Shobha yatra taken out, fair begins in Chamba

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Dalhousie, June 21

A four-day district-level Ashadh Nag Mela began at the ancient Nag temple at Banikhet in Chamba district today with a shobha yatra.

Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania was the chief guest on the occasion. He said the Nag fair of Banikhet had special significance. He added that these festivals apprised the youth about the ancient stories of their areas.

He said, “Fairs and festivals are symbols of our faith and beliefs that we have inherited from our forefathers. The government is making constant efforts to conserve the cultural heritage of the state and encourage creative activities. We are also making tourists aware about the rich heritage of the state to create self-employment opportunities for the locals.”

He assured the devotees that he would facilitate the allocation of necessary funds for the beautification of under construction premises of the Nag temple at Banikhet.

Earlier, the Speaker offered prayers at the temple and participated in the shobha yatra. Dalhousie SDM and temple committee president Anil Bhardwaj presented a shawl, cap and ‘Chamba Rumal’ to honour the Speaker. Chamba DC Apoorv Devgan was also present on the occasion.