Uttarakhand: Sankari Winter Festival begins in Uttarkashi, CM Dhami inaugurates it

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday grandly inaugurated the Sankri Winter Festival and Tourism Festival-2025 at Sankri, the base camp for the famous tourist destinations of Kedarkantha and Harkidun in the Mori development block of Uttarkashi district. During the event, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami flagged off a group of tourists.

He said that the Himalayan tourist destinations in and around the Mori region, including Harkidun, Kedarkantha, Devkyara, Chagsil, and Baradsar Lake, are the pride of the state. They are providing significant employment opportunities for local youth. He said that earlier, tourism in the mountains was limited to only three months, but the government, by promoting winter tourism and lake and meadow tourism, has made it a year-round employment-based activity, which is strengthening the hill economy.

CM Dhami said that Sankri is not just a village, but a living museum of Uttarakhand’s folk culture. On his first visit to Sankri, the Chief Minister expressed his gratitude for the affection and enthusiasm of the local people, saying that the traditional wooden architecture, folk songs, folk dances, and simple hill lifestyle here reflect the unique identity of Uttarakhand. He said that this festival is a celebration of Uttarakhand’s faith, culture, tradition, and self-respect, and also embodies the philosophy of “development with heritage.” He said that after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for winter tourism, unprecedented enthusiasm is being seen in areas like Kedarkantha, Harshil, Auli, Munsiyari, and Sankri, which is curbing migration from border villages and providing employment opportunities to local youth.

The Chief Minister said that winter tourism will provide a new market for folk artists, handicrafts, traditional cuisine, and local products. Young people are becoming self-reliant through trekking guides, homestays, hotels, and other tourism-related activities. The Chief Minister said that the government is working rapidly in the fields of education, health, roads, electricity, and connectivity in the state. Projects such as parking construction in Uttarkashi, road projects, the Purola Sub-District Hospital, and the Tiloth power plant are examples of this. The Chief Minister, referring to the Silkyara tunnel accident, said that the successful rescue of 41 workers after a 17-day operation was a symbol of the government’s sensitivity and resolve. He stated that the government is strengthening cultural values, law and order, and transparency alongside development. He added that with the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, the anti-cheating law, strict land laws, and a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, Uttarakhand is becoming one of the leading states in the country. The Chief Minister appealed to the public to make winter tourism a mass movement and to cooperate in making Uttarakhand prosperous and self-reliant. During the event, the Chief Minister also inspected the stalls set up by various departments at the Winter Festival.