BARPETA, Nov 9 - The 79th Panchagram Raas Mahotsava will be held this year with a nine-day programme, i.e., from November 13 to 21.
Hectic preparations for this mega event is going on in full swing under the 79th Raas Mahotsava Celebration Committee with Biren Chandra Sarma as president, Umesh Chandra Deka as vice president, Chandra Kanta Barman as general secretary and Hitesh Deka as assistant general secretary respectively.
The committee has since chalked out a detailed programme for the nine-day event. A new concrete gate along with a wall has been constructed, which will be formally inaugurated at 10 am on November 13 by veteran writer Loknath Goswami. The festival insigne will be hoisted at 10.30 am that day by president Biren Chandra Sarma, followed by tribute to the departed souls by a host of senior citizens of the locality.
An open meeting scheduled at 11.30 am that day will be addressed by Loknath Goswami as distinguished guest and Harendra Nath Deka. A number of persons will be felicitated in the meeting. The ceremonial lamps will be lit by several senior citizens of the area at 5 pm.
Jalaharan, i.e., fetching of water for ablution will start at 6.30 pm and worship will commence at 8.30 pm followed by Naam Prasanga.
State Agriculture Minister Atul Bora will formally open the gate of the exhibition, which is the main attraction of the festival, at 11 am on November 14. Barpeta MLA Gunindra Nath Das will also attend the inaugural function. A dance competition based on Assamese songs will be held in the evening, which will be inaugurated by social worker Dipul Bhuyan.
After the morning rituals on November 15, a competition on Bhupendra Sangeet will be held. A competition on Naam by the womenfolk is scheduled to be held on November 17.
A religious symposium conducted by ISKCON and attended by its top brass is scheduled at 10 am on November 19. A souvenir to be published on the occasion will be formally released by popular actress Pallabi Phukan at 8.30 am on November 20. A cultural show in the evening will be inaugurated by renowned folk singer Abhay Barman.
Naam Prasanga by womenfolk is scheduled at 10 am on November 21, the concluding day of the festival. A cultural show in the evening will be inaugurated by Jakir Hussain Sikdar, MLA of Sarukshetri.
The celebration committee has appealed to the local public for all possible help and cooperation in order to make the nine-day festival a grand success.
