Ahmedabad: Jammu and Kashmir’s rich tourism potential, vibrant art, craft, and authentic cuisines were showcased at a national-level festival organised in Gujarat’s Narmada district to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
J&K Tourism is participating in the ongoing ‘Bharat Parv’ at Ekta Nagar in Narmada district where the Union Territory has set up a pavilion to highlight its traditional culture, cuisines and adventure offerings, among other features, said a Jammu and Kashmir administration release on Wednesday.
The festival has been organised as part of the nationwide celebrations of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Patel, independent India’s first home minister.
‘Bharat Parv’ has been organised under the aegis of the Union tourism ministry to showcase India’s unity in diversity through a vibrant convergence of culture, cuisine, crafts, and thematic exhibits from all states and Union Territories.
Joint Director Tourism, Jammu, Aijaz Qaiser along with other senior officials represented Jammu & Kashmir at Bharat Parv.
A live ‘studio kitchen’ was set up by Jammu & Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation (JKTDC) to give visitors a first hand feel of the authentic and exquisite cuisines of the region, said the release.
The festival celebrated India’s unity in diversity with J&K Tourism showcasing the Union Territory’s rich tourism potential, vibrant art, craft, and authentic cuisines at the event, it said.
The tourism department’s pavilion drew large crowds of visitors eager to explore Jammu and Kashmir’s breathtaking destinations, adventure offerings, and traditional culture, according to the release.
The fortnight-long event, inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi late last month, brought together diverse states and UTs to celebrate India’s cultural mosaic under the theme of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’.
Speaking on the occasion, Qaiser said J&K’s participation in Bharat Parv is an opportunity to highlight the UT’s cultural depth and sustainable tourism efforts.
“Our focus is on showcasing the evolving tourism identity, one that blends heritage, ecology, and community engagement in alignment with the ethos of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat,” he said.
“It also reflects the department’s sustained efforts to promote the Union Territory as a year-round destination while strengthening the message of unity in diversity. Such national events provide an excellent opportunity to highlight the region’s unique blend of natural beauty, adventure, and cultural heritage,” the J&K official emphasised.
Such initiatives underscore the department’s commitment to promote J&K on national platforms, fostering cultural exchange, and strengthening tourism-led national integration, he noted.
The J&K Tourism Pavilion also featured live demonstrations of traditional performances by the Department of Culture, and displays of Kashmiri and Dogra cuisines, symbolizing the spirit of harmony and inclusivity that defines National Unity Day, the release said.
