90 audition for Manali pageant

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Kullu, December 29

About 90 girls participated in the Winter Queen pageant auditions held in Chandigarh, Shimla, Mandi, Kullu and Manali. Auditions for the remaining contestants will be held in Manali on January 2. The final pageant will take place during the Manali Winter Carnival. About 30 participants will be shortlisted for the coveted crown.

The Winter Carnival will be organised in the city from January 2 to 6. The Winter Queen pageant is said to be the main event of the carnival. Divyangana, who is the groomer for the pageant, said there is a lot of enthusiasm among the girls regarding the competition.

Harnam Singh, the first director of the mountaineering institute in Manali, had started the Winter Carnival to promote winter sports, but due to weather vagaries, winter sports were replaced by cultural programs. This time, Manali MLA and organising committee chairman Bhuvneshwar Gaur plans to include winter sports in the carnival. However, the inclusion depends on the weather conditions prevailing during the carnival.

The chairman said winter carnival was in its final stage of preparations, adding that, if it snows, winter games will be organised during the carnival. Basketball, volleyball, table tennis, tug-of-war games would also be organised during the carnival this year, the MLA said, adding that the amount of prize money given to the winners of sports competitions has been increased.

Manali SDM and vice chairman of the carnival committee Raman Kumar Sharma said registration for the sports competition has started, adding that interested teams can register themselves at the SDM office by January 1.