Jashn-e-Chillai Kalan held at Shopian

Annual winter festival attracts sea of people; witnesses mesmerizing art performances

SHOPIAN, December 13: A large number of public of the district today assembled at Batpora Stadium, Shopian to celebrate the Annual Winter Festival, Jashn e Chillai Kalan, aimed to promote the rich cultural heritage and celebrate the local traditions and arts.

The event was organised by District Administration Shopian, in collaboration with J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages.

The mega event was attended by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shopian, Faz Lul Haseeb as chief guest; SSP Shopian, Tanushree and Indian Army officers, who inaugurated the festival by releasing pigeons.

Speaking on the occasion, DC said that the aim of organising such festivals is to connect people with the rich heritage. He said that by conducting such programmes, the gap between youth and administration will be reduced and will help to create a better environment by nourishing the artistic talent of the young.

SSP while speaking that such programmes provide a platform to showcase the abundance of talent which was a sight to behold and the festival is aimed at promoting local traditions.

The event witnessed an active participation of locals from all age groups in huge numbers from all across the district.

The public were enthralled by the mesmerising and scintillating cultural performances including music, dance and drama from the “who’s who of Kashmiri cultural music scene.”

The cultural programmes in Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Pahari and Gojri and other languages were presented by the students and artists on the occasion.

Dignitaries used this platform to interact with the youth and impress upon them to continue pursuing their ambitions with perseverance and passion. They were also told that development and progress can only march hand in hand with contributions by the local populace.

On this occasion, a calendar was also released showcasing the achievements made during the ongoing Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra Campaign.

Best performers were felicitated with awards.

Various district officers, Officers from J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Indian Army, and others also participated in the festival.