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FESTIVALS / MARTS & EVENTS BACK
MOUNT ABU CELEBRATED SUMMER FESTIVAL: Rajasthan’s hill resort of Mount Abu celebrated its annual summer festival May 28-30. The town reverberated to the sound of folk songs and dances. A food festival satiated the appetite of visitors. A boat race on Nakki Lake was cheered by spectators. A grand fireworks display was a fitting finale to the festivities.
SINDHU DARSHAN FESTIVAL, LEH 18 – 20 JUN: The festival started with the mingling of waters in Indus from other major rivers of the country – the Ganga, the Yamuna, the Brahmaputra and the Godavari – was marked by a brief ritual, blessed by the Lamas from the nearby Phyan monastery. The event organized by Ministry of Tourism was started seven years ago.
AMARNATH YATRA FROM JULY 29: The Jammu and Kashmir government has announced that the month long Amarnath yatra will begin from Jammu on July 29 and the first darshan of the holy cave would be on August 1. The first batch of pilgrims will arrive at Pahalgam, base camp of the yatra, on July 29 itself and thereafter they will be allowed to proceed to the holy cave on July 30, and after halt en route, they will have the first darshan of the ice lingam of Lord Shiva on August 1.
ICPB TO HOLD 2nd MICE CONCLAVE 26-27 AUGUST AT ASHOK HOTEL, NEW DELHI: The India Convention and Promotion Bureau (ICPB) will hold its 2nd MICE (Meetings Incentives, Conventions and Events) Conclave from 26-29 August at the Ashok Hotel. A mart or exhibition organized for the suppliers of MICE to showcase their services is also planned. Experts from ICCA (International Congress and Convention Associations) the global body of Meeting professionals have been invited to share their experiences, in the workshops to he held.
JAGANNATH RATH YATRA (CAR FESTIVAL): This pilgrim city along the Bay of Bengal turned into a sea of humanity with hundreds of thousands of devotees thronging the Grand Road to witness the annual ‘rath yatra’ (car festival) of Lord Jagannath, one of India’s most spectacular annual events. Thousands of devotees lined up patiently on the badadanda, the wide avenue in front of the 12th century Sri Jagannath Temple, for a glimpse of the presiding deities of the shrine – Lord Jagannath, his elder brother Balabhadra and their sister Devi Subhadra – who embarked upon a nine – day annual sojourn to the Gundicha temple, 2 miles down the street.
INDIAN TRAVEL SHOW ANNOUNCED FOR DELHI 14-16 JANUARY 2005: The second World Travel India (WTI) meet will take place in New Delhi between 14-16 January 2005. The event will focus on India’s key markets, with special emphasis on European, Middle Eastern and African markets. This time the MICE sector will get special attention through a designated pavilion and focused business sessions. BACK