Snow fest to kickstart in Lahaul from Jan 25

To last for about two months

Quote

“The festival will be celebrated in every valley and village. The villagers will organise these festivals according to their own culture. The major festivals of the Lahaul valley are Fagli, Halda, Losar, Kuns, Zukaru, Gochi, Poona, Lamohi. All these festivals are celebrated in winter and the ways of celebrating them is different everywhere.” Pankaj Rai, DC, Lahaul & Spiti

Dipender Manta

Tribune News Service

Mandi, January 19

The Lahaul and Spiti administration is going to organise a snow festival to promote the culture and sports of the district. It will take the help of various means of media to promote this festival among the masses.

Deputy Commissioner, Lahaul & Spiti, Pankaj Rai said, “The snow festival is being celebrated for the first time in the Lahaul valley. Himachal Pradesh was granted complete statehood on January 25. Technical Education Minister Ramlal Markanda will inaugurate this festival in Keylong.”

“The festival will be celebrated in every valley and village. The villagers will organise these festivals according to their own culture. The major festivals of the Lahaul valley are Fagli, Halda, Losar, Kuns, Zukaru, Gochi, Poona, Lamohi. All these festivals are celebrated in winter and the ways of celebrating them is different everywhere,” he said.

“For the first time, all festivals of Lahaul will get an opportunity of integrating with each other. Archery is the most popular game during these festivals. This game is most popular in Gochi festival,” said the DC.

He said, “Every year, people of the valley organise various festivals in winter but this year, the Lahaul & Spiti administration is going to bring all these festivals on a single platform. This snow festival will last about two months. These festivals will be celebrated in every village in the original form of their culture.”

He said stalls of traditional dishes would be set up during the inauguration of the festival.

Technical Education Minister Ramlal Markanda said winter tourism would be promoted in the valley. After the opening of the Atal Tunnel, tourists are able to visit the valley even in winter. He said that this festival is being celebrated keeping all these things in mind.