Drought means a simpler Dussehra festival in Kolhapur this year; collector urges people to take part

Kolhapur: This year's Dussehra festival will be a simple affair because of the drought and the code of conduct in force, the district administration said on Friday, October 9. Sharadiya Navratri begins on October 11, and the festival will be inaugurated at Bhavani Mandap at 5 pm on Sunday.

At a review meeting in the Shahuji Hall of the collector's office, collector Dr Vijay Rathod urged residents to respond warmly to the administration's events. Honouring women's strength is the festival's theme: on Monday all schools and colleges in the district will hold a traditional dress day, and a two-wheeler rally of women will also be held. The collector asked young people and participants to post reels of these events on social media.

Resident deputy collector Gajanan Gurav, municipal deputy commissioner Paritosh Kankal, zilla parishad deputy CEO Omprakash Yadav and temple committee secretary Varsha Salunkhe were among the officials at the meeting.

Ahead of Navratri, the Kolhapur municipal corporation's divisional office No. 2 and its anti-encroachment squad also acted against unauthorised encroachments around Bhavani Mandap on Friday, seizing a handcart, five stand boards, five steel counters, chairs, stools, a table and other items. The corporation said the seized goods would not be returned and the drive would continue.

Source: Loksatta