Harela celebrated at Raj Bhavan
By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 16 July: The festival of Harela, celebrating Uttarakhand’s folk culture and environmental conservation, was celebrated at the Raj Bhawan, here, today.
Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) planted a Loquat tree in the Raj Bhawan premises to mark the occasion. Alongside the Governor, officials and employees present at the Raj Bhavan planted various trees, including Neem, Plum, Jackfruit, colourful varieties of Mango, Guava, and Jamun.
To add to the festivities, a Chholia dance troupe performed traditional programmes with musical instruments, enhancing the celebration.
Extending his best wishes to the people of the nation and the state on the occasion of Harela, the Governor stated that Uttarakhand has a tradition of valuing nature and worshipping its various forms. He emphasised that Harela symbolises the connection with folk culture, nature, and the environment, and it is everybody’s responsibility to conserve and promote nature. He stressed the need for serious efforts in tree planting and environmental conservation to ensure a pure environment for future generations.
Lt Gen Singh mentioned that the people of Uttarakhand have always worked for the conservation and promotion of the environment. He highlighted that over 70 percent of Uttarakhand is covered with forests, and many environmental awareness movements have originated from this region, increasing responsibility towards environmental conservation.
The Governor noted that challenges like global warming are on the rise and that festivals like Harela address these challenges. He underscored the importance of not only planting trees but also taking care of them. He acknowledged the invaluable contributions of Gaura Devi, the pioneer of the Chipko Movement, and Sunderlal Bahuguna, and mentioned the ongoing commendable work of Kalyan Singh ‘Maiti’ for environmental conservation.
The event was attended by First Lady Gurmeet Kaur, Secretary to the Governor Ravinath Raman, Additional Secretary Swati S Bhadauria, Finance Controller Dr Tripti Srivastava, Deputy Secretary GD Nautiyal, Joint Director of Information Dr Nitin Upadhyay, Raj Bhawan Horticulture Officer Deepak Purohit, and other officials and employees of Raj Bhawan.
