Winter at Ladakh’s Zanskar valley just got cooler as the region’s first Zanskar Winter Sports Festival is scheduled to begin today. From ice hockey tournaments to snow sculpting…here’s all you can expect at the multi-day extravaganza. By Bayar Jain
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Starting today, Ladakh’s Zanskar Valley will be paving the way for the first edition of the Zanskar Winter Sports Festival. As per an official statement issued by the organisers of the winter sports, this multi-day festival will take place till January 30, 2021. This adventure-packed festival is being organised under the Government of India’s Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports‘ banner, Khelo India—a national programme aimed at developing sports in the country—along with Ladakh’s Department of Tourism, notes the statement. It further adds that other private organisations of the region–the Ladakh Scouts Regimental Centre and the Indo – Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) have also helped in shaping the event.
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A range of activities have been chalked out for the two-week-long Zanskar Winter Sports Festival, starting with the famed Chadar trek. Lead by Jamyang Tsering Namgyal, the union territory’s (UT) Member of Parliament (MP), this two-day trek is being organised by Zanskar Trek and the UT’s tourism department. On January 21, the Youth Services and The Sports Department, the Zanskar Buddhist Association, and the Zanskar Gompa Association will be organising yoga and meditation activities on snow whereas, on the following day, an ice hockey match will be held, courtesy Winter Sports Club, Leh; Youth Services and The Sports Department; and Zanskar Winter Sports Foundation. Ice skating; snow skiing; horse and yak riding; biking; traditional archery; snow sculpting; and ice climbing are some of the other activities in the pipeline.
However, the Zanskar Winter Sports Festival will go beyond adventurous offerings. On January 28, youth groups of the region, Women’s Association of Ladakh, and local self-help groups will be setting up local food stalls featuring the region’s delicacies. Moreover, on January 26, the Al Zanskar Student Association will be putting up a cultural programme to commemorate the nation’s republic day.
Related: Here’s How You Must Explore Ladakh In Its Snowy Glory
Written By
Bayar Jain
Senior Content ManagerEquipped with a degree in Sociology (Honours) from the University of Delhi and a postgraduate diploma in English Journalism and Mass Communication from Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, Bayar enjoys sharing stories of people, places, and different cultures. When not typing her travel tales, you can catch the hobbyist photographer capturing ..Read More
