Almora: The Women’s Welfare Organisation held a meeting at its office near Nanda Devi Temple to finalise preparations for the upcoming Sawan Fair, scheduled to be held on 12 and 13 August. The meeting, attended by members of various cultural groups, began with devotional bhajans.
It was decided that on the first day, a Jalabhishek Yatra will commence from Siddh Naula Temple carrying holy water to the Nanda Devi Temple, where devotees will perform the ritual offering of water at the Lord Shiva temple. A devotional bhajan and kirtan programme will follow the ritual.
On the second day, several cultural competitions will be organised, including Seli Decoration, Bridal Dress Competition, Dance Competition on Sawan Songs, and a Kumaoni Traditional Cuisine Competition. Participants in the cuisine contest will prepare traditional dishes using millets and other coarse grains at home and bring them to the venue. Judges will also ask participants questions related to their respective competitions.
The fair will also feature food stalls managed by women entrepreneurs. The organisers said that the income generated from these stalls would directly benefit the participating women, promoting self-employment and financial empowerment.
The meeting was chaired by Reeta Durgapal and conducted by Meeta Upadhyay. A large number of members of the organisation and representatives of various cultural teams attended the meeting.
