Pinjore and Sufi fests planned to promote heritage tourism

Chandigarh, June 23 (UNI) A five-day Pinjore Heritage Festival will be held from October 6 at Yadavindra Gardens, Pinjore in Panchkula district and a heritage preservation consultant has been engaged for the conservation of the old monuments at the popular tourist spot.

Haryana Minister of State for Tourism Mrs Kiran Choudhry today said it was also proposed to organise a Sufi Festival at Kurukshetra in November 2006 through which a tourist circuit of important monuments of Sufism in the state, like Sheikh Chaheli Tomb at Thanesar, would be promoted, Talking to mediapersons after laying the foundation stone of a Rs 56.38 lakh multipurpose hall at Baya Tourist Complex in Bhiwani, Mrs Choudhry stated the people of the region could be acquainted and sensitised about these heritage sites through such events.

The Tourism Minister said the Union Ministry of Tourism had agreed, in principle, to sanction Rs 10 lakh each for these festivals. She said in view of the historical, religious and spiritual importance of Kurukshetra, the state government planned to promote the holy city at the international level.

She said the department had already been organising the famous Surajkund Crafts Mela every year at Faridabad and a Convention Centre, at an estimated cost of Rs five crore, was being set up at the Surajkund Tourist Complex.

While giving details of other projects, Mrs Choudhry stated the tourist complexes of Karna Lake in Karnal and Tilyar Lake in Rohtak would be developed as ideal tourist spots for which detailed concept plans would be prepared.

UNI JN VD KP1511