DODA, JANUARY 18: The second day of the Winter Carnival 2026 was celebrated with great enthusiasm and splendor at New Bus Stand, Bhaderwah, today drawing a massive gathering of locals and tourists alike.
The mega event was organized by the Department of Tourism, Government of Jammu & Kashmir, in collaboration with the District Administration Doda and Bhaderwah Development Authority (BDA).
The carnival featured a colourful blend of celebrity performances, local cultural programmes, ethnic food stalls and a street bazaar, offering visitors a complete cultural and tourism experience.
The highlight of the day was a power-packed musical performance by the renowned Punjabi pop singer G. Khan who mesmerized the audience with his soulful renditions and energetic stage presence, creating an electrifying atmosphere and leaving the crowd spellbound.
Adding rich local flavour to the celebrations, talented local artists Deepak Kumar, Vishakha Bhardwaj and Chirag Kotwal presented impressive cultural and musical performances, beautifully showcasing the region’s artistic heritage and creative excellence. The traditional Daku Dance and other folk items further added colour and vibrancy to the festive occasion.
Stalls set up by various government departments attracted visitors by disseminating information about welfare schemes and development initiatives.
The event was graced by Chairman, District Development Council Doda, Dhananter Singh Kotwal; MLA Bhaderwah, Daleep Singh Parihar; Deputy Commissioner Doda, Harvinder Singh; SSP Doda, Sandeep Kumar Mehta; Additional Deputy Commissioner Bhaderwah, Sunil Kumar Butyal; Additional Deputy Commissioner Doda, Anil Kumar Thakur; Deputy Director Tourism, Pankaj Sassan; Deputy Director Publicity, Savita Chouhan; Chief Executive Officer, BDA, Sanjeev Sharma; ASP Bhaderwah, Vinod Sharma besides other senior officers, public representatives, senior citizens, civil and police officials, Media persons and a large number of visitors from within and outside the Union Territory.
The guests lauded the Department of Tourism, District Administration Doda and the Bhaderwah Development Authority for their seamless coordination and exemplary efforts in organizing the Winter Carnival and for effectively promoting Bhaderwah as a major winter tourism destination of Jammu and Kashmir.
Chairman DDC Doda applauded the efforts of the District Administration and BDA Bhaderwah for organizing a grand and well-coordinated event. He emphasized the vast tourism potential of the region and stressed the need for further promotion to attract a larger influx of tourists.
The Deputy Commissioner thanked the people of Bhaderwah for their enthusiastic participation and overwhelming support. He expressed gratitude for the immense love and appreciation shown by the public towards both local and non-local artists, especially the son of the soil and Indian Idol winner Chirag Kotwal, along with renowned Punjabi singer G. Khan.
MLA Bhaderwah also commended the efforts of the District Administration, BDA Bhaderwah and the security forces, including the CRPF, for the smooth and successful conduct of the Winter Carnival. He appreciated the captivating performances by artists, which added vibrancy and cultural richness to the celebrations.
The overwhelming public response, enthusiastic participation of artists and wholehearted support of all stakeholders made the second day of the Winter Carnival 2026 a grand success, further enhancing the festive spirit and highlighting the natural beauty, cultural richness and immense tourism potential of Bhaderwah.