Chief Minister Raman Singh participated in the Dussehra Milan programme organised by royal family of the erstwhile Bastar State here on Monday. Singh was welcomed in a traditional style by the members of royal family including Rajmata Krishna Kumari Devi and Kamalchand Bhanjdev.
Chief Minister sported the ‘Safa’ presented by the royal family to honour him on the occasion. Speaking on the occasion, Singh said that the 75-day long Dussehra celebration of Bastar is famous in the country and across the world. People pay obeisance to Ma Danteshwari Devi as Durga, the Goddess of power.
Bastar Dussehra is a symbol of social harmony and the local people have preserved the centuries old tradition generation after generation, he said. The State Government provides all possible support to maintain the original nature of the festival and will continue the same in future also, added Singh. The Chief Minister visited Danteshwari temple near the palace and paid obeisance.
He prayed for prosperity of the people of Bastar, Chhattisgarh and the country. A large number of tribal people including Manjhi, Mukhiya, Chalki and Membrin were present on the occasion. Urban Administration and Development Minister Amar Agrawal, Tribal Welfare and School Education Minister Kedar Kashyap, Chairperson of State Women Commission lata Usendi, Member of Parliament and Chairman of Bastar Dussehra Committee Dinesh Kashyap, MlAs Mahesh Gagda and Bhojraj Nag, Mayor Kiran Dev, and many others were present on the occasion.