Excelsior Correspondent
REASI, July 10: The inaugural ceremony of the first-ever ‘Shivkhori Shravan Mahotsav 2023’ took place today at Shiv Shakti Bhawan in Ransoo Town, Reasi.
The event, organized by the Shri Shivkhori Shrine Board Ransoo and Directorate of Tourism Jammu, is set to span two holy months of Shravan/Saavan and will be celebrated on auspicious Saavan Mondays according to the Hindu calendar.
The Divisional Commissioner of Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, who is also the Chairman of Shri Shivkhori Shrine Board, inaugurated the event in the presence of Vice Chairperson Babila Rakwal, DC Reasi, Amit Gupta, SSP Reasi, Sandeep Mehta, and other dignitaries, including PRI members and district officers.
During the ceremony, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, expressed his satisfaction with the increasing number of devotees visiting the Shivkhori Shrine in the past year. He assured that the Shrine Board is committed to providing all necessary amenities to pilgrims in Ransoo town and along the track to the Bhawan.
Vice Chairperson Babila Rakwal stated that the two-month-long celebration would consist of various devotional programs for all devotees, including screenings of special movies and documentaries on the life of Lord Shiva, a grand Bhajan competition, and an art/painting competition for young enthusiasts.
Sunaina Sharma Mehta, Joint Director of Tourism Jammu, reaffirmed the Directorate’s commitment to promote Jammu as an all-season tourist destination, including pilgrimage tourism. She highlighted the efforts being made to diversify the tourism experience in Jammu, such as introducing the Skyview Gandola at Patnitop, a musical fountain and Open Air Cinema at Aquaplex Crown Bagh-e-Bahu, and organizing various festivals and events throughout the region.
The inaugural ceremony featured mesmerizing Bhajan renditions by renowned artists, including Vijaypuria Brothers Ravi and Raju, Ashok Hans, Julekha, Paramjeet, and Chaman Lehri. The event was anchored by Kusum Tickoo. DDC members of the area, BDC chairman and others attended the programme.