PATACHARKUCHI, Nov 2 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi will inaugurate the 21st edition of the historic Patacharkuchi Raas festival on November 6 at 4 pm.
Preparations are presently under way to hold the religious festival related to Lord Krishna with a 13-day programme starting from November 6 to 18 with traditional pomp and gaiety. This year the celebration committee has taken various steps in an effort to attract more visitors from various corners of the State.
The celebration committee was formed with Mantu Kumar Sarma (junior) as chief secretary, Mantu Kumar Sarma (senior) as executive president, and Kailash Deka as president. A number of sub committees were also formed to look after various aspects of the celebration.
According to the itinerary, the insigne will be hoisted by Kailash Deka at 9 am on November 6, which will be followed by smriti tarpan by Jadav Pegu, Circle Officer of Bajali revenue circle, Binod Roy and Mantu Kumar Sarma, executive president of the celebration committee.
A plantation drive will be undertaken under the aegis of Green Mission Bajali. DR Neinggait, SDPO Bajali and Dr Homeswar Das, Principal of Bajali Teachers� Training College, Pranjit Das, O/C of Patacharkuchi Police Station, Mathura Mohan Goswami, retired HoD of the Assamese Department of Bapuji College, Sarthebari, Manima Devi, headmistress of Patacharkuchi Girls� High School and secretaries of students� unions of Patacharkuchi Vidyapith HS School and NH College will plant sapling at 10.30 am, while the main gate will be opened by Kailash Chandra Roy, retired chief engineer of IOCL, Bongaigaon.
Jalarohan will be performed just before inauguration of the festival by the Chief Minister. At 4.05 pm, a programme related to Raas will be performed by students of 64 No. Patacharkuchi LP School, which will be inaugurated by Dr Birendra Deka, Principal of NH College. Illumination of lamps will be performed by Dr Ranjit Deka, Rector-cum-principal of Anundoram Barooah Academy of Pathsala. Baikunth Sarma will declare open the temporary market. A souvenir on the occasion will be released by popular writer Phanindra Kumar Dev Choudhury, while Dr Mukunda Sarma, Principal of Bhabanipur Anchalik College will declare open the cultural programme at 7.30 pm, where Sudakshina Sarma and Rishiraj Sarma will take part.
In Barama: Brisk preparations are on at Baksa to celebrate the Raas festival at Debachara Thanguri from November 6 to 10 under the aegis of the Raas Mahotsav celebration committee, our correspondent adds.
The Baska anchalik Raas festival will be celebrated in a befitting manner to pay obeisance to Lord Krishna and his manifold incarnations. A celebration committee with Akhil Chandra Barman as president and Madhav Rava as general secretary was formed along with other office bearers and members for smooth management of the Raas Utsav.
The Raas Mahotsav here has reached the present stage by crossing many hurdles during the last 66 years. The programmes of the Raas festival include cultural procession, opening of the main gate of the Raas festival, flag hoisting, open meeting, religious discussion, cinema show, ojapali dance, dhulia etc.
Uddhab Chandra Chaudhury, head master of Nehru Anchalik High School, Debachara will open the Raas Mahotsav at 9-30 am on November 6. Maneswar Brahma, MLA of the Barama constituency, Banamali Baro, executive member of BTC, Naba Sarania and Ramesh Chandra Das, among others, will attend the open meet which will presided over by Akhil Chandra Barman, president of the celebration committee.
