Nine Day Mega Event “Navratra Festival-2010”
starts amidst colourful inauguration ceremony
Katra (Jammu), October 08- The Nine day mega event “Navrata Festival-2010” started with a colorful inauguration by Deputy Chief Minister Jammu & Kashmir, Mr. Tara Chand at Katra, the base camp of the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi, by lighting the sacred Jyoti.
This years’ Navratra Festival is 15th in the series, is being organized by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) and Tourism Department in collaboration with the District Administration, Reasi and local organizations. The inaugural ceremony was marked by a magnificent Shobha Yatra depicting the rich cultural heritage of Jammu & Kashmir state amidst spiritual ambience that was taken out from the Asia Crossing culminating at bus stand, Katra.
The procession saw participation from a large number of pilgrims from across the country and abroad, school children, cultural troupes and tableau. The Helicopter showered flower petals on the procession adding colours to the occasion.
Extending greetings to the people in general and pilgrims in particular on Holy Navratras, the Deputy Chief Minister said that the Navratra Festival provides an opportunity to the visiting pilgrims from various corners of the country and abroad to have a glimpse of our rich cultural heritage and peaceful co-existence of people of different faiths who live here like brothers. Navratras have a special significance with the sacred Shrine of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and Yatra during Navratras is considered auspicious. A large number of pilgrims from with-in and out side the country visit during these days. The festival also provides opportunity to the pilgrims to visit number of pilgrim and tourist destinations in the area.
As part of the Festival, cultural procession will be taken out from Asia Chowk at 7 p.m., All India Devotional Song Competition will be held at Shri Yog Ashram Air Strip, Katra at 8 p.m. and cultural programme will be arranged by the Song and Drama Division at GHSS, Katra at 8 p.m. daily. Similarly religious discourses on the Ramayana and Bhagwat Gita will be held at Raghunath Mandir from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and Indo-Pak wrestling competition will be held at Vivekanand Sports Stadium, Katra on October 14 from 12 noon to 6 p.m.
Exhibition of Departmental stalls would be held at GHSS, Katra from 2 p .m to 10 p.m. during the Navratra Festival. Cultural programme and awareness rallies would also be taken out by the school children during the Festival.
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