TURA: Wrapping up the Durga Puja festivities in Garo Hills ‘Dhak Competition cum Cultural Function’ was held at the Tura Police Parade Ground on Sunday evening, where talented drummers from the various puja pandals vied for the winners title.
Secretary of the Ramakrishna Mission, Shillong, Revered Swami Sarvabhutananda, who was the Chief Guest on the occasion appealed to the people to spread the message of peace. He urged them to follow in the footsteps of Swami Vivekananda and to serve the people of all communities equally and selflessly.
Guest of Honor and Don Bosco College Principal, Fr Vivan R Mukhim also spoke on the same lines and made an appeal to the people to maintain peace and harmony. He said that if there is peace in the society, there is peace and development in the state which in turn leads to peace and prosperity of the nation as a whole. Recounting his personal experience, he lamented that Tura Town (market) at present closes down by 7:00 or 7:30 pm for obvious security concerns and added that this should not be the situation and shops and establishments should remain open till 8:30 or 9:00 pm.
West Garo Hills Superintendent of Police (SP), M G R Kumar, who was also the Guest of Honor thanked the people of the district for the peaceful completion of the Puja festivities. He urged the people to fight against evil and eradicate it from the society. Stating that silently watching evil things happening only promotes it, the SP urged the people to make a firm stand against it.
Later in the programme, the best puja pandals for different categories were announced and prizes handed over to the winners.
The Overall Award was won by the Fancy Valley Puja Pandal which walked off with 1st prizes in Best Temple Interior, Pandal/Approach decoration, Best Illumination, 2nd prizes in Best Hospitality and Best Immersion Procession and a 3rd prize in the Dhak Competition.
Other pujapandals who were among the winners were- Babupara and Marwari (2nd) and Hawakhana and Milan Sangha (3rd) in Best Temple Interior, Babupara and Lower Babupara (2nd) and Friends Club and Thakurbari (3rd) in Pandal/Approach Decoration, Babupara and Lower Babupara (2nd) and Nepali and Milan Sangha (3rd) in Best Illumination, Babupara (1st), Dalupara (2nd) and Nabin Pali and Marwari (3rd) in Best Hospitality, Dermile (1st), Babupara (2nd) and Thakurbari and Lower Dobasipara (3rd) in Best Immersion Procession and Lower Hawakhana (1st) and Dermile (2nd) in Dhak Competition. The Risipara Durga Puja Pandal was also presented a Special Award on the occasion.