Vasantotsav begins with kayaking competition

Ajay Ramola

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Tribune News Service

New Tehri, February 12

Water sports, namely a Kayaking competition, and arrival of palanquins of gods and goddesses from around the region marked the opening of Vasantotsav being organised for the first time by the zila panchayat parishad and the Tourism Department in New Tehri town of Tehri Garhwal district today.

The festivities began with the bathing ritual of palanquins belonging to gods and goddesses that arrived at the banks of Tehri dam, which is built on Bagirathi river near Koti Colony amid beating of traditional drums.

Later a kayaking competition was also held under the aegis of the Tourism Department that was won by Gerant, an international kayak from Wales in England who had come especially for the event.

Speaking on the occasion, Gerant said that the Tehri dam lake had all the qualities to become a venue for international water sports event that included kayaking, rowing, scuba diving, provided the basic infrastructure is developed. The regional tourism officer Jaspal Singh Chauhan and sports adventure operator MS Negi speaking on the occasion said that the region is being developed as an important water sports destination and plans were afoot to organise an event of Asian Games level in the near future.

Later, teams from the cultural department dressed in traditional attire presented several folk and dance items on the occasion. Zila panchayat president Sona Sajwan speaking on the occasion said that the vasnantotsav was being organised in New Tehri to bring the town on the map of tourism.