Raipur: ‘Hareli Tihar’—the first festival of Chhattisgarh—was celebrated with great pomp and show at the residence of Chief Minister here on Thursday. Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel, along with his spouse Smt. Mukteshwari Baghel and other relatives, worshiped the rural deities, Tulsi Mata, ‘Nangar’ (plough), agricultural equipments, ‘Gedi’ and ‘Gaumata’ and prayed for a good harvest. He extended his warm greetings and best wishes to the people of the state on the occasion of ‘Hareli’.
Chief minister’s residence was decked up in a rural setting depicting vibrant culture of Chhattisgarh. The attendees enjoyed Chhattisgarhi folk music and dance, traditional ‘Gadwa Baja’, ‘Raut Nacha’, Gedi dance, folk games, ‘raichuli’ and traditional delicacies.
Chief minister Bhupesh Baghel encouraged the folk dance artists by performing Gedi dance with them. The Chief Minister also tried his hand at a game of ‘Bhaura’ (spinning top). He also enjoyed ‘raichuli’ with his daughter. Agriculture minister Ravindra Choubey, industries minister Kawasi Lakhma, School Education Minister Dr. Premsai Singh Tekam, forest minister Mohammad Akbar, and Chhattisgarh State Commission for Women Chairperson Kiranmayee Nayak also enjoyed the ‘raichuli’.
Cabinet ministers including Tamradhwaj Sahu, Mohammad Akbar, Kawasi Lakhma, Amarjeet Bhagat, Dr. Premsai Singh Tekam, and Anila Bhediya along with other senior officials and a large number of citizens attended the programme organized at Chief Minister’s residence.
