Now, Kurukshetra to host Holi festival too

Nitish Sharma

Kurukshetra is set to host Kurukshetra Holi Festival on the pattern on Kurukshetra Mahotsav, which was started by the Kurukshetra Development Board as a two-day event in 1989-90. It later turned into a full-fledged International Gita Mahotsav.

This year, for the first time, one-day Holi festival will be held on March 10 on the banks of Brahma Sarovar.

As per details, the idea is to have another festival for Kurukshetra in the form of Kurukshetra Holi Festival, as at present only International Gita Mahotsav is observed around November, while there is no other mega event to attract tourists during the rest of the year.

Honorary secretary of KDB, Madan Mohan Chhabra, said: “The International Gita Mahotsav which started as a two-day Kurukshetra Mahotsav is getting bigger with each passing year and now, we have planned to hold Kurukshetra Holi Festival too. It will begin with one-day event this year and then gradually be converted into a full-fledged festival, depending on the response of people. ‘Madanotsava’ used to be held during the time of Raja Harsh for a month. Its reference can be found in Harshcharitra, the biography of Raja Harsh by Banabhatta.”

“Constant efforts are being made to develop Kurukshetra as an international tourist destination and create a festival-like atmosphere throughout the year, for which different events and programmes are being planned. In another such attempt, a multimedia laser show at Brahma Sarovar will be prepared at a cost of Rs16 crore. The India Tourism Department Corporation has already awarded the tender for the multimedia laser show at Brahma Sarovar to a Gurugram-based firm,” he said.

The budget received under Krishna Circuit phase-1 of Swadesh Darshan scheme of the Central government would be utilised for the project.

During International Gita Mahotsav, a temporary multimedia light and sound show is arranged by the Kurukshetra Development Board on a floating surface, but with this new show, there would be no need of making any temporary arrangements.

“A majority of tourists leave Kurukshetra by the evening. We already have a light and sound show in two languages at Jyotisar and with a new show at Brahma Sarovar, we are trying to increase the footfall during the evening in Kurukshetra, make tourists stay at night and increase revenue. The latest techniques will help us in attracting and connecting our youth with culture too. The show will be held in Hindi and English as it is necessary to have the English version if you want to attract foreign tourists,” Chhabra said.

DGM, civil engineering, ITDC, VS Antil, said: “The work has been awarded to a Gurugram-based firm. There will be three floating screens. A show is being prepared and it will be about Kurukshetra. At present, only one show is being prepared in two languages and the duration would be around 35 minutes.”

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