'Monsoon Festival' concludes in J&K's Patnitop, sees footfall of over 6,000 visitors

The first-ever two-day 'Monsoon Festival' concluded at the famous Patnitop hill station in Udhampur on Sunday, attracting over 6,000 visitors who enjoyed enthralling cultural and musical performances by popular artists and singers from within and outside Jammu and Kashmir.

The second day was marked by a soulful Sufi rendition by the Ali brothers and foot-tapping Punjabi songs performed by Armaan Bedil, an official spokesman said.

He said the folk art giants of Jammu region, including renowned Romalo Ram and Party, Ram Ditta and Party, Kud Dance Pancheri Party, Deepak, Vishakha, and Divya Bharti were amongst the main attractions.

Volleyball and kabaddi competitions were also organised by involving local youth clubs and winners were felicitated, the spokesman said.

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The two-day festival was organised by the Directorate of Tourism, Jammu in collaboration with Patnitop Development Authority to encourage tourism in the region and promote it as a hill resort destination.

This would create awareness about its many natural and cultural attractions during the monsoon season.

The festival, held as part of the 'Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav', exposed tourists to traditional culture, music, cuisines, handicraft, handlooms, games, besides performances by celebrity artists from outside J&K at a single venue, the spokesman said.

Chief Executive Officer, Patnitop Development Authority, Sher Singh said the festival was aimed at promoting tourism of different kinds — leisure, adventure and religious — in and around the hill resort, such as Sudh Mahadev, Shankhpal, Gouri Kund, Nag Temple, Shivgali and Mantalai.

"Adventure activities like cable car at Skyview Empyrean, Zipline at Patnitop and Sanasar, trekking on picturesque routes found in this circuit have enormous tourism potential which are required to be explored,” he said.

He said the Patnitop Development Authority would be organising more events in the coming days and make them a regular annual affair.

“We are looking at reaching a footfall of more than 6 lakh this year," he said.

Nearly three lakh tourists have visited Patnitop circuit this year since Covid-19 induced lockdown curbs were relaxed in the second week of June.

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