“Maroj” Festival of Jaunpur Rawain celebrated in Mussoorie

MUSSOORIE, 9 Jan: The Rawain-Jaunpur-Jaunsar community converged in large numbers at a wedding point, here, to celebrate the Magh Festival popularly called “Maroj”, organised by the Aglar Yamuna Ghati Vikas Manch(Regd). The festival began with the offering of traditional sacrificial goat and Lighting of the lamp. The chief guest on the occasion was Minister of State Khazan Das. The Chief Patron of the Manch, Manmohan Singh Mall, Aglar Yamuna Ghati Vikas manch President Shoorvir Rawat and Coordinator SS Kharkhai welcomed the Chief Guest on the occasion.
The celebration was followed by a mesmerising performance of Pandava, Tandi and Raasu Nritya,  a folk dance of the region by Nand Lal and Devanshi Group from Jaunpur Jaunsar region. The women performers, dressed in traditional attire, graced the occasion and danced alongside the male members of the community.
The traditional community lunch and the ‘Baanta’ of sacrificed goat was   also served on the occasion. The other invited guest on the occasion were State Mahila Congress President Shanti Juanta, Congress MLA Rajesh Juanta, Mandi Parishad President Upendar Thapli, SP leader Durga Verma, Senior BJP Leader and Rajpur MLA Ganesh Joshi, Palika president OP Uniyal, Uttarakhand Sports Parishad President Narayan Singh Rana among others.
The invited guests commended the efforts of the samiti in organizing the festival and asserted that such ‘Mela” were important to preserve the culture of the region. Palika president OP Uniyal announced to provide land to the samiti in Mussoorie for the benefit of the community.MLA Mussoorie Jot Singh Gunsola announced that he would also help the Samiti financially for opening a training centre for women after the land was procured. Jot Singh further said that it was very important to organise such melas so that the youth and children of the community remained in tune with the culture and preserve dit diligently. He also said that the culture of Uttarakhand was not in written form so the responsibility of such community increases to publicise it in different forms.
Mandi Parishad President Upendar Singh Thapli also resolved to provide assistance of 20 Lakhs through a proposal in the parishad.SP Leader Durga Verma announced the assistance of Rs 1 lakh on the occasion. The chief guest on the occasion Khajan Das also reiterated the fact that the organizing melas like Maroj will preserve the culture and the tradition of the region. He also said that his govt would help in the procurement of land for the Dharamshala and training centre in Mussoorie.He also commended the efforts of the samiti in organizing the festival.