Excelsior Correspondent
KATRA, Sept 17: A meeting of senior officers and members of Navratra Festival Organising Committee was held here today and chaired by Dr. Mandeep K. Bhandari, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, who is also Vice Chairman of Navratra Festival Organizing Committee.
DIG, Udhampur-Reasi, Garib Dass, Deputy Commissioner, Reasi, Shabir Ahmed Bhat, SP Reasi, Vivek Gupta, Director Tourism, Jammu, Soujanya Sharma, Col. N. A. Chaudhary from Border Roads Organisation, Kulbir Singh, Additional SP, Katra, Anil Sharma, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board, Anil Kumar, SDM, Katra, senior officers of different departments and Members of Navratra Festival Organising Committee participated in the meeting.
It was unanimously decided that keeping in view the calamity which has hit the State and the loss of life and property caused by torrential rains, floods and landslides in the State, this year’s Navratra Festival at Katra will be without any component of festivities in it. The event shall be kept simple and on a low key.
Speaking to the media, Director Tourism informed that the only event which will mark the Navratra Festival this year will be Bhagwat Katha at Raghunath Mandir, Katra and prayers for the well being of all who have suffered the disaster in the State.
He informed that as a tradition, Kalash Yatra will be taken out from Kalika Mandir to Raghunath Mandir, Katra at 2 p.m. on the 1st Navratra i.e. 25th September, 2014 followed by the commencement of Bhagwat Katha. It will conclude with Havan and Purna Ahuti on 2nd October, 2014.
Bhagwat Katha, comprising religious discourse, will be arranged daily from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. during the Navratras.
Other arrangements which came under discussion in the meeting included sanitation, fire safety measures, water and power supply, etc.
A 2-minute silence was observed on this occasion to pay homage to all those who lost their lives in the recent natural calamity in the State.
Follow our WhatsApp channel