JAMMU: Under the direction of Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah, Secretary of Tourism, J&K, the Directorate of Tourism, Jammu organised a spectacular Folk Festival Cum Cultural Bonanza at Central Park, Bahu Plaza, Jammu. The principal guest of the event, Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, praised the Tourism Department for the flawless planning of the grand event.He greeted everyone with heartfelt Navratra wishes, highlighting the cultural significance of this auspicious festival within the vivid fabric of Jammu. There was a soul-satisfying Ganesh Vandana performance and traditional welcomes paired to the rhythmic beats of dhols, creating a joyful ambiance throughout the auditorium.Vivekanand Rai, Director of Tourism in Jammu, stressed the importance of occasions such as these, which offer a platform for cross-cultural exchange and strengthen ties of fraternity, solidarity, and social peace. The department’s unwavering commitment to increasing public engagement and bringing attention to underutilised skills was highlighted by Sunaina Sharma Mehta, Joint Director of Tourism. She further emphasised that Navratra celebrations this year went beyond Katra to include Jammu, Samba, Udhampur, and Kathua, where the magnificent Basohli Utsav was the main event. A number of acts were featured at the occasion, such as Ganesh Vandana and Mata ki Bhaint.The Open MIC platform gave the region’s budding artists a platform to showcase their profusion of talent by entertaining the crowd with songs and dance routines. A stunning performance of the Kud dance, a traditional Dogri folk dance, captivated the crowd and was the festival’s high point. High-spirited Dandiya-Garba performances were given in the evening by local performers such as Saras Bharti, Sonali Dogra, Ravi Raghuvanshi, Sourav Shivalaya, and artists from Tanseen Sangeet Vidayala. The joyful ambiance of the mixed rhythms of Kud and Dandiya beats set the tone for the Navratra celebrations, and the eager crowd joined in. The tourism department also celebrated the winners of the My Favourite Tourist Destination of Jammu Division online competition. The competition drew a large number of participants, demonstrating the department’s dedication to educating the public and promoting lesser-known tourist attractions in the Jammu region. Travel aficionados were treated to a visual feast with an LED screen exhibiting Jammu’s tourism destinations during the event. Attendees included Captain Anil Gour, President of the Travels Association of Jammu, Rajendar Sharma, General Secretary of TAAJ, Sanjay Gupta, Dalbir Sharma, Executive members, and Amit Sharma, Joint Commissioner of GST, Abdul Jabbar, Deputy Director of Tourism (Publicity), Neha Mahajan, Deputy Director Planning, Sugandhi Banotra, Assistant Director of Tourism in Jammu, and Arif Lone, Assistant Director of Tourism NHW Batote/Katra.
