New Delhi, October 22: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will celebrate Dussehra with Army soldiers in a high-altitude border area in Sikkim and perform 'Shastra Puja' (worship of weapons) on the occasion on Sunday, government sources said.

The defence minister's decision to celebrate Dussehra with Army soldiers in the border area in Sikkim sector of the Line of Actual Control (LAC) comes in the midst of India's border row with China in eastern Ladakh. Dussehra 2020 Date and History: Know Vijayadashami Significance and Celebrations of Culmination of Navaratri.

Sources said the defence minister will travel to Sikkim on Saturday afternoon for a two-day visit, during which he will visit a number of border posts of the Indian Army besides inaugurating a few infrastructure projects.

"The defence minister will spend Saturday night with Army soldiers to celebrate Dussehra. On Sunday, he will perform 'shastra puja' there," said a source. The defence minister had performed 'Shastra Puja' in the French port city of Bordeaux during Dussehra last year as he was on a bilateral visit to the country then.

Singh has been performing 'Shastra Puja' during Dussehra for the last several years, including during his tenure as the Union Home Minister in the previous NDA government. His visit to Sikkim to celebrate Dussehra will be a morale booster for the soldiers, said an official. Almost all formations of the Indian Army along the LAC are on a very high level of alert in view of the border row with China in eastern Ladakh. Mysore Dasara 2020 Dates And Vijaya Muhurat: Traditions And Celebrations Related to Mysuru Dussehra Held During Navratri.

India and China are locked in an over five-month-long bitter border standoff in eastern Ladakh that has significantly strained their ties. Both sides held a series of diplomatic and military talks to resolve the row. However, no breakthrough has been achieved to end the standoff.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)