The Buddhist stupa at Motihari. Picture by Ajit Kumar Verma

Motihari, March 3: Barely a day before the start of the three-day Kesariya Mahotsav, the district magistrate has resolved the issue of objectionable dance programmes organised during the festival.

During the festival, which was known as Buddha Mahotsav till last year, Buddhist monks had objected to cultural programmes that maligned the name of Lord Buddha and had called for the cancellation of the festival or a change in its name. Thus, the authorities were forced to rename the festival Kesariya Mahotsav and assure that no objectionable programmes would be held during the festival.

In 2007, the state art and culture department had directed the district administration to organise Buddha Mahotsav near the world’s tallest stupa (104-foot) site here every year, the expenses of which would be borne by the state government.

Sources in the Kesariya Mahotsav Samiti said the public health and engineering department minister, Chandra Mohan Rai, will inaugurate the programme on the first day, while the urban development and housing minister, Prem Kumar, and the minister of art, culture and youth affairs, Sukhda Pandey, would inaugurate the programmes on the second and third days of the festival respectively.

“The sanctity of the heritage site and the events which would be performed to pay tribute to Lord Buddha around the world’s tallest stupa are to be preserved at any cost,” asserted the district magistrate of East Champaran, Abhijit Sinha. “Instead of allowing uncontrolled entry to artistes from Bollywood, artistes from local areas and across the state would be engaged to project the Indian culture through their programmes,” he added.

In a brief conversation with The Telegraph, the district magistrate said considering the noble mission of the cultural exchange with different states of the country, artistes from several places in the northeastern states of the country have been invited to perform their indigenous cultural programmes on the occasion.

“Nothing objectionable would be allowed on the stage during the three-day programme. We are not prepared to make any compromise with the ethical values during the show,” he added.

“A well-equipped medical team is also expected to be posted in Kesariya during the festival,” said the co-ordinator of the medical team, Dr Parmeshwar Ojha.

Specialists in general medicine, surgery, ophthalmology, orthopaedics, gynaecology and diabetes wound be among the doctors who would visit Kesariya to examine the patients on the occasion. He added that the director of the Indira Gandhi Medical Institute, Dr S.N. Mishra, would also lead a 14-member team of doctors from Patna to Kesariya on the occasion.