Katra: A Shobha Yatra featuring decorated tableaux, devotional music and traditional performances was held in Katra on Sunday as part of the Navratra Festival 2026, while 10 contestants qualified for the mega final of the All India Devotional Song Competition after the quarter-final round.
MLA Nagrota Devyani Rana attended the procession as chief guest. Devotees, local residents and visitors participated in the yatra, which featured tableaux depicting deities and participants dressed as gods and goddesses.
Rana highlighted the religious and cultural significance of the festival and said such events helped preserve traditional practices and promote social harmony. She also appreciated the organisers and local residents for their participation.
Meanwhile, the Silver Jubilee edition of the All India Devotional Song Competition, being held at the Yog Ashram Complex in Katra, concluded its quarter-final round. The competition is organised by the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Department and PTC Network, with support from the Reasi district administration and sponsors.
Of the 20 participants who competed in the quarter-finals, Stanzin, Mohinder Soni, Aarav Wazir, Ayati Sharma, Vicky Gill, Ojasvi Sharma, Anshu Kalotra, Mukesh Kumar, Netra Tickoo and Manjeet qualified for the mega final.
The competition aims to promote devotional music dedicated to Mata Vaishno Devi and provide a platform for aspiring singers from across the country. The winner of the grand finale will receive gold worth ₹3 lakh along with a recording contract, while the second- and third-place contestants will receive ₹1 lakh and ₹50,000, respectively.
Additional Superintendent of Police Katra Kameshwar Puri attended the quarter-final round as chief guest. Folk singer Ustad Swarn Singh Yamla, former competition winner Kiran Baba, cartoonist Sagar Kumar and Deputy Superintendent of Police Bhisham Dubey were among those present.
Yamla and Kiran Baba also performed as guest singers during the event.
