Dussehra, symbolizing the victory of good over evil, is being celebrated with great pomp and devotion this year as well by the Shri Sanatan Dharm Dussehra Committee, Sector 46, Chandigarh. In a press conference held today at the Shri Sanatan Dharma Mandir in Sector 46 regarding the grand event being held on October 2nd at the Dussehra Ground in Sector 46, the committee’s Chief Patron cum Chairman Jatinder Bhatia,
President Narinder Bhatia, General Secretary Sushil Sowat, and other members stated that in this 28th annual event being organized by their committee, the burning of the golden Lanka, the rotating neck and face of Ravana’s effigy riding on a chariot, the stream of Amrit Kund emanating from its navel, and the remote ignition of the effigies of Ravana, Meghnad, and Kumbhakarna from the stage itself will be special attractions. Committee Chief Patron Jatinder Bhatia stated that this time too, the tallest effigy of Ravana in Chandigarh will be 101 feet tall, the effigy of Meghnad 95 feet tall, and the effigy of Kumbhakarna 90 feet tall. He added that the committee is using eco-friendly fireworks, and most of the fireworks will be fired in the air. So that the environment is not harmed.
Chief Patron cum Chairman of the Committee, Jatinder Bhatia, informed that the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh, Mr. Gulab Chand Kataria will be present as the Chief Guest at the event. Chandigarh Deputy Commissioner, Mr. Nishant Kumar Yadav (IAS), and Chief Engineer of Administration, Mr. CB Ojha will be present as Special Guests. Professor Siddharth Sharma, Vice President of GGDSD College Society, Chandigarh, will preside over the event. He further informed that Principal of GGDSD College, Sector 32, Chandigarh, Dr. Ajay Kumar, former Chief Engineer of Chandigarh, Kishanjeet Singh, RS Sachdeva of Hi-Tech Group of Companies, VK Bhardwaj, former Chief Engineer of Chandigarh, Dr. Santosh Kumar, Head of Urology Department of PGI, and former Chief Engineer of Chandigarh, SK Chadha will be present as ‘Guests of Honor’.
He further informed that this year, Dr. Sandeep Bansal of PGIMER Chandigarh and Principal Monika Sharma of PML SD Public School Chandigarh will be honoured with the ‘Chandigarh Ratna’ Award as part of the ‘Chandigarh Ratna Award’ given every year by the Dussehra Committee for commendable work on behalf of Shri Sanatan Dharma Dussehra Committee. Shri Sanatan Dharma Dussehra Committee President Narinder Bhatia and Secretary Sushil Sowat informed that on the day of Dussehra, hymns of Lord Shri Ram and Lord Shri Hanuman ji will be presented from a special stage constructed at the venue. Along with this, the Parshuram-Shri Ram dialogue, Ravana-Shri Ram dialogue and Shri Hanuman-Ravan dialogue presented by the artists of Shri Badri Kedar Ramleela Committee of Sector 46 on the stage will also attract the audience.
For the entertainment of the children coming to the Dussehra fair, special cartoon characters like Mickey Mouse and Doraemon etc. will distribute toffees to the children on behalf of the Dussehra Committee and toys like bows and arrows, maces and swords etc. will also be distributed to the children in the fair. Committee President Narinder Bhatia and General Secretary Sushil Sowat stated that on Dussehra Day, October 2nd, a large procession will be taken out from Shri Sanatan Dharma Mandir in Sector 46 at 2:00 PM. It will pass through the areas of Sector 46 and Sector 45 and reach the Dussehra venue at around 4:30 PM. Regarding the tableaux, Sushil Sowat stated that this time, tableaux depicting the Ramayana and the life of Lord Shri Ram will be a special attraction. Before the burning of Ravana, mantras will be recited by priests Pandit Rahul Ji, Pandit Gopal Ji, Pandit Hari Krishna Ji, and Pandit Shailendra Ji of Shri Sanatan Dharma Mandir in Sector 46. Shri Sanatan Dharma Dussehra Committee Chief Patron cum Chairman Jatinder Bhatia stated that chairs have also been arranged inside the venue to accommodate approximately 10,000 spectators.
Special security arrangements are being made at the fair site, for which Chandigarh Police personnel as well as private security personnel will be deployed. To deal with any emergency, Chandigarh Municipal Corporation fire brigade vehicles, along with ambulances from Park Hospital, Mohali, will be deployed throughout the event. He informed that the entire event will be broadcast live on multiple channels as well as on YouTube, so that those who are unable to reach the venue for any reason can enjoy this grand event from the comfort of their homes. Chief Patron and Chairman of the Shri Dussehra Committee, Jatinder Bhatia, stated that his committee has been celebrating Dussehra for the past 27 years, and this is their 28th event.
He explained that due to the special attractions and special arrangements, the fair attracts the largest number of visitors from across the Tricity. He further stated that this year, approximately 100,000 people are expected to attend the Dussehra fair, including Chandigarh, Sector 46, and other nearby cities. DD Sharma, Ashok Bhagat, RK Joshi, AN Trikha, Rajesh Bimal, Sudarshan Batra, Rathore, Sandeep Sharma, Dimple Chawla, Jaspal Singh and KL Musafir of Shri Sanatan Dharma Dussehra Committee were present during the press conference.
