Shiv-Bani Mela held in J-K's Bhadarwah

Thousand of devotees Tuesday thronged the ancient Shiv-Bani temple to celebrate the annual fair here, marking the beginning of the sowing season in the hilly region.

The devotees paid obeisance at the temple surrounded by thick coniferous forest and snow-peaked mountains in Noori-Hanga area, officials said.

The fair culminated nearly month-long back-to-back festivals which started a day before 'Baisakhi' last month with 'Subar Dhar Mala' followed by Nagni and Gatha festival - a symbol of the Nag culture, they said.

"The government, especially Bhaderwwah Development Authority (BDA) should come forward to provide some basic infrastructure and develop this place develop as a major tourist attraction," the chief organiser of the festival, Thakur Yudhvir Singh, said.