‘Vasantotsav’ to begin at Raj Bhawan on 7 Mar
By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 3 Mar: A curtain raiser for Vasantotsav-2025 (Spring Festival and Flower Exhibition) was held at Raj Bhawan here today at which Governor Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd) addressed the media.
The Governor shared that this year, the three-day Annual Vasantotsav will be inaugurated on 7 March. He also announced that this year, “Jatamansi (Nardostachys jatamansi)” has been chosen for the special postal cover. The flower exhibition will be open to the public free of cost, with visiting hours being from 1 to 6 p.m. on the first day and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on 8 and 9 March.
Emphasising the significance of Uttarakhand’s flowers, the Governor highlighted the vast potential of flower production in the state, which could serve as a major economic boost. He observed that Vasantotsav has become a key festival reflecting the cultural, economic, and environmental essence of Uttarakhand, eagerly awaited by the people every year. He further observed that the event is also aimed at promoting flower tourism in the state and developing Uttarakhand as a flower state.
The Governor reminded that the Spring Festival at Raj Bhawan also promotes local products, handicrafts, and the cottage industry of Uttarakhand. Special encouragement is being given to local artisans, farmers, women’s groups, and young entrepreneurs to empower them economically. He observed that Uttarakhand’s climate and geographical conditions are ideal for flower cultivation, with many rare and medicinal plant species growing in the region, which have potential to gain global recognition.
It was also stated during the Curtain Raiser event that a major highlight of Vasantotsav-2025 will be the various competitions designed to engage the public and farmers in flower production. These include competitions in categories such as cut flowers, potted plants, loose flower arrangements, bonsai plants, terrariums, hydroponic technology demonstrations, vegetable displays, and honey production. Additionally, creative contests like photography, fresh flower rangoli, and painting competitions for school children, including specially-abled and orphaned children, will also be held. In total, 55 sub-categories will feature in these competitions, with 165 prizes to be awarded to winners on 9 March, following jury evaluations.
This year, Vasantotsav will introduce several new initiatives. An additional sub-category for Lilium in non-traditional areas has been included in the cut flower competition this year, and a separate competition is also being organised exclusively for women flower producers. It was claimed that efforts will also be made to encourage participation from students of institutions such as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Hostel, Asha Vidyalaya, Birpur, Dehradun, and Matri Anchal Kanya Vidyapeeth, Haridwar, in the painting competition. In a technological advancement, Uttarakhand Technical University will utilise an AI application to track visitor numbers, while ITDA is developing software to collect visitor feedback.
To showcase achievements in horticulture, officials from DDA, NDMC, Rashtrapati Bhavan’s Amrit Udyan, Telangana’s Public Garden, and various horticulture departments from leading states will also participate for the first time in the event and will further enhance the appeal of Vasantotsav-2025. It was asserted that the spring festival is providing a grand platform for participants from diverse backgrounds to exhibit their talents and contributions while furthering Uttarakhand’s identity as a flourishing hub of flower tourism.
In order to promote hydroponic technology and encourage farmers to adopt hydroponic gardening methods, a competition will be organised in the Hydroponic Cultivation Technology Demonstration category. A detailed display of the research conducted on beekeeping by Govind Ballabh Pant Agricultural and Technology University will be showcased through stalls. In all, around 35 departments from the state will participate in this three-day event. Apart from the Horticulture Department, various research institutes, agricultural universities, boards, and corporations will be prominently involved. These departments and institutions will set up stalls at the event and demonstrate the public utility programmes and technologies of their respective departments, highlighting their excellence.
The curtain raiser was attended amongst others by Secretary to the Governor Ravinath Raman, Additional Secretaries Swati S Bhadauria and Manuj Goyal, Director, Horticulture, Deepti Singh (IAS), Joint Director, Information, Dr Nitin Upadhyay, and Joint Director, Gardens, Dr Ratan Kumar.
