The Hindu : Other States / Pondicherry News : Pondicherry lays on a slew of festive programmes

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Saturday, Dec 18, 2004

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Pondicherry lays on a slew of festive programmes

By Our Staff Reporter

PONDICHERRY, DEC. 17. The Department of Tourism is all set to kick off a slew of festivals to showcase Pondicherry as a unique tourist spot this December. The department is also looking to attract participation in the programmes by domestic, national and international organisations. The French Consulate and other institutions here are expected to play a part in this.

Shopping festival

The Education and Tourism Minister of Pondicherry, K. Lakshminarayanan, told a press conference here today that the annual shopping festival would be the first of several programmes conceived by the department. The month-long shopping festival, which includes prizes worth Rs. 48 lakhs for lucky coupon holders, would be held from December 20. The purpose is to boost business, enhance Government revenue and attract tourists and customers. Mr. Lakshminarayanan said to attract tourists to Pondicherry — described as a window to French culture — the department has arranged an air show by the Indian Air Force on December 25 at the old helipad in Lawspet near the Government Tagore Arts College.

Volunteers of the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in Pondicherry will present a programme at Chunnambar, near Ariyankuppam, the same day.

The air force and NCC volunteers will put on a display of para-sailing and other parachuting techniques.

The IAF team will carry out a second performance on December 26 near the Gandhi Thidal on the Beach Road here.

Cultural programmes

Mr. Lakshminarayanan said a New Year's Eve celebration featuring cultural programmes would be held on December 31 at Hotel Ashok at Kalapet on the ECR road.

The four-day long annual international yoga festival will start on January 4 at Gandhi Thidal.

A Maha Sath Sangh (yoga and meditation programme) will be held at the Indira Gandhi Sports complex on January 9 in which 40,000 members — attached to the Isha Foundation, Coimbatore — from different parts of the country would participate.

Sadguru Jaggi Vasudev of the Isha foundation will deliver a special talk.

Vintage car rally

A magic show on January 11 and 12, a vintage car rally on January 13 and 14 and a Friendship Festival, with participants from France and other countries, is also scheduled. These will serve to highlight the Golden Jubilee of the freedom of Pondicherry.

Mr. Lakshminarayanan said the Union Minister of State for Tourism and Culture, Renuka Choudhry, had been invited to inaugurate the international festival on January 4 and lay the foundation of the Rs. 4.75-crore new beach projects at Uppalam.

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