu Fort area, which is one of the fast emerging pilgrims destination in the State, by providing modern lines way side facilities to the visitors.
For boosting tourism in Bahu Fort area, the Minister said that Government has created facilities for pilgrims and tourists like recreational garden, aquarium, balidan stumb, landscaping, view points, tug shop, toilet blocks, fencing, illumination, drinking water besides construction of darshani deodi near Kalika colony.
Mr Bhalla said the place has become a major attraction for those visiting Shri Mata Vaishno Devi ji and other tourist spots of the State. He said the pilgrims of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji first come to Shri Maha Kali Temple at Bahu Fort.
In order to attract domestic and foreign tourists towards City of Temples, Mr Bhalla said that focused attention is being paid for developing all the open spaces as recreational parks besides creating other necessary facilities. He said that a number of measures are being taken to develop new tourism spots and conserve century old monuments of the region like Mubarak Mandi and Shri Maha Kali Temple in Bahu Fort.
The Minister said Government has sanctioned Rs 3.5 crore for developing the river Tawi embankments near Peer Kho temple which included construction of parks, Tourist Reception Centre, artificial lake, adding that Rs 90 lakh have been spent for construction of view points and road widening from Bahu Fort to Hari Ki Pouri temple.
Referring to measures being taken for promoting tourism in other parts of the region, Mr Bhalla said that the Government is looking forward to introduce water sports at Akhnoor, Baglihar and Pul Doda.
Earlier, the artists of Bhartiya Kala Sangam presented devotional songs which were high applauded by hundreds of pilgrims gathered on the bank of river Tawi.
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