Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 13: Baisakhi festival, linked with prosperity and commencement of the harvesting season of wheat crop was celebrated with great enthusiasm and fervour across the region today.
In connection with the Baisakhi festival, annual fairs (Melas) are organized at various places including Canal Road Jammu, Udhampur, Sudhmahadev, Dera Nangali Sahib in Poonch and Billawar and several other places.
Baisakhi Mela at Ranbir Canal Jammu was organized with much fan-fare and enthusiasm. Hundreds of people including women and children participating in the fair. There was a huge rush on Canal Road right from Shakti Nagar to Science College as many people continued thronging the site from morning till late in the evening. The rush of visitors was less in the morning and as the day proceeded it swelled into thousands. The children and ladies attired in colourful costumes were busy in buying toys, balloons etc. Some were playing fun games, others were having fun rides and some were busy in purchasing confectionery items.
There were scores of stalls of toys, confectionary items, fruits etc with the visitors busy in making purchases and enjoying the feat. Some youth and children were enjoying bath in cold water of Ranbir canal.
However, there was a resentment among the people for not throwing the Canal garden open for the public on the occasion of Mela. With space crunch the visitors were forced to take refuge on dingy interior roads on Canal. There was a lot of hustle and bustle in the area with visitors enjoying the Mela to the hilt.
Elaborate arrangements were made by the local administration for the Mela and a good posse of policemen were deployed in the area to avert any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand inaugurated Baisakhi Heritage festival at Mubarak Mandi Complex today. Three- day long cultural extravaganza has been jontly organized by Mubarak Mandi Heritage Society and the Department of Tourism. During the festival, State’s rich cultural heritage and unity in diversity would be showcased through art and culture.
The Dy CM, later inaugurated three-day Baisakhi Mela at Naaj Ground, Billawar today. Minister for Cooperatives, Fishries, Forest and Transport Dr Manohar Lal, DC Kathua Jatinder Kumar, SSP Atul Goel and SDM Billawar were also present on the occasion. Both the Ministers congratulated the people on the occasion of Baisakhi and on going Navratra festival.
Three-day Baisakhi Mela at Udhampur and Sudhmahadev also commenced today with traditional fervour. DC Udhampur, Yasha Mudgal inaugurated the Mela at Devak in presence of other district officers, prominent people of the area and organizing committee members. The Mela is organized on the bank of Devak stream. Many stalls were set up by the locals. Many people had bath in the holy Devak in the morning. Similar reports of Baisakhi celebrations have been received from Sudhmahadev.
Reports from Poonch said that Baisakhi was celebrated with great enthusiasm and religious fervour at Dera Nangali Sahib under the patronage of Mahant Manjit Singh. Thousands of people from parts of J&K and Punjab thronged Dera on the occasion. MLA Haveli Poonch Ajaz Jan, Addl DC and SP Poonch also visited the place and extended greetings to the people on this occasion. Members of DGPC Poonch led by Narinder Singh also congratulated the people and welcomed the guests and devotees from various parts of the northern region to the place.
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