By Our Staff Reporter
DEHRADUN, 8 Mar: On the second day of Vasantotsav, Governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (Retd) visited the art gallery and stalls set up at Raj Bhawan during the festival. The art gallery and photo exhibition showcased paintings, artwork, and crafts by talented artists. These realisstic exhibits depicted Uttarakhand’s rural and urban life, folk traditions, spirituality, and the beauty of nature. Local artists brought the essence of hill life, rivers, forests, religious sites, and traditions to life through their paintings, while photographers captured the breathtaking landscapes, wildlife, and cultural glimpses of the state.
Lt Gen Singh also explored the stalls set up by government and non-government organizations, as well as self-help groups. These stalls featured handicrafts, organic products, medicinal plants, fruits, flowers, and traditional items. He purchased some local products and interacted with vendors to learn more about their work. He emphasized that promoting local products is essential for strengthening the economic condition of rural Uttarakhand.
The second day of Vasantotsav witnessed great response from the public. The flower exhibition, folk art displays, traditional attire, handicraft stalls, and local products attracted both tourists and residents. A large number of visitors purchased items from various stalls, experiencing the rich culture and heritage of Uttarakhand.
On this occasion, the Governor interacted with artists, appreciated their work, and encouraged them by purchasing some exceptional paintings. He stated that Uttarakhand’s art and culture are integral to its identity, and it is everyone’s responsibility to preserve and promote them. He further highlighted the extraordinary skills, talent, and passion of the youth and women of Uttarakhand, emphasizing that this festival serves as a platform to showcase their abilities. He urged collective efforts to bring the state’s culture, folk art, and local products to national and international recognition.
Vasantotsav at Raj Bhawan is not just a festival of art, culture, and traditional products but also an inspiring platform for local artists, entrepreneurs, women’s groups, and cottage industries. The active participation and encouragement from the people have made this event even more special, providing new recognition to Uttarakhand’s folk art, traditional cuisine, and local products.
A buyer-seller meeting was also organized during Vasantotsav to facilitate discussions on important topics related to horticultural crops such as fruits, vegetables, spices, and flowers. The meeting covered issues like pest and disease management, improving production and productivity, post-harvest management, marketing, and processing.
The meeting was attended by several experts, including BS Negi (former Director, Horticulture & Food Processing, Uttarakhand), Narendra Chaudhary (Professor & Head, Rishikul Ayurvedic College), Additional Director (Horticulture), Joint Director (Horticulture), Deputy Director (Horticulture), CEO of Uttarakhand Horticulture Council, district horticulture officers, farmers from various districts, and representatives from different firms and companies.
During the discussion, special focus was given to ensuring an efficient marketing system for horticultural products (fruits, vegetables, spices, flowers, mushrooms, and honey) and digitizing the products grown in the state.
