Raksha Bandhan, Vriksha Bandhan celebrated in Visakhapatnam
The Hindu
Raksha Bandhan, Vriksha Bandhan celebrated in Visakhapatnam
While citizens were in the mood of Raksha Bandhan celebrations to celebrate the bond of relationship between brother and sister by tying rakhis to each other from Wednesday to Thursday (the festival falls on both days as per Telugu calendar), nature lovers on the other hand celebrated Vriksha Bandhan on Wednesday. Many citizens gifted plants to their siblings as part of Raksha Bandhan.
Mayor G. Hari Venkata Kumari tied a rakhi to a neem tree in the office garden to mark the concept of Eco-Vizag. Speaking on the occasion, the Mayor said that rakhi was tied with the seeds of native plants.
Koduru Sumana, a tree lover, said that people should show their love for plants and trees by planting plants that provide oxygen and shelter to birds and animals. Planting only a few ornamental plants will have no effect and no use.
K. Visveswara Balaji, a retired officer of the Food Corporation of India, called for planting flower plants while celebrating Raksha Bandhan as Vriksha Bandhan. He distributed saplings to the residents of VUDA Revenue Colony in Madhurawada in the presence of the team of Green Climate, which celebrated the occasion by offering pujas (rituals) to a 136-year-old banyan tree on Railway Station Road in the city.
The NSS units of St. Joseph’s Women’s College in association with Green Teams and Fridays for Future AP organisations conducted Vriksha Bandhan as part of the ‘Save Trees’ campaign, said the programme officer K. Manikya Kumari. The students tied rakhis to old trees at Collectorate and 136-year-old Banyan tree at Railway station road.
Prajapitha Brahmakumaris also celebrated Raksha Bandhan by tying rakhis to people. BK Rameshwari tied a rakhi to the Mayor.
Traders also sold rakhis everywhere with prices ranging from ₹10 to ₹500. On the occasion, holidays were also declared by some schools like Visakha Valley.
The Opposition Congress demanded that the government open the Gandhi Vatika Museum, depicting Mahatma Gandhi’s legacy and freedom struggle, built at a cost of ₹85 crore in Jaipur’s Central Park last year, during the Congress-led regime in Rajasthan. The museum has not been opened to the public, reportedly because of the administration’s engagements with the State Assembly and Lok Sabha elections.