CHENNAI: More than 1 lakh people thronged the 11th edition of the Hindu Spiritual and Service Fair being held at Gurunanak College premises in Velachery. The first day of the fair witnessed many cultural events and yaagams, all based on the theme of this year, 'foster women’s honour'. At the entrance of the fair stood a huge statue of Kannagi, who is this year’s mascot.
"We want to spread awareness about her powerful story and even the statue of gods placed at the entrance of the fair are all female. Apart from that, we have provided information on some of the prominent women in Vedic and Indian history, including Avvaiyar, Gargi, Andal, Maitreyi and Rani Padmini," said R Rajalakshmi, managing trustee, Initiative for Moral and Cultural Training Foundation.
More than 500 stalls showcasing the charitable works rendered by Hindu spiritual organisations, promoting organic food items, and educating the people about the importance of preserving forests and ecology, promoting patriotism, and respecting parents,teachers and women, were set up.
Apart from this, on Wednesday, there were special performances by Karnataka Folk Arts, Gujarati community, Alap music academy, and a thematic homam by students of Arya Samaj Educational trust. One of the highlights was a stall set up by the Postal department, displaying different stamps celebrating women.