Tazia processions begin amid tight security

Ahmedabad, Jan 30 (UNI) Tazia procession began today from all the four zones of the city amid tight police bandobast.

The procession comprised 92 tazias, 32 akharas, 74 'doles,' 17 matams, 14 trucks and 15 camelcarts, general secretary of Tazia Procession Committee Jaimin Momin told UNI.

The city, divided in four zones A,B,C and D, covers all the places from where tazias originate. For instance Madhavpura, Shahpur, Sarangpur come in A zone while Kalupur, Karanj and Dariapur in B.

In C zone, comes sensitive areas like Gomitipur and Rakhial, while in D comes places like Shahalam and Jamalpur.

Mr Momin said Ahmedabad is celebrating the tazia procession since last 150 years, while the procession is also organised in each town and city of the state.

The city is proud of Rathyatra and Tazia, which has come to symbolise 'asmita' or 'pride of Gujarat,' he said.

Later in the evening, all the processions would converge at the main road near Electricity House here and will be addressed by leaders of Ekta Committee comprising Mahant of the famous Jagannath mandir here, political leaders and social activists.

After the ceremonial welcome, the tazias will be taken onward to Khanpur river. Small tazias of 5ft to 8ft in height will be immersed, while bigger ones will be dipped in the river and brought back, he said adding that all this will be over by 2100 hrs.

UNI