Directorate of Tourism in Jammu organised Chaitra Navratra Festival at Bahu Fort today. The festival was inaugurated by Mayor Jammu Municipal Corporation, Rajinder Sharma in the presence of Joint Director Tourism Jammu, Sunaina Sharma Mehta; Deputy Director Tourism Jammu, Umesh Shan and Deputy Director Tourism Publicity Jammu, Abdul Jabbar.
The event featured cultural performances including devotional songs from artists of the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. During the inaugural ceremony, Mayor Rajinder Sharma shared his greetings with the local community on the occasion of Chaitra Navratras.
He congratulated the Department for celebrating Navratras with enthusiasm and devotion. For the first time, the entire region of Jammu and Katra witnessed a series of events from Bhakti Sandhya to daily screening of devotional movies and from Durga Puja to enthralling devotional performances showcasing the rich culture of the region during Chaitra Navratras.
Joint Director Tourism Jammu said that celebrating fairs and festivals is part of their cultural heritage. She added that the Department of Tourism will soon popularise pilgrimage circuits across Jammu region like the Shiv Shakti Circuit and Rudra Pilgrimage Circuit.
Special emphasis will be laid on various pilgrimage destinations so that tourists visiting Maa Vaishno Devi Shrine can plan their itinerary in advance. President of Jammu Chamber of Commerce, Arun Gupta was also resent along with his team.
To make Chaitra Navratras vibrant, a daily devotional movie was screened at Open Air Cinema Aquaplex Musical Water Fountain in Bagh-e-Bahu. In Jammu, Bahu Mela is celebrated on the auspicious occasion of Durga Ashtami and Ramnavmi at Bahu Fort.