Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced that the Hartalika Teej Festival will now be organised more grandly at the government level. He made the announcement while attending the Gorkhali Women’s Hartalika Teej Festival at Jaswant Singh Ground in Garhi Cantt.
CM Dhami extended his greetings to women of the Gorkhali community and described Hartalika Teej as a symbol of the faith, dedication, determination and strength associated with Goddess Parvati.
He said traditional festivals such as Teej help connect younger generations with their cultural roots. Women play an important role in preserving language, folk traditions, values and cultural heritage and passing them on to future generations.
Gorkhali Community’s Contribution to Uttarakhand
The Chief Minister highlighted the Gorkhali community’s contribution to Uttarakhand’s development. He said the community is known for its bravery, hard work, dedication and patriotism.
He noted that Gorkhali people have contributed to the state in several fields, including education, sports, art, literature and social service, while Gorkha soldiers have shown courage in protecting the country’s borders.
Shaheed Dwar to Honour Captain Dal Bahadur Thapa
CM Dhami also mentioned the foundation stone laying of the ‘Azad Hind Fauj Shaheed Dwar’ in the Mussoorie Assembly constituency in memory of martyr Captain Dal Bahadur Thapa.
He said the memorial will represent the valour, sacrifice and patriotism of the Gorkhali community and introduce future generations to its contribution to the nation.
Focus on Women’s Empowerment
The Chief Minister said women’s empowerment remains a key priority for the state government. He highlighted 30 per cent horizontal reservation for women in government services and the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in Uttarakhand.
He also pointed to self-help groups as an important tool for improving women’s economic independence. According to him, more than 3 lakh women in Uttarakhand have become ‘Lakhpati Didis’, contributing to their families and the state economy.
India-Nepal Ties
CM Dhami also highlighted the centuries-old cultural and familial ties between India and Nepal. Referring to the natural disaster in Nepal, he said India stands with the neighbouring country during difficult times and expressed his condolences to those affected.
The event was attended by Cabinet Minister Ganesh Joshi, Acharya Balkrishna, Geeta Pushkar Dhami, Padam Singh Thapa, Prabha Shah, Jyoti Kotiya, Neha Joshi, Siddharth Agarwal and Anukriti Gusain, among others.
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