Yugantar Bharat started organizing Damodar Mahotsava from the year 2006. This Mahotsava is organized on the day of Ganga Dushera, since Damodar is considered to be a tributary of the river Ganga. Starting from its point of origin at Chulhapani to Panchet at Jharkhand. Damodar Mahotsava is organized at 20 different places along the bank of river Damodar. During the Damodar Bachao Andolan it was mooted that community would be involved in the process of protecting the rivers of Jharkhand from pollution. The idea behind organizing this programme is to show our gratitude to this lifeline of Jharkhand. On the occasion of Damodar Mahotsava cultural and religious activities along the bank of Damodar at several places are organized.

Our objective behind this festival is to make people aware of the importance of water as a precious natural resources, river ecology and preservation of river water quality in particular and protection of environment as well as eradication of pollution in general.

Our efforts have been strengthened by the generosity of Government of Jharkhand and other organisations. Yugantar Bharati feels that this activity would be owned by the community in the coming years and the Government would also give due patronage to this Mahotsava. The new tradition laid by Yugantar Bharati need to be imprinted in the social fabric of Jharkhand. This is only possible if the tradition is sustained.

ACTIVITIES ON DAMODAR MAHOTSAVA

The carried out programme in ‘Damodar Mahotsava’are as follows:

1. Puja at River Site / Spiritual Talk
2. Competition for School Students (Painting/ Essay Competition)
3. Rally (Shova Yatra) / Nukkad Natak played by the School Students
4. Tree plantation in the river catchments with the help of Students
5. Cleaning of River banks.
6. Estimation of Pollution.
7. Discussion on Damodar Catchments Plan. (Site Specific)

Water is elixir of life and river Damodar is the lifeline of Jharkhand. To show our gratitude to this lifeline we would be paying our respect to river Damodar on 14th June, 2016 on the occasion of Ganga Dashara. It is mentionable that a similar exercise was done in

1. year 2006 (on 6th June 2006), Who where the participents in the Mahotsava Sri ----------
2. year 2007 (on 26th May, 2007)
3. year 2008 (on 13th June, 2008)
4. year 2009 (2nd June, 2009)
5. year 2010 (21st June, 2010)
6. year 2011 (11th June, 2011)
7. year 2012 (29th May, 2012)
8. year 2013 (18th June, 2013)
9. year 2014 (14th June, 2014)
10. year 2015 (28th May, 2015)
11. year 2016 (14th June, 2016)
    under the aegis of ‘Jal Jagrukta Abhiyan’.

Damodar Mahotsava Team

Convener

- Dr Prahalad Barnwal

Co-convener

- Sri Rakesh Bhaskar

Sitewise list of Incharges and Mahotsava sites

Sitewise organising team list

1. Chullhapani Origin point
   • Chairman
   • Secretary
   • Tresuerer
   

2. Chandwa
   • Chairman
   • Secretary
   • Tresuerer
   

Looking at the plight of river Damodar, we at Yugantar Bharati, decided that it was high time to act in a decisive way. We felt that unless the tradition of worshipping natural resources is revived, it would not be possible to galvanize one and all for the protection of river Damodar.

Devnad Damodar Mahotsava is conceptualized as a cultural festival with an underpinning of environmental concern. It was decided to observe ‘Devnad Damodar Mahotsava’ every year on the day of ‘Ganga Dushhara’, since the river is essentially a tributary of river Ganges, the most sacred river of India.

Origin point of river Damodar: River Damodar, known as lifeline of Jharkhand, originates from Chullhapani situated at the boarder of Lohardaga and Latehar districts. It travels a distance of nearly 581 kms before merging into River Ganga (Hoogly). Upto about 35 km from its origin it is known as ‘Devnad’ which finds mention in the Govt. records also. It is a masculine Holy river named after Lord Vishnu.