Ranchi, Sept. 26: On the eve of World Tourism Day today, 70 enthusiastic men and women, including students, gave free rein to their imagination today to paint about "Unexplored Jharkhand", a competition held on the eve of World Tourism Day.

Organised jointly by the state tourism department and the Jharkhand chapter of Indian Chamber of Commerce (ICC) at a city hotel, the competition was to allow participants to focus on the tourism and cultural attractions of the state.

"Actually, there are two sections in the competitions," said Deepak Bhattacharya, resident director at ICC's Jharkhand state office, who was present on behalf of the organisers.

"While one section is meant for school students, the other is open to all," he said, adding that 50 participants for each section were chosen after initial selections held earlier. "As many as 100 were eligible to take part in today's final leg of the competition," he said.

A photography competition was also held for two similar categories --- one for students and the other open to all.

Although organisers had expected all 100 to take part in the painting competition, only 70 turned up today.

Many of those who took part in the competitions had come from far off places such as Shilpa in Garhwa district. They painted on a variety of subjects, for instance, a typical Jharkhand landscape, places of interest like the Parasnath temple or a waterfall. Some even painted the state's dance forms, like Chhau.

"I participated in the open-to-all category and painted Chhau dance," said Samita Sinha, who came from Ramgarh.

A panel of three would judge the paintings and 10 of the best from each of the two categories would be feted at a function tomorrow to celebrate World Tourism Day. "The winners of the photography competition will also be given prizes at tomorrow's function," Bhattacharya said.