A mega naati (traditional Pahari dance) for voter awareness in Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, in which 5,250 hill women wearing traditional costumes participated on Wednesday, has gained entry into the India Book of Records.

Women from every corner of Kullu district had converged in Kullu for the dance, holding their voter identity cards, and danced in the presence of General Election Observer Manoj Joshi.

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The mega naati got space in India Book of Records after fulfilling the necessary criteria, according to an official release.

This was announced by the team led by Vishwadeep Roy Chawdhry, Prakash Chaudhary from India Book of Records, which closely watched the dance for required standards.

District Election Officer Yunus provided the certificate of intent. Vishwadeep said that this attempt was all about the largest traditional dance holding voter ID cards to cherish the ‘Mahaparv of Loktantra’, where the citizens exercise power by voting.

He said that India Book of Records was affiliated to Asia Book of Records and follows Asian Protocol of records. Roy said that this attempt falls under the category ‘mass attempts’ with India Book of Records.

“For a successful attempt with the India Book of Records, the minimum criterion requires at least 4,000 dancers to perform traditional dance while holding their voter ID cards,” he said.

While announcing an attempt outcome, he said the record for organising the largest traditional dance with voter cards to celebrate the ‘Mahaparv of Loktantra” was set by DEO Kullu Yunus at Rath Ground Dhalpur Kullu.

Yunus, who is Deputy Commissioner, Kullu, said that this mega naati delivered effective message for voting.

“Though it is a daunting task to increase voting percentage in view of the geographical conditions of the district, we do not want to leave any stone unturned. We have started the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation Programme (SVEEP) activities in the district on the theme ‘Asa Ra Vote, As Ra Adhikar’.”

He also administered election oath to all and urged women folk to come out of their houses to exercise their voting right on 19 May, 2019 along with all voters of the family. He said that similar naati was organised in Banjar Assembly constituency on 6 May where more than 2,200 women participated to spread the message on voting. He said women maha naatis will also be performed in Anni and Manali in near future.