Jaipur: A private musical jamboree, featuring psychedelic trance music and with several foreign tourists participating, had to be hastily called off on the third day following allegations that it involved drugs and alcohol.
The Rajasthan government has ordered an enquiry into the party, called MoonDust Festival, which was being held in a reserved forest area near the Ramgarh sanctuary, 35 km from Jaipur.
The party started November 3 and was to continue till November 7. However, it was abruptly called off after local media reported that illegal activities were taking place in the "trance party". Over 3,000 foreign and Indian tourists were attending it.
"Organisers of the music fest have been charged with violating the excise act and playing music at 1,000 watts decibel near a forest area," a district administration official told IANS.
Local villagers allege the foreign tourists were seen engaging in indecent behaviour during the festival.
"They were engaged in acts, which are not acceptable to our culture. Lots of beer bottles, cigarettes and chillums are still scattered in the area which gives us an impression that it was more of a Dum Maro Dum kind of drugs party," said Mahesh Meena, a resident of the area.
The organisers were not ready to speak on the matter. However, sources in the Rajasthan government told IANS that the organisers had taken permission for the party on October 18.
But seeing the ruckus over the issue, the government cancelled the permission and has ordered an enquiry into the matter.
"Norms seem to have been flouted. We have started to investigate the matter," DN Pandey, additional district magistrate, Jaipur City North, told IANS.
The organisers of the party belong to Jaipur. They were popularising the MoonDust Festival through their website, which said that "running from November 3-7, 2006, in Rajasthan, India will showcase the sub-continent's blossoming music scene and much more".
"This magical event will showcase music, arts, dance, market, eateries, workshops, etc for full four days and four nights," the website said.
Entry to the festival was only through tickets priced at Rs 2,500 per person per day. Around 10 acres of land was provided for free camping.
Comments
0 comment