Uttarakhand winter carnival kicks off with aim of promoting tourism

A week-long winter carnival has kicked off in Nainital, Uttarakhand, with the aim of giving a boost to the state's tourism sector.

The second edition of the carnival commenced on December 25 and will last till December 31. It will include several activities like bird watching, heritage trails, cultural performances and photography contests.

"As you know in Nainital, from 25th to 31st, the city is filled with tourists and all the hotels are full. Several tourists have arrived. For them, we are providing entertainment here," said Deepak Rawat, Nainital's District Magistrate.

"There are several stage items in which folk artists and Bollywood singers are also performing. Apart from outdoor activities, including trekking, paragliding, angling and bird photography, we are giving a very good package to tourists," he added.

The carnival is a blend of culture, tradition and adventure sports.

The first day of the festival saw Sikh martial art performances, stunts by Rajasthani folk artists and dance performances by various groups from all over the country.

The state's finance minister, Indira Hridayesh, inaugurated the carnival and underlined the importance of how such events help to promote tourism.

"To promote tourism, events like these should be definitely held. Not only in Nainital, but elsewhere too such events should be organised so that tourists are attracted," said Hridayesh.

Many visitors flocked to the lake town to take part in cultural activities, photography competitions and adventure sports events.

"It's like very entertaining. Fun and frolick is going on here. I am enjoying here so much," said Shikha, a tourist.

The first three days will be devoted to folk art and music. The last three days will have adventure sports, including mountain biking and trekking.