December 13, Shopian: People from all walks of life flocked to the Batapora playfield in the Shopian district of south Kashmir on Wednesday to celebrate the annual winter festival, Jashn-e-Chillai Kalan, despite the bitter cold and dense fog.
The J&K Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages, the district government, and the Army’s 12 sector RR worked together to organize the event under the auspices of the Chinar Corps.
The event included a variety of musical, dance, and other cultural acts performed by local artists, inspiring the crowd to tap their feet in time with the rhythms.
Deputy Commissioner Shopian Fazlul Haseeb and Senior Superintendent of Police Tanu Shree released pigeons and burned isband, or fragrant seeds, to mark the beginning of the celebration.
Celebrated annually on December 21, the celebration heralds the start of Chillai Kalan, a severe 40-day winter period.
Speaking at the event, the Deputy Commissioner said that the purpose of these programs is to introduce people to their rich cultural history. Events like these, he said, will also contribute to closing the gap between the younger generation and the government.
According to the Deputy Commissioner, “it will also give the aspiring artists a chance to showcase their talent.”
The SSP said that these kinds of events will showcase the region’s gifted young people and advance local customs. The artists’ captivating performances held the listeners’ attention so much that they remained motionless till the end of the show.
