Minister of State for Tourism, Education, Technical Education, Horticulture, Floriculture and Parks Priya Sethi today inaugurated three day Baisakhi Festival at Vivekanand Chowk being organized by the Tourism Department.Member Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma, MLA Jammu East, Rajesh Gupta, Senior BJP Leader Yudhvir Sethi, besides Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu, Farooq A. Shah, Secretary Tourism, R. K. Varma, Director Tourism, Jammu, Namrita Dogra Joint Director Tourism, Vinakshi Koul Deputy Director Tourism and senior officers of Tourism Department, Civil and Police Administration were also present on the occasion.Other who were present included Gul Chain Singh Charak, S. Peter, Karan Singh, Akram Ahmad, Baldev Khullar, Baldev Baloria and various others dignitaries.The Baisakhi Festival is being organized at Mubarak Mandi, Bagh-e-Bahu, Balidan Stambh, Jio Potha Ghat, Akhnoor and Suchetgarh, R.S.Pura in collaboration with J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages and Song and Drama Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The festival began with a procession which passed through Vivekanand Chowk-Raghunath Bazar-City Chowk-Purani Mandi-Raj Tilak Road-Moti Bazar-Pacca Danga-Chowk Chabutra and culminated at Mubarak Mandi, Jammu. People from all sections of society participated in the procession in their traditional attires depicting the varied culture of Jammu. Folk dances like Bhangra, Haran dance, Jattar, Kud and Marshal Art display by Sikh contingent were the main attractions of the procession. Special contingents of Dogra Saddar Sabha, Muslim Federation, Jammu, All India Christian and Dalit Society and Shri Gurudwara Prabhandak Committee also participated in showing the composite culture of Jammu. The Bazar Associations welcomed the procession with flower petals, food stalls and drinks.Later on, a Tanga ride was also inaugurated by Priya Sethi in presence of MLA Jammu East, Rajesh Gupta, Senior Leader BJP Yudhvir Sethi and Director Tourism Jammu R. K. Varma.
The Tanga ride passed through City Chowk-Kanak Mandi-Rajinder Bazar-Shahidi Chowk-Vir Marg-Raghunath Bazar. A scintillating cultural programme was also organized by the Department in collaboration with artists of J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages at Kanak Mandi.Speaking on the occasion, the Minister appreciated the efforts by the Tourism Department in organizing the festival at a mega scale. She said that such festivals promote the local culture and spread the message of brotherhood. She said that the young generation need to be made aware about our glorious heritage and Baisakhi Festival will go a long way in spreading this awareness among our youths.The first day festivities culminated with evening Arti at Jio Potha Ghat, Akhnoor and Mubarak Mandi followed by cultural programmes. Later in the evening, a cultural programme was organized at Mubarak Mandi in which Priya Sethi was the chief guest. The festivities will continue on 14th and 15th April, 2016 to mark Baisakhi Festival in the region.