Gaiety and enthusiasm marked the celebration of Iconic Week Festival in Kishtwar witnessing a series of events held in different parts of the mountainous district. The daylong event was organised by District Administration Kishtwar, in collaboration with Tourism Department, Department of Youth services and Department of Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare under the aegis of Azadi ka Amrut Mohatsav (India@75).The festival witnessed a series of activities that continued throughout the day.In the wee hours, District Administration Kishtwar in collaboration with Department of Agriculture Production & Farmers Welfare Kishtwar Development Authority celebrated Saffron Plucking Festival at village Pochhal.The saffron farmers collected the saffron crop amid folk traditions and enjoying the conventional food viz. Kesar Kehwa, Noon Chai, Halwa, local bread Bathoura etc.Speaking on the occasion, the DC appreciated the initiative taken by the Tourism Department to highlight the saffron cultivation practices among the local youth and give the occasion a festive look.He appealed to the youth of Kishtwar to tap the saffron and allied spice growing potential of the district Kishtwar and to make their earning grow manifold by adopting new techniques and technology. He directed concerned departments to organise awareness progress about the technical knowhow of this cash crop.
Later in the evening, ADDC Kishtwar Sham Lal along with CEO KDA Inderjeet Singh Parihar and DYSSO K L Sharma flagged off a Massive and enthusiastic "Run for unity" organised by Department of Youth services and Sports Chowgan ground Kishtwar.About 200 Boys and 125 girls participated in the marathon and the first three winners were felicitated with awards.In the late evening, the DC Kishtwar along with Principal District & Session Judge Kishtwar Yash Paul Kotwal, SSP Kishtwar, Shafkat Hussain Bhat and ADDC Kishtwar inaugurated the cultural night programme with lightening of the traditional lamp at historic Chowgan ground .PRIs, district and sectoral officers, prominent/senior citizens, scores of locals marked their presence in the programme.The mesmerizing cultural programme witnessed the scintillating performances by local and provincial level artists.The cultural items based upon the folk culture of Paddar, Nagseni, Mughal Maidan and Chhatroo area won huge applause from the audience.The main attraction of the mega bonanza was the solo and group songs performance by the emerging young local artists who presented Kishtwari, Kashmiri, Gojri and Dogri and Buddhist folk songs.