KATRA, Oct 17: A grand and spiritually vibrant Prabhat Pheri was taken out today as part of the ongoing Navratra celebrations in Katra featuring beautifully decorated jhankis of Maa Kaalratri and different menifestations of Maa Kaali. The Prabhat Pheri, organised by the J&K Association of Prabhat Pheri in association with the J&K Tourism Department, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board Katra and the District Administration Reasi, witnessed enthusiastic participation from local residents, pilgrims, schoolchildren, and devotees from different parts of the country who came together to celebrate the divine glory of Maa Vaishno Devi.
Earlier, the Prabhat Pheri was flagged off by the chief guest Navdeep Arora AEE, JPDCL and guests of honour Ravi AE, JPDCL Katra and Sh. Durga Parkash manager CBC in the presence of Gopal Dutt, medical superintendent and Shiv Sharma, president senior citizen welfare forum Katra and M S Manhas retired headmaster.
The dignitaries formally inaugurated the procession by cutting the red ribbon and breaking a green coconut amid devotional fervour and the chanting of religious slogans.
The procession commenced from Bus Stand Katra proceeded along Banganga Road towards Darshani Deodi and subsequently returned through the main bazaar before culminating at Bus Stand Katra.
Enroute devotees from Delhi, Gurugram, Banaras, and Patna joined the procession adding to its growing popularity as a significant spiritual attraction during the Navratra celebrations.
Groups from the Central Bureau of Communication representing Jammu and Kashmir along with NCC cadets also participated in the procession lending it an added sense of discipline, enthusiasm and patriotic spirit.
The entire route reverberated with devotional bhajans and the resounding Jai Karas of Maa Vaishno Devi as local residents and visiting pilgrims danced joyfully to the rhythm of devotional music.
Artists Baldev and his party along with Ritu Mehra of Chinar Art Foundation and Vijay kumar party enthralled the gathering with their devotional performances.
School students participated enthusiastically singing bhajans, dancing to the devotional tunes and raising Jai Karas of Maa Vaishno Devi throughout the procession creating an atmosphere of collective devotion and spiritual harmony.
A special gesture of hospitality was witnessed at Yog Ashram where CRPF personnel received the procession and served prashad to the participants under the supervision of Sh. Pardeep Goswami, Commandant 6th Battalion CRPF.
Speaking on the occasion Raj Kumar Padha President J&K Association of Prabhat Pheri said that the Prabhat Pheris had emerged as one of the prominent spiritual attractions of the Navratra celebrations in Katra bringing together people from different regions and backgrounds in devotion to Maa Vaishno Devi.
He informed that two more grand Prabhat Pheris would be organised over the next two days and appealed to the residents of Katra as well as visiting pilgrims to participate in large numbers and seek the blessings of Maa Vaishno Devi.
Those present on the occasion included Ajay Sharma, Ramnik Sharma, Manoj Sadhotra, Neelam Singh, Ashwini Katoch, Atul Sharma, Tilak Raj, Sanjay Kesar, Madan Lal, Shamsher Singh, Sohan Thakur, Vishal Pandit, Rakesh Sharma, Rattan Chand, Babu Ram, Rajesh Gupta, Subash Chand, Vimal Kumar, Babu Ram Dubey, Renueji Dhar, P. N. Kaul, Suman Manhas, Sanjay Tickoo, and P. C. Rana, among others.