Governor Satya Pal Malik and several political leaders greeted the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the auspicious occasions of Holi and Nauroz being celebrated on Thursday.
Nauroz, the Persian New Year, marks the onset of spring andbeginning of the year according to the Persian calendar.
Apart from holding different functions and culturalprogrammes, people also offer special prayers on this day.
In Kashmir, Nauroz-e-Alam is celebrated with fervour andenthusiasm.
The festival of colours—Holi—will also be celebrated Thursdaywith traditional fervour and gaiety across Jammu and Kashmir.
Governor Satya Pal Malik greeted the people of Jammu andKashmir on the occasions of Nauroz and Holi.
“The celebration of festivals is a valuable part of our richcultural heritage which strengthens the bonds of brotherhood and amity,” Maliksaid, according to a statement issued by Raj Bhavan.
He also appealed to one and all to “join hands in plantingtrees for saving our rapidly deteriorating environment”.
Malik hoped that this Nauroz and Holi would spread happinessand joy all around and promote harmony in the state, the statement said.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah andvice-president Omar Abdullah extended warm greetings to the people of Jammu andKashmir on the occasions of Nauroz-e-Alam and Holi.
Farooq, while greeting the people, said: “Nauroz means ‘newday’ and I hope this day acts as a harbinger of prosperity and peace in thestate. I extend warm greetings to the people, especially to our Shia brethren,on the occasion”.
In his message, Omar said: “I extend my warm greetings tothe people on the observance of Nauroz-e-Alam. May the day bequeath the statewith everlasting peace, harmony and prosperity. Festivals like these add to the cultural mosaic of our state”.
The Abdullahs also extended greetings to the people on thefestive occasion of Holi.
“Holi is a festival of love, colour, and rejuvenation,” theysaid in a statement.
Party senior leaders including general secretary AliMuhammad Sagar, additional general secretary Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, provincialpresident Nasir Aslam Wani, Muhammad Akbar Lone, chief spokesperson Aga SyedRuhullah Mehdi, Shareef-ud-Din Shariq, Javaid Ahmad Dar, Aga Syed Mahmood, AliMuhammad Dar, Irfan Ahmad Shah, Pir Afaq, Shameema Firdous, Qamar Ali Akhoon,Firoz Ahmad Khan, G M Mir, Basharat Bukhari and Tanvir Sadiq also extended warmgreetings to the people on the occasion of Nauroz-e-Alam, the NC statementread.
Meanwhile, the NC statement quoted Farooq as saying, whilehighlighting the importance of Arbor Day which is celebrated on 21 March everyear: “Our revered saint Hazrat Sheikh-ul-Alam (RA) has centuries agounderscored the importance of planting trees for the sustenance of human lifewith his words ‘food is subservient to forests’. I urge the people especiallychildren to come forward and plant trees”.
Advisor to the governor, Khurshid Ahmed Ganai, extended warmgreetings to the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the auspicious occasions ofNauroz and Holi.
In his message, Ganai said these holy occasions symbolisethe unique cultural heritage of the country and reinvigorate the spirit ofmutual love, brotherhood and affection amongst the people, an officialspokesman said in a statement.
“The advisor prayed that Nauroz and Holi bring peace, happinessand prosperity to the people of the state”.
Governor’s another advisor KK Sharma extended greetings topeople on the festival of ‘Holi”
In his message of felicitations, the advisor hoped that thefestival of colors will bring peace and prosperity in the state, an officialstatement said.
He (Sharma) said that the celebration of festivals is animportant part of our social and cultural milieu which strengthens the bonds ofbrotherhood and amity, the statement read.
Former chief minister and Peoples Democratic Party presidentMehbooba Mufti felicitated people on the occasions of Nauroz and Holi.
In her message of felicitation, Mehbooba observed that thefestivals of Nauroz and Holi have both religious as well as the culturalsignificance.
“Noting that this important day is also observed as worldarbour day, she emphasised the need to plant the maximum number of trees forpreserving the environment,” a PDP statement read, quoting Mehbooba.
Mehbooba said Jammu and Kashmir is the “symbol of compositeculture where people of different religions are living together and thecenturies-old bond needs to be strengthened further”.
The PDP president also prayed for peace, development andtranquility in the state, the statement read.
J&K Congress party president Ghulam Ahmad Mir extendedhearty greetings to people on auspicious occasions of Nauroz and Holi.
In his message, Mir hoped that the auspicious occasion ofNavroz ushers in an era of complete peace and overall development of the stateand people in the country and state in particular, a statement issued hereread.
Mir also extended greetings to people on the occasion ofHoli, the festival of colours, hoping that it will be a harbinger peace,development in all the three regions of the state.
Advisor to governor, K Vijay Kumar, extended his greetingsto the people of the state on the occasion of Holi, festival of colors, andNauroz.
In his message, he said Holi signifies the “triumph of goodover evil and the celebrations bring about the spirit of universal brotherhood,love and the power of truth which also bridges the social gap and renewsrelationships”.
Kumar hoped that Nauroz festival becomes harbinger of peace,progress and prosperity for the people of Jammu and Kashmir
“It is also a good time to spread the message of peace, joyand love across society and to celebrate unity in diversity”, he said,according to an official statement.