3-day Vasantotsav to begin at Lok Bhavan on Feb 27

Dehradun: The annual three-day flower exhibition, Vasantotsav-2026, will be organised at Lok Bhavan in Dehradun from Feb 27 to March 1, with this year's theme titled 'Floral Healing'.At a curtain-raiser held on Friday, governor Lt Gen Gurmit Singh (retd) shared details of the programme and said the festival has become an important part of Uttarakhand's cultural, economic and environmental identity in recent years. He added that ‘Bhojpatra' has been selected for the special postal cover this year."The festival provides a platform for local products, handicrafts, traditional arts and agriculture-based goods. Artisans, farmers, women self-help groups and young entrepreneurs get an opportunity to display and market their products, promoting self-employment and strengthening the local economy," the governor said.The exhibition will include 15 main competition categories with 55 sub-categories, and a total of 165 prizes will be awarded on March 1 after evaluation by a jury. For the first time, soil-less technology has been included in a hydroponic cultivation technology demonstration competition.More than 30 state departments, along with research institutes, agricultural universities, boards and corporations, will participate in the event. A one-hour cultural evening will be organised on the first and second days, while local cultural programmes representing various districts of the state will be held during the daytime on all three days within the Lok Bhavan premises.For the first time, the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities, Dehradun, and Niramaya Yogam Research Foundation, Haridwar, will conduct a live demonstration of a rhythmic yoga programme. Bands of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police, the Uttarakhand Provincial Armed Constabulary and the Home Guards will also perform.