Recently, Kulgam in South Kashmir turned host, as the area organised the Aharbal Festival. The Mela, a collaboration between the Department of Tourism and the District Administration of Kulgam, was organised to promote Kashmir, especially Aharbal waterfall, as a destination for tourism. By Anushka Goel
Aharbal Waterfall is a stunning destination in South Kashmir, which often attracts hoards of tourists with its ethereal beauty. The destination was recently home to the Aharbal Festival (Mela), which was organised on September 11, 2022, by the District Administration of Kulgam in South Kashmir along with the Department of Tourism. The festival was organised to promote both the beautiful Kashmir and the waterfall as tourist destinations.
Aharbal Festival organised to promote Kashmir tourism
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As part of Tourism Promotion Initiative, District Admin Kulgam in collaboration with Tourism Department is organizing Aharbal Mega Festival on September 11, 2022.
Do join the event and enjoy the mesmerizing beauty of the nature.@tourismgoi @JandKTourism pic.twitter.com/erG3mWDfv2— Information and PR Kulgam (@DioKulgam) September 10, 2022
The waterfall, which is a popular tourist spot for both local and international tourists, especially over the summers, makes for scenic pictures, too, and served as the perfect location for the festival. The Aharbal Festival had several stalls installed by departments such as Agriculture, Horticulture, Sheep, Animal Husbandry, Tourism, KVIB, Apiculture, Floriculture, Handicrafts and more, to promote local cuisine, culture and means of livelihood. Local wares were also displayed in these stalls. What’s more, to keep children engaged, the Aharbal Festival saw painting competitions with students from various schools participating in the event. Along with this, cycling and trekking events were also organised, which were flagged off by Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kulgam Dr. Bilal Mohi-ud-din Bhat, reports media.
Bhat told news agency ANI, “On the directions of Lieutenant Governor (LG), the district administration is making concerted and coordinated efforts to promote potential tourism destinations like Aharbal, which is an offbeat tourist destination. The festival or mela is part of the Government’s initiative to promote this offbeat destination across Jammu & Kashmir,” writes Hindustan Times.
Hero and Featured Image: Courtesy of Anif Nisar/Unsplash
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