Losar Festival Welcomes New Year

Fighting the biting cold, over thousand Ladakhi students today thronged the celebrations of Losar-a traditional festival, the Ladakhi way of welcoming the New Year with dominating Tibetan and Buddhist overtones.

An impressive colourful programme in this connection was organized by All Ladakh Students Association Jammu (ALSAJ) at Bhagwati Nagar. Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for Tourism and Culture was the chief guest on the occasion while Rigzin Spalbar, CEC, LAHCD was guest of the honour.

On the occasion, the students presented a colourful traditional programme depicting the rich cultural ethos of the region. The presentations mesmerized the audience winning great applause from one and all.

Nawang Rigzin Jora greeted people, especially the Buddhist community on the eve of Losar. He highlighted the rich traditions of amity and brotherhood prevailing in Ladakh region. 

Jora advised the students to take full benefit of congenial academic atmosphere and achieve excellence in their streams of interest. He said "Youth are the future builders of a nation and they have to prepare themselves fully to face the future challenges". 

Rabgias, President ALSAJ in his address thanked all the dignitaries, participants and spectators present on the occasion. Rabgias also presented a charter of demands to the Minister which included opening of University, JKPSC Nodal Cell and JKSSRB at Leh.

Earlier, the function commenced with the lighting of the traditional lamp by the Minister and other dignitaries. 

Narbo Gulsan, MLC Leh; Robin Singh Mehta, Director Tourism, Jammu; Director General Fisheries besides a large number of Ladakhi students, social, political activists of the region and prominent citizens were present on the occasion.

Peace in Kashmir is New Year eve hotspot for tourists

With unrests out of the way at least for the time being, Kashmir seems tourists’ new preferred destination for New Year eve celebrations.With the New Year eve-December 31-just round the corner, the tourists are flying in “exceptional numbers” only to welcome 2012 from the snow clad and chilly highlands and mountains. The occupancy in hotels and guest houses is already on a high, and counting.

“We are having an exceptional rush this winter. All flights arriving here today were fully percent booked with tourists and we have the same for tomorrow and Saturday,” the president tour agents association of Kashmir, Rauf Tramboo, told News Agency.The visitors include the ‘high end’ tourists specially flying in for the weekend.“Since this New Year falls on a weekend, we have high end tourists coming in just to be here on the New Year eve. They may stay for a couple of days,” Tramboo added.As per the estimates the hotels and guest houses are up to 60 percent occupied, but the highest rush is seen at snow clad Gulmarg and Pahalgam. The recent snowfall and cold weather is proving the added attraction.

“The hotels at Gulmarg and Pahalgam are almost full because tourists want to enjoy the snow. We have good rush in Srinagar hotels also,” the president Kashmir Hotel and Restaurant Owners Federation (KHAROF), Faiz Ahmad Bakhshi, said.Kashmir has witnessed a relatively calm year after unrest consumed, almost completely, last three tourism seasons. The 2008, 2009 and 2010 all saw a good beginning to the tourist season, but later it turned ugly with unrest. As against 7.38 lakh tourists who visited Kashmir last year despite the unrest, the number this year has been an unprecedented 11 Lakh.However, it is after 1988 that Kashmir is witnessing rush.

“In comparison to previous years this has been the best in terms of the tourist inflow. It is after start of militancy that we are witnessing such rush,” Faiz said.While the typical New Year parties are avoided, the state tourism department and hoteliers have small time events lined up just to attract the tourists.And, for the winter tourists the tourism department has also has planned various adventurous events to woo both foreign and domestic tourists.“These will include normal skiing, ice skating, heli-skiing and snow carnivals to attract tourists,” a senior officials in the department said.

Christmas 2011 Celebrated in Jammu

Like other parts of the globe, Merry Christmas the birthday of Jesus Christ was celebrated with full religious fervour and gaiety across the Jammu region today.

Special prayers were offered across the Winter Capital of the State and other churches of Jammu region.

All the churches were specially decorated befitting the occasion by the members of Christian community.

Thousands of people thronged the churches, especially the St Garrison Church, Gandhi Nagar, where the main function was organised.

The Minister for Medical Education, Youth Services and Sports R S Chib also visited the St Marry’s Garrison Church and joined the Christmas celebrations there. He also congratulated the people on the auspicious day and prayed for peace and prosperity of the State.

The churches witnessed a huge rush of people and children attired colourfully wished "Merry Christmas" to their friends.

The Santa Claus was the central of attraction of the people on the occasion. People of other communities were seen greeting their Christian brethren and hugging and exchanging gifts with each other.

Special prayers were held in the churches for peace and prosperity in the State.

Tight security arrangements were also made for incident-free celebrations.