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New Delhi, Nov 2 (PTI) A ‘Jal Yajna’ at the Vasudev Ghat attended by hundreds of devotees marked the beginning of the Yamunotsav here on Sunday, that aims to raise awareness about the preservation of the Yamuna River. As part of the opening ceremony, 501 women from across the city took out a Kalash Yatra, an official statement said. The event was inaugurated in the presence of Delhi Art, Culture and Tourism Minister Kapil Mishra, MLA Rajkumar Bhatia, Yamuna Sansad convenor Ravishankar Tiwari and social worker Ranjeet Pathak, it added. The rituals began with offerings of water brought from Yamuna river and were performed by priests from Yamunotri and Vrindavan amid Vedic hymns and prayers for the river’s wellbeing. The ceremonies included recitations of Yamunastakam by Adi Shankaracharya and Vallabhacharya, the statement said. In the afternoon, spiritual storyteller Ajay Bhai Ji narrated the “Yamuna Katha”, highlighting the river’s sacred and ecological significance. He urged people to take collective responsibility for maintaining the purity and continuous flow of the Yamuna, which he described as Delhi’s lifeline. The day concluded with a Yamuna Aarti led by Swami Chidanand Saraswati, President of Parmarth Niketan, Rishikesh, it added. Organiser Ravishankar Tiwari said, the festival’s second day will feature the “Yamuna Conclave”, where water scientists from across the country will discuss scientific approaches to the river’s rejuvenation. PTI SHB OZ OZ
