Tourists visiting Uttarakhand will now be able to watch celestial activities above the Himalayas from the queen of hills, Mussoorie.

The state government, on Friday, inaugurated ‘Nakshatra Sabha’, a conference and special cyber watch location at George Everest to witness space sites with the help of special equipment.

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The government claimed that this would be the first initiative of its kind in the country.

According to the state Tourism Department, Nakshatra Sabha has been inaugurated with the theme of Astro-Tourism in order to create a new dimension of tourism in the hill state.

According to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh, Nakshatra Sabha as space watching site would cover potential dark sky sites in Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Nainital, and Chamoli districts covering the entire state. This will be in addition to the seminars and webinars with experts to be conducted periodically.

State Tourism Department officials claimed that the initiative aims to bring global astronomy enthusiasts together to witness the beauty of the universe at Mussoorie.

The main features of Nakshatra Sabha include star gazing through special instruments, expert talks on astro tourism, astrophotography competition, special solar observations, and a host of other astronomical activities.

Chief Minister Dhami said, “The government is also developing other resources in view of developing multidimensional tourism in the state. We are making efforts to promote green tourism in the state. Besides religion, special attention is being given to adventure, wellness, and astro-tourism. The state government plans to set up a series of astro villages at various places in the state.”

Dhami claimed that Nakshatra Sabha was a different kind of event and initiative for the first time in India.

Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj said, “The government is trying to ensure that the tourists who come to the state are able to get a better experience. Emphasis is being laid on developing new tourist destinations in the state. Nkshtra Sabha will prove a milestone in the direction of developing new dimensions of tourism and attracting global tourists.”