Early Times REport
UDHAMPUR, June 29: Underscoring the importance of preserving our traditions, rich culture and festivals in the teeth of so-called trend of modernity, Juhi Manhas Pathania, Vice Chairperson, District Development Council, Udhampur, today threw open the traditional “Annual-Mela” at Toph in Shivgali,
A large number of civil society members, besides officers of Tehsil and Police Administration attended the inaugural ceremony. The Mela was organised by the Mela Committee with the active support of District Administration.
It is pertinent to mention here that every year people from Bhaderwah, Doda and adjoining areas including Dudu-Basantgarh area attend this historic Toph Mela with ‘Charri Yatras’ from their respective areas amid chanting of hymns, Jaikaras and devotional songs. The three day mela includes different cultural programmes, stalls installed by J&K government and a Dangal but the main attraction was the cultural items presented by the local folk dance parties featuring awareness skits on the topics of ‘Beti Bachao’ and ‘Swachh Bharat Mission’ which stole the show.
Local artists especially Romalu Ram & party, Duggar Ki Beti (Sars Bharti), Subash Brahmanu & party, local students invited specially for the mela presented Dogri Songs and Dance which enthralled the audience. Speaking on the occasion, the Vice Chairperson stressed on the importance of these traditional festivals and melas to maintain the harmony amongst all the sections of the society as such events bring people closer. She said that this area has been bestowed with scenic beauty and has vast potential to be developed as a hill resort and a place for adventure tourism. “Moreover this area is a Botanist's paradise with rich vegetation having medicinal/aesthetic/research value” she added. Mool Raj, Jattu Ram, Rakesh Chander Sharma, (DDC Ramnagar I, DDC Ramnagar II & DDC Ghordi respectively), Hans Raj, Krishan Lal, Ved Raj, Beant Gupta, Khem Raj, Om Parkash and a number of Sarpanches/panches addressed the Mela and were all praise for the local management committee.
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