State’s Culture and Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj has said the Uttarakhand would soon start the Arti of Yamuna River like the world famous Ganga Arti. He was speaking as chief guest at the Jaunsar Mahotsav organised by the The Pioneer, Dehradun edition at the BR Ambedkar stadium, ONGC campus here on Sunday.
Appreciating The Pioneer for organising the event to elicit focus on the rich culture of the Jaunsar-Bawar region, Maharaj recalled how he was impressed by the culture of the region while visiting Jaunsar and getting to know of its cultural aspects.
He added the Uttarakhand Government is also planning to use mobile phone applications to promote tourism. The mobile apps would be developed to inform people about rich cultural history and places of tourist interest in Uttarakhand.
Terming Jaunsar as a place which preserves its rich cultural history, the minister said that the Tourism department is planning to start its ambitious Mahabharat circuit for tourists from Lakhamandal area of Jaunsar. Lakhamandal is considered to be the site where the Pandavs spent one year in hiding during their Vanvas.
The place was the site of the famous Lakshagrah, the palace of wax, which was set afire as part of the conspiracy to murder the Pandavs.
He said the Tourism department would prepare special mobile app depicting the events of Mahabharat and the sites associated with the events. On other plans of his department, Maharaj said that Bhagwati circuit and Modi trail would also be developed to attract tourists in the state.
He said the department had organised a programme ‘Namo Nad’ in Haridwar in which 1,500 traditional drummers participated. “We are now planning to involve 3,000 traditional drummers from different parts of the state in a programme to create a new Guinness world record,’’ he said.
In his address as the special guest on the occasion, the former Director General (DG) of Indian Coast Guards and current chairman of the Uttarakhand disaster management advisory committee, Rajendra Singh Tomar said that Ghats should also be developed along the Yamuna river.
He said these Ghats should be constructed from Kalsi to Haripur along the Yamuna. Exhorting the people of Jaunsar to preserve their rich culture and tradition, he said that equal involvement of both the residents of the area and those who have migrated to other places is important in this endeavour.
He said the Uttarakhand Government is also working hard to involve everyone in development of the state and programmes like ‘Raibar’ bear testimony to it.
The former additional director general of the Indian Coast Guard, Kriparam Nautiyal was also present on the occasion. The president of the Janusar Bawar Sevavrat Karmchari Mandal, Tulsi Ram Tomar said that Hanol temple in Jaunsar should be developed as fifth Dham.
He also presented a memorandum to the tourism and culture minister Satpal Maharaj.
The event was moderated by noted cultural personality from Jaunsar, Nandlal Bharti and Dhwajveer Singh, while other personalities of the region including Information department deputy director KS Chauhan, additional excise commissioner Atmaram Semwal, Haridwar municipal commissioner Uday Rana, director Academic Research and Training, Seema Jaunsari, MDDA secretary Sundarlal Semwal, Tourism finance control director Jaipal Singh Tomar, Tourism deputy director Yogendra Kumar Gangwar and New India Assurance deputy general manager Rajveer Singh Chauhan along with a large number of people were present on the occasion.