Gujarat to promote Navratri as a tourist attraction

The state government plans to showcase the forthcoming Navratri festival as a major tourist attraction, with a host of events lined up in an effort to attract tourists.

The events, part of the Vibrant Gujarat Navratri 2004, kick off on October 14 with a grand opening show at the picturesque Kankaria lake in Ahmedabad where several national and international troupes will perform. A Global Garba Festival will be held at Vadodara to mark the end of the festival on October 27.

In between, a number of international seminars on tourism - covering religious, heritage, adventure and eco tourism - exhibitions, food festivals, tourist circuits have also been lined up across the state.

"We have consciously decided to promote Navratri on a very big scale. The festival can be used as a platform to boost the state's tourism prospects," chief minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday.

He added that though there has been a perception that Gujarat lags behind in promoting tourism, the viewpoint is not entirely incorrect.

Modi said the government will invite persons from television channels like Discovery, tourism-based magazines, journalists specialising in tourism and representatives of tour and travel agencies for the events. "We are planning to invite a group of about 45 persons from 18 countries, who will be taken on tourist circuits across Gujarat," the chief minister said.

Modi said there has been a 30 per cent growth in the number of tourists visiting Gujarat since the Vibrant Gujarat Summit 2003. "The event (of 2003) gave a kick-start to tourism in Gujarat. This year, there is going to be a very serious attempt to showcase Gujarat and its places of interest," Modi said.

Asked if letters inviting people "" mainly Gujaratis living overseas "" have been sent this time too, Modi said: "Thousands of letters have been sent this time too, but they are merely letters informing them that such an event is being held."

The pavilions on four different themes - eco tourism, adventure tourism, religious tourism and heritage tourism "" will be organised at the University grounds in Ahmedabad from October 15 to 22. A food festival will also be held at the University grounds, where a 32,000 square feet food court is being set up. President APJ Abdul Kalam will inaugurate the event at the University grounds on October 15, the chief minister said.

The inaugural ceremony at Kankaria will be attended by Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, Governor Mohammed Fazal, leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani and others.

A midnight 'maha arti' will be held with over one lakh lamps being lit along the circumference of the Kankaria lake.