PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The annual three-day Vasantotsav will be held at the Lok Bhawan this year from February 27. Addressing the media on Friday, governor lieutenant general (retd) Gurmit Singh said that Bhojpatra has been chosen for the special postal cover this year. The floral exhibition and competition will be open to the public on the first day from 1 PM to 6 PM and from 9 AM to 6 PM on February 28 and March 1. The theme of Vasantotsav this year will be ‘floral healing: nature’s path to wellbeing’ in order to elicit focus on mental, physical and social wellbeing through nature and flowers.
Singh said that the Vasantotsav festival has developed as an important part of cultural, economic and environmental identity of the State in the past few years. This event is a symbol of nature, tradition and progress which has emerged as a special attraction for the general public, tourists and nature lovers. He said that new possibilities have developed in the sphere of floriculture due to the increasing area under cultivation and conducive climate in the State. Flower processing and value added products are helping increase the income of farmers while events like Vasantotsav are also encouraging flower tourism, expanding local tourism and income generation opportunities, he added.
This year, there will be 15 main categories and 55 sub-categories in the floral competition. A total of 165 prizes will be presented based on the decisions of the panel of judges. The prizes will be awarded on March 1. Competitions will be held in categories including cut flowers, potted plants, loose flowers, potted plants other than flowers, bonsai, cactus and succulents, honey, hanging plants, Rangoli and painting for school children (5-18 years), the differently abled and other children. Hydroponic cultivation technology demonstration competition is being held for the first time in the Vasantotsav this year. The Doon University economics department will publish a book on flower economy based on flower production, processing and marketing. In addition to this, the Uttarakhand Technical University has developed an application to cover the number and emotional impressions of all those visiting the three-day event.
More than 30 government departments will participate in the event which will also feature an hour-long cultural event on the evenings of the first two days.
