Belgaum, October 15, 2013: The annual Navaratri celebrations concluded with a grand ‘Durga Mata Daud’ here on Monday.

People from different sections of society walked together to celebrate the event. They shouted slogans in glory of goddess Durga, the presiding deity of the festivities, and Maratha warrior Chatrapathi Shivaji.

The procession culminated at Dharamveer Sambhaji Chowk, where the organisers addressed the gathering and appealed to the youth to strive hard to make the nation prosperous.

Youth from different localities in the city took out processions till late evening. The Nada Habba Utsav Samiti had organised 5-day ‘nada habba’ for the 86th year, including cultural programmes and seminars on current issues such as growing violence against women and girls, Kannada literary traditions and cultural traits indigenous to Belgaum and north Karnataka. Noted Kannada cinema director T.S. Nagabharana, who was the chief guest at the inaugural occasion held on October 6, deplored the rampant misuse of television media and its interference in the lives of people. The organisers are hopeful of getting financial assistance for nada habba as Minister of Sugar, Small Scale Industries and Muzrai Prakash B. Hukkeri, who inaugurated the event, promised financial support to organise Nada Habba on par with the Mysore Dasara festivities from next year onwards.

Source: The Hindu, October 15, 2013