Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Oct 11: Saying that the Navratra festival this year would not only offer bouquet of variety programmes to the pilgrims but also better and improved infrastructural facilities for the convenience of the devotees, the Divisional Commissioner Jammu Dr Pawan Kotwal sought cooperation from all sections of the society to make the holy event a grand success.
Addressing media persons, Divisional Commissioner, who is the Chairman of the Navratra Festival Organizing Committee, said that the annual nine day Navratra Festival at holy town Katra would start from October 13 offering a series of events for the visitors till its culmination on October 21.
CEO SMVDSB Ajeet Kumar Sahu, Director Tourism Jammu R K Varma, Chairman All India Devotional Song Competition Rakesh Wazir and President India Style Wrestling Association, Shiv Kumar Sharma were also present on the occasion.
Dr Kotwal informed the holy event 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 Minister for Health and Medical Education Ch. Lal Singh on October 13 at Asia Chowk, Katra at 11 am. He added that 18 Sub-Committees have been constituted to make necessary arrangements in connection with the Navratra Festival 2015 besides elaborate security and traffic arrangements have been put in place for the Navratra Festival.
Highlighting the fast growing popularity of the festival, he said the yearly event was started for popularizing the Holy Cave Shrine of Mata Vaishno Devi ji as a major pilgrim destination of the State.
The main attractions of the festivals will be Shoba Yatra cum cultural procession of troupes and tableaux showcasing culture and tradition of Jammu, All India Devotional Songs Competition at Yog Ashram Ground, Katra, cultural programmes including colourful items of local ethnicity at Higher Secondary School Katra, religious discourses (Bhagwat Katha) at Shree Raghunath Mandir, Hassaya Vyang (Comedy Show) event at Durga Bhawan Complex, Katra and Kavi Sammelan (Poetry) at Bus Stand, Katra.
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