Haryana pavilion to be set up during Sarasvati Mahotsav: Board vice-chief

Haryana Sarasvati Heritage Development Board (HSHDB) vice-chairman Dhuman Singh Kirmach said a Haryana Pavilion would be set up at Pehowa Tirtha during the International Sarasvati Mahotsav for the first time.

The seven-day mahotsav is to be celebrated from January 29 to February 4.

The HSHDB’s vice-chairman said, “For the first time in Sarasvati Mahotsav, the Haryana Pavilion will be set up to showcase and preserve the heritage at Pehowa Tirtha. Kurukshetra University has been entrusted with the responsibility of setting up the pavilion. Haryana's rural culture and traditions can be easily seen in the pavilion. An exhibition will be organised on every aspect of Sarasvati at Pehowa Tirtha and in the exhibition, the visitors will get an opportunity to know the 5,000-year-old history of Sarasvati river.”

Dhuman Singh said Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini would inaugurate the festival at Adi Badri in Yamunanagar on January 29 and on the same day Saras fair and cultural programmes would start at Sarasvati Tirtha in Pehowa. On January 30, a seminar and cultural programmes of Kurukshetra University would be inaugurated by Haryana Assembly Speaker Harvinder Kalyan and MP Naveen Jindal. Researchers from across the country who have worked on Sarasvati will attend the seminar.”

Kirmach said cultural programmes would be held at Sarasvati Tirtha from January 29 to February 2. The main cultural stage is being set up. The Haryana Assembly Speaker, cabinet ministers, MLAs and Union Ministers will attend the events.

Later in the day, the vice-chairman along with the officials of the district administration, Municipal Committee Pehowa and Irrigation Department visited the Sarasvati Tirtha to check the preparedness.

Dhuman Singh said, “All arrangements are in place and the Sarasvati Mahotsav will be celebrated on a grand scale. An ‘Aarti Sthal’ has been developed for daily evening Aarti and ‘Bhajan Sandhya’. Famous artistes will perform during the mahotsav. A special focus is being kept on sanitation for which a special campaign is being run and extra sanitation workers have been deployed at the Tirtha with the help of social and religious organisations of the city.”