NALBARI, Nov 25 - The 82nd annual Raas Mahotsav of Nalbari Sri Sri Harimandir, considered as one of the largest cultural and spiritual festivals of Northeast India, began here on the autumn full-moon night this evening.
Inaugurating the festival, chairman of the Guwahati Shanti Sadhana Ashram, Hem Bhai said the Nalbari Raas can be considered as a role model of communal harmony among the cross sections of people of every religion. The message spread by the Nalbari people through this festival is rare in the world, he said.
The inaugural meeting was also addressed, among others, by MP Naba Sarania, MLA Jayanta Malla Baruah and Srimanta Sankardev Sangha secretary general Babul Bora. The souvenir brought out on the occasion was released by Dr Hitesh Deka, Vice Chancellor of KK Handiqui Open University.
Earlier, the guests were brought to the Harimandir premises from the Nalbari PWD inspection bungalow by a colourful cultural procession.
The secretary of the Raas celebration committee, Nareswar Kalita said they have taken some special measures to make the festival attractive to the visitors.
More than a thousand idols have been displayed in the Raas festival in about 100 stalls, depicting different incidents from the eventful life of Lord Krishna.
Meanwhile, the whole Nalbari town has worn a festive look with the spectacle of artificial electric light even as the long queues of visitors are leaving no space on the roads of the town.
