NALBARI, Nov 20 - With the full moon night of autumn round the corner, the people of Nalbari are gearing up to celebrate the 11-day Raas festival, a famous religious and cultural event of the North-east to be held on the Hari Mandir premises from November 25 to December 5.
The Raas celebration committee has fixed a budget of Rs 30 lakh to celebrate the festival. A festive mood is gradually picking up in the Nalbari town in particular and the entire district in general. The celebration committee has been working round the clock to make it more attractive.
The secretary of the Rass celebration committee, Nareswar Kalita told this correspondent that the committee has taken some special measures to draw the attention of visitors. He said that about ten idol makers have been engaged in idol making to display during the Raas festival. They have newly made and repaired more than a thousand idols. About 100 temporary stalls are under construction for the installation of the idols which will depict different incidents from the eventful life of Lord Krishna. The committee has decided to erect a good number of electrified gates with sophisticated devices especially from Kolkata-based electricians to welcome the visitors. He further added that the committee has decided to engage more than 1000 volunteers to help the visitors who will come to witness the festival from different parts of the State. A total of 48 close circuit camera (CCC) TVs will also be installed at important places of the town to monitor the law- and-order situation during the Raas festival.
The 82nd Raas festival will be inaugurated by Hem Bhai of Shanti Sadhana Ashram of Guwahati at 6 pm on November 25. The other guests of the inaugural function will be Dr Hitesh Deka, Vice-Chancellor of Krishna Kanta Handique Open University, Binod Kumar Pipersenia, Chief Secretary, Ramen Deka, MP of Mangaldai Lok Sabha seat, Naba Sarania, MP of Kokrajhar Lok Sabha seat, Babul Bora, secretary general of Srimanta Sankardev Sangha and Jayanta Malla Baruah, MLA of Nalbari LAC. The Raas mandap will be inaugurated by Dr Om Prakash, Deputy Commissioner of Nalbari. The guests will be welcomed to the venue in a colourful cultural procession which will be flagged of by Bedanta Madhab Rajkhowa, SP of Nalbari.
