To promote tourism, INTACH holds Heritage Circuit Rally first time in Ferozepur
Holding Heritage Workshop on 29th and 30th
Ferozepur, April 28, 2024: First time in the history of this border region, a Heritage Circuit Car Rally was organized by the Indian National Trust for Art & Cultural Heritage – INTACH - Ferozepur Chapter which commenced from the historic Gurdwara Jamni Sahib in Bajidpur village and culminated at the National Martyrs Memorial in Hussainiwala after passing through the various historic sites of Ferozepur.
The rally was flagged off by Rajesh Dhiman, Deputy Commissioner, Bikram Singh, Station Commander and INTACH Punjab Chapter, Convener, Retd Major General Balwinder Singh and presided over by the convenor and historian of Ferozepur Chapter, Anirudh Gupta.
The Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage - INTACH - was founded in 1984 in New Delhi with the vision to spearhead heritage awareness and conservation in India now recognized as one of the world’s largest heritage organizations, with over 228 Chapters across the Country. In the past 40 years, INTACH has pioneered the conservation and preservation of not just our natural and built heritage but intangible heritage as well.
The rally started from Jamni Sahib Gurdwara of Bazidpur, in which vintage cars graced the rally. While army officials participated on bikes, cyclists also participated in the circuit rally, and passed through historical places - Gurdwara Bajidpur, Club View Hotel, Old Ferozepur Club, Wazir Ali Building, St. Andrew's Church, Barki Memorial, Pir Baba Shershawli Mazar, Saragarhi Memorial, Ferozepur Fort at Hussainiwala, Hind Gate and Martyrs Memorial. At every historical place, the participants were briefed about the heritage place.
Dr. Anirudh Gupta said that Ferozepur has immense tourism potential. While developing historical places is the need of the hour, tourists from the country and abroad can be attracted to come here by promoting army and border tourism. If it is promoted in tourism, the means of employment will increase due to the tourists coming here and the district will be fully developed.
DIG BSF Pawan Bajaj said it is a matter of happiness to take out a rally on such a large scale for the first time in the border district to promote tourism. He said that those who keep their heritage intact, are immortal in history for a long time.
Retired Major General Balwinder Singh, Convener of INTACH Punjab Chapter, deeply appreciated historian Dr. Anirudh Gupta. He said that Ferozepur is the only district in the country where such a big car rally has been organized for the preservation of heritage.
At the end of the program, while certificates were given to the participants, the contributors were also honoured followed by patriotic songs by DBW School.
VINTAGE CARS REMAIN THE CENTER OF ATTRACTION
In the rally, Landlord Malvinder Singh Sodhi participated in the Ferozepur Circuit Car Rally with a 1948 model Chevrolet Fleetmaster car, while Gundeep Singh Sodhi, another landlord brought a 1984 model Maruti 800 DX. City resident Sunir Monga added to the beauty of the rally by bringing a 1937 model Chevrolet.
Organizing Heritage Workshop on 29th and 30th
Co-Convenors Vikram Ditya Sharma and Akshay Gilhotra said that a two-day heritage workshop is also being conducted by INTACH on April 29 and 30 in which any school, including colleges.
On this occasion prominent personalities including DIG BSF Brig Pawan Bajaj (Retd), District Sessions Judge Virinder Agarwal, Army Women Welfare Association (AWWA) Chairperson Shikha Sheoron, Army Officers Bikram Singh, Tarun Pathak, M K S Mouli, Red Cross Secretary Ashok Bahl along with other dignitaries Dr Kamal Baghi, Dr Sheel Sethi, Malwinder Singh, Gundeep Sodhi, industrialist Sameer Mittal, Shailendra Shelley, Dr Harsh Bhola, Dr K.C. Arora, Advocate J.S. Dharmapal Bansal, Dr Satinder Singh Sodhi, Prof. Gajalpreet Singh, Vipul Narang, Parminder Thind, Sohan Singh Sodhi, Sunir Monga, Gauri Mehta etc. were present.