DEHRADUN: Three-day Rajpur Nature Festival began at Christian Retreat on Saturday. The event presented a mixture of elements of nature and culture by way of stalls, photo exhibition, song-dance and food. The festival is held by Rajpur Community Initiative RCI ) with the support of Uttarakhand Forest department. Titli Trust, Nature Science Initiative and INTECH is also participating. In the early morning, butterfly walk was held by Sanjay Sondhi , founder president of Titli Trust.This festival which is being held for past two years has grown in volume with lot of variety coming through various stalls and programs while footfall of visitors too have increased. Ruchi Singh, had put up a stall, making interesting jewellery out of waste material such as bracelet and necklace made from old magazine paper and earrings from Jeans material. Jyotika Singh, member of NGO Rural Learning said, "We are inviting people for an experience of rural living amid nature in our campus of rural setting ahead of Premnagar in Dehradun." Satpal Singh, a government official had made multiple use of liquor bottles cut to made as candle stand, flower pot and decorative items. Hand woven woollens too were back in some stalls.In the photo exhibition, wildlife warden of Rajaji Tiger Reserve Komal Singh who had put up photographs of wildlife said, "As a wildlife warden in Rajaji, I had the opportunity to can different aspects of wildlife in their candid poses in my camera which are now being appreciated a lot by people."The striking archival prints used on canvas by Uttarakhand born and Mumbai settled photographer Vandana Kandpal, based on the theme of artistic doors and windows of houses of old Rajpur, attracted attention for their unique elements of nostalgia. "I believe in Wabi-Sabi philosophy of Japan which appreciate beauty in imperfection. For me these old abandoned houses with doors and windows with chipped paints reminds of nostalgia, mysticism and romance."Madhukar Dhiman, ace photographer who competed in the photography competition of amateur photographers bagged first prize.Forest minister, Harak Singh Rawat released posters of state butterfly, Common Peacock, on this occassion . "The initiative of Rajpur Nature Festival is great concept which will be replicated in other parts of the state as well. The state has 8% of total biodiversity of the world and we must sell our USP to wildlife enthusiasts by way of eco-tourism," he said.Founder president of RCI, Reenu Paul appreciated the step taken by the state government for conservation of Rispana river and appealed that the forest department must make the best effort not to divert forest land for the development projects in the city.

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