Three-day tourism festival to kick off in Mahabaleshwar from May 2

The Maharashtra Mahaparyatan Utsav will be held at Mahabaleshwar from May 2 to 4 Organised by the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation MTDC this threeday state tourism festival is expected to be a unique experience for visitors with 60 luxurious fivestar tents laser shows various tourism excursions and a vibrant lineup of cultural eventsTourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai announced the event during a press conference held at the Ministryrsquos Legislative Press Room The festival is being launched under the guidance of Chief Minister CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CMs Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar with an aim to promote and brand major tourist destinations in the state every yearThe Maharashtra Mahaparvatana Utsav will open on May 2 at 5 pm at the Golf Club Grounds in Mahabaleshwar in Shinde and Pawarrsquos presence The other major attendees will include tourism minister Desai Public Works Minister Shivendra Singh Rajeacute Bhosale Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Jaykumar Gore Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Makarand Jadhav PatilGovernor CP Radhakrishnan will inaugurate the newly renovated Chhatrapati Pratapsingh Garden and the restored Petit Library on May 3In light of the recent attack on tourists in Pahalgam the government has announced the formation of a Maharashtra Tourist Safety Force to ensure the safety of tourists The force will be operational from May 3 under the Governorrsquos supervision It will be deployed in Mahabaleshwar for a threemonth periodWhat is in store for visitorsThe festival will feature an array of activities including cultural performances by renowned artists a FortandWeapon Exhibition food festivals adventure sports workshops for children helicopter rides drone shows temple tours among others Additionally there will be sessions on water tourism opportunities biodynamic farming and the statersquos tourism policy for 2024 The Maharashtra Tourism Policy and Agricultural Tourism will also be discussed in dedicated seminarsThe festival will feature 60 luxurious fivestar tents for visitors Some of these tents will be set up near the Golf Club Grounds while others will be located near the Mapro Garden in Mauje Bhose Visitors will also get a chance to take in panoramic views of Mahabaleshwar with helicopter rides available daily from 10 am to 4 pm Adventure enthusiasts can also take part in activities such as paragliding parasailing and water sports at Dubhash Farm and TapolaTaking inspiration from Maharashtrarsquos rich history of forts a FortandWeapon Exhibition will be held at the Chhatrapati Pratapsingh Garden near Venna Lake from 9 am to 7 pm The exhibition will showcase replicas of 10 major forts from the Maratha Empire along with nearly 1000 antique weapons from the Shivaji eraThe Venna Lake Festival will be another major attraction at the event A LaserandLight Show will be held in the evening on May 2 and 3 followed by a Drone Show on May 4 showcasing the rich history of Satara through 300 drones Additionally a lsquoKids Zonersquo will be set up at Seth Gangadhar Makharia Garden for children to participate in workshops on pottery painting storytelling and photographyFor culinary lovers a Food Festival at Seth Gangadhar Makharia High School will be organised over the three days featuring a wide variety of dishes from all the regions of the state including Marathwada Vidarbha Konkan and Western Maharashtra Additionally special food stalls from Satara and Maan will offer unique local delicacies A Flea Market will also be set up where visitors can explore handicrafts and products made by local women entrepreneursA grand Carnival Parade will take place on May 3 at 4 pm with performances of traditional folk dances including Pavli Adivasi Dance Vasudev Gondhali and Kadkalakshmi The parade will begin at Swargiya Balasaheb Thackeray Chowk and end at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj ChowkFor fitness enthusiasts yoga sessions will be held at Wilson Point on May 3 and 4 from 6 am to 7 am The sessions will be led by Dr Gajanan Saraf and his team Morning Raagas a musical programme featuring bansuri flute by Amar Oak will also be held A Fun Run and Cyclothon has been organised with the Fun Run starting at Wilson Point and finishing at Aram Guest House GroundsThe festival will also provide opportunities for visitors to explore historical temples such as Panchganga Mandir and Krishnai MandirThere will be experiential tours of villages agricultural tourism and strawberry farm visits tooMinister Shambhuraj Desai has expressed hope that this festival will help in promoting the historic and cultural richness of Maharashtra and attracting tourists from across the country and the globeThrough this initiative the state aims to position Maharashtra as a prime destination for tourism by offering a unique blend of culture adventure and heritageatOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params