SHOBHA YATRA IN BIHIA

SHOBHA YATRA IN BIHIA

6-SEP-ENG 20

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA--------------------------The festival of Shri Krishna Janmashtami was celebrated with great enthusiasm and grandeur in the Bihiya Nagar Panchayat on Friday. The grand procession, organized by the *Shobha Yatra Samiti* (Procession Committee) on this auspicious occasion, not only captivated the devotees but also immersed the entire town in the spirit of devotion.

The procession commenced with special prayers and rituals at the Radha-Krishna temple located at Dak Bungalow Chowk. As the procession moved out of the temple and onto the main roads, the entire town echoed with chants of "Jai Shri Krishna." The spectacle was truly enchanting; a group of Krishna devotees on motorcycles led the way, followed by a contingent of dozens of beautifully decorated horses that remained the center of attraction.

The enthusiasm of the devotees was a sight to behold. Devotees, carrying yellow flags and the national flag, were seen swaying to the tunes of devotional songs. The enchanting tableau of Lord Krishna and Radha, adorning the chariot that was part of the procession, captivated the onlookers lining the streets. The procession commenced at Dak Bangla Mor and traversed through Saheb Tola, the Nagar Panchayat office, Block Road, Sabzi Mandi, Raja Bazar Chowk, the overbridge, Mela Road, Mahavir Mandir, and Station Road before returning to the Radha-Krishna Temple. An extraordinary surge of devotion was witnessed during this procession, which stretched for nearly a kilometer.

A standout feature of the event was the *Ganga-Jamuni Tehzeeb* (syncretic culture) of Bihiya; members of the Muslim community also participated enthusiastically in the procession. The coming together of people from diverse communities for this festival sends a powerful message of social harmony and mutual brotherhood.

The administration remained fully alert regarding security and arrangements. Security forces were deployed alongside Bihiya Station House Officer (SHO) Sundeshwar Kumar Das, Circle Inspector Mukesh Kumar, RO Radheshyam Chaudhary, and other police officials. Additionally, an ambulance and a medical team accompanied the procession continuously to handle any emergency situation.

Key figures who contributed to the success of this grand event included Procession Committee President Basant Yadav and Munna Yadav; Convener Govind Yadav; Krishna Gupta, Kanhaiya Gupta, Lakhan Singh, Dheeraj Yadav, Laddu Yadav, Pappu Yadav, Deepak, Sunil, and Manoj Yadav; as well as Deputy Chief (Up-Pramukh) Mukesh Yadav, Murad Hussain, and others. All committee members, including Maan Ansari, Lalan Yadav, Mantu Yadav, Birendra Yadav, Sachitanand Yadav, Manoj Yadav, and Ritik Roshan, made commendable contributions.