1 Lakh People Participate In Bhaderwah Winter Festival

JAMMU: More than one lakh people visited the five-day Bhaderwah winter festival in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district that concluded on Sunday with a celebration to usher in the new year.

The festival is a symbol of the cultural splendour and winter charm of the Chenab Valley and aims at promoting the local culture and traditions, and showcase the tourism potential of Bhaderwah, officials said.

The tourism department is "committed to tap the untapped tourism potential of Bhaderwah and other lesser known tourist destinations" of Jammu and Kashmir, Tourism Secretary Abid Rashid said.

"The aim of holding such kinds of festivals is to promote local culture, traditions, and to tap the tourism potential" of areas bestowed with natural scenic and serene surroundings, he said.

Rashid said the department is also promoting homestays to meet the shortage of tourism infrastructure and to create livelihood for locals.

The festival was organised by the Directorate of Tourism, Jammu, in collaboration with the Doda district administration, the Academy of Art, Culture and Language and the Bhaderwah Development Authority.

To conclude the festival, there was a performance by Punjabi singer Kaka and a display of fireworks. Over the five days, the Bhaderwah Fort was illuminated and it hosted several cultural performances. Films such as 'Sam Bahadur', 'Tiger-3' and '12th Fail' were screened during the festival.

"The festival not only showcased the natural beauty and cultural heritage of Bhaderwah but also marked its emergence as a dynamic hub of tourism in the Chenab Valley, blending tradition with modernity," Doda Deputy Commissioner S Harvinder Singh said.

He expressed keen interest in encouraging the tourism sector in the district to create livelihood opportunities and to give the district its due share on the tourism map of the country. "All measures will be taken to improve the tourism infrastructure of the district," Singh said.

The deputy commissioner said that in view of the great potential of the district in the tourism sector, some private stakeholders have already pitched in, and world-class hotels and some five-star facilities are being established.

The administration is committed to work towards having tourism activities in the district throughout the year, he said.

Joint Director Tourism Sunaina Mehta said Bhaderwah has been earmarked as a wedding destination and a site for 'Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE)' tourism.

She said last year, over five lakh tourists visited Bhaderwah.