Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC), as part of its golden jubilee celebrations and International Dark Sky Week, is set to host a Star Gazing Festival at Lonar (in Buldhana district) and Harihareshwar (in Raigad district) from April 24 to 26.
Organised in collaboration with AstronEra and Dark Sky International, this marks the first time the state government is conducting such a festival focused on astronomy and dark sky awareness.
The event will run daily from 6 pm to 10 pm and will offer visitors an engaging introduction to astronomy. Activities include expert-led presentations, live telescope demonstrations, and interactive sessions.
Festival organisers aim to promote sustainable tourism through astro tourism. The programme will feature guided stargazing sessions, informative talks on light pollution, the importance of preserving dark skies, and ways individuals and communities can help reduce its harmful effects.
For further information, visitors can contact the MTDC regional manager (for Lonar) at 9930774470 and regional manager (for Harihareshwar) at 8855880858.
The initiative is being carried out with the support of Tourism Minister Shambhuraj Desai and Minister of State for Tourism Indranil Naik. Senior officials, including Principal Secretary (Tourism) Sanjay Khandare, MTDC Managing Director Neelesh Gatane, Deputy Secretary Santosh Rokade, and General Manager Chandrashekar Jaiswal, are actively involved in ensuring the success of the event.