Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 14: The yearly nine day Navratra Festival at holy town Katra would start from October 16, 2012 offering a series of programmes for the visitors till its culmination on October 23.
Addressing a press conference here today, the Divisional Commissioner Jammu Pardeep Gupta, who is the chairman of the Navratra Festival Organizing Committee, said that the festival will be organized jointly by Department of Tourism, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB), the district administration, Katra municipality and the local hospitality industry.
He informed that the festival will be inaugurated by Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand.
Highlighting the fast growing popularity of the festival, he said the yearly event was started for popularizing the Holy Cave Shrine of Mata Vaishnodeviji as a major pilgrim destination of the State. He said that due to meticulous efforts made by the Government, non-Governmental agencies and allied stake holders, this festival has reached its optimum level contributing a lot to overall social, cultural, economic progress of the State.
The Div Com informed that 16 Sub-Committees have been constituted to make necessary arrangements in connection with the Navratra Festival 2012.
The main attractions of the festivals will be inauguration of the festival celebration at Katra on 16th October, 2012 at 12 noon in Asia Chowk by the Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand followed by a cultural procession up to Main Chowk, Katra.
“Shoba Yatra cum cultural procession of Troupes and Tableaux showcasing Culture and Tradition of Jammu will commence as per past practice from Asia Chowk at 7 p.m. on all days from October 17 to 23 October 2012” he added.
Listing the events being held during the nine day festival, he said the All India Devotional Songs Competition will commence at 8.30 p.m. at Yoga Ashram Grounds, Katra. This event will have contestants from across the country that will go through different stages of competition. The Mega Final will be held on October 23, 2012 at 8.30 p.m and the winner will be rewarded with a prize of Rs. 1 lakh in gold coins of the Goddess, he added.
Sermons on the Ramayan/Holy Bhagwat Gita will be delivered daily at Shree Raghunath Mandir from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
He said that this year the International Wrestling Competition is named as Mission Dosti Rustam-E-Indo-Pak-England-Ukraine-Bangladesh Wrestling Championship and will be held on October 21, 2012 between 2 p.m- 6 p.m at Vivekanand Sports Stadium, Katra.
Hassaya Vyang Event with a prize money of Rs. 40,000 will be organised by the concerned sub-committee on 18th, 19th and 20th October 2012 at Durga Bhawan Complex, Katra, while the Kavi Samelan will be held at Main Chowk, Katra on the evening of the inaugural day at 7 p.m, he added.
Among others, Additional CEO SMVDSB Mandeep Bhandari, DDC Reasi Nirmal Sharma, Director Tourism Jammu R.S. Mehta, Joint Director Information Jammu Soujanya Sharma and Joint Director Tourism Ajay Sharma were also present on the occasion.
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