Mahashivratri festival begins
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 10: A grand ‘Shiv Barat’ procession was taken out in Jammu city while Mahashivratri festivals began today at Peerkho, Purmandal and Shiv Khori with religious gaiety.
Amidst chanting of religious slogans in praise of Lord Shiva, the procession started from Shri Ranbireshwar Mandir near Shalamar Chowk and passed through main bazaars of Old Jammu City before culminating at the same point.
The religious procession was organized by Shri Ranbireshwar Mandir Welfare Committee (SRMWC) with the active cooperation of Jammu and Kashmir Dharmarth Trust.
Artists attired as Lord Shiva and other Gods, displaying mythical scenes of `Shiv Barat’ , were main attraction of the procession. Children and youngsters, especially ‘Shiv Sevaks’, were attired in various forms of Lord Shiva in the procession.
The procession was led by chariot of Lord Shiva followed by various tableaus of religious and social organizations. The procession passed through City Chowk, Indira Chowk, Hari Market, Shri Raghunath Bazar Chowk, Residency Road, Shahidi Chowk, Rajinder Bazar, Kanak Mandi, Old Hospital Road, Purani Mandi, Link Road, Jain Bazar, Chowk Chabutra, Mubarak Mandi, Panjtirthi, Pacca Danga, Parade Chowk and finally culminated back at Ranbireshwar Temple.
People enroute greeted the procession by showering flowers on the chariot of Lord Shiva. The welcome gates were erected by bazaar associations at various places to greet the Barat. Various traders, religious organizations of old city had organized Bhandaras at various places for the devotees.
The administration had also made elaborate arrangements for smooth conduct of the religious procession besides ensuring adequate deployment of police and para-military forces en route to avoid any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, the annual Maha Shivratri festival 2021 organised by Tourism Department in collaboration with District Administration and Peerkho Mandir committee started here today at Peerkho.
The festival hosted a variety of programmes which inter alia included Cultural events depicting local folk dances organised through J&K Academy of Art, Culture and languages, food stalls of Dogra cuisines, departmental stalls of Handicraft, Handloom, Industries & Commerce, JKTDC and Agriculture Department etc. The main highlight of the festival is cultural events depicting local folklore.
The festival was inaugurated jointly by Divisional Commissioner, Jammu Sanjeev Verma and Director Tourism Jammu, Dr Naseem Javed Chowdhary, in presence of Deputy Mayor Jammu Municipal Corporation, Purnima Sharma and other officers of Tourism Department, District administration and Peer Kho Mandir Committee.
Meanwhile, for the first time Mahashivratri festival has been organised at Purmandal, Samba. As the air echoed with the sounds of musical instruments and bhajans the fervour of Mahashivratri was in full bloom. The chief guest of the function was Joint Director Tourism, Jammu, Neelam Khajuria.
Deputy Commissioner Reasi, Indu Chib, who is also Vice Chairperson of Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board, inaugurated the Maha Shivratri Mela at Ransoo. The inaugural functioning witnessed a scintillating cultural programme featuring folk dance and music, skit on Beti Padao Beti Bachao etc. Others present at the function were SSP Reasi, Rashmi Wazir; ADC Reasi, Rajinder Sharma; Dy. Director Tourism, Anil Kumar Chandail and ASP Reasi, Surjeet Kumar.
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