Jammu: The 5th Edition of the Zanskar Winter Sports and Tourism Festival 2026 concluded on March 27 at the Sports Stadium, Zanskar. Councillor of Karsha Constituency, Stanzin Jigmath, attended the closing ceremony as the Chief Guest. Tehsildar of Zanskar Mohd Hassan was the Guest of Honour while Station House Officer, Inspector Nurboo Lonpo, attended as the Special Guest.
Zanskar is one of the remotest areas of the Union Territory (UT) of Ladakh, considered a paradise by diehard trekkers who love the challenges posed by the remoteness of most of these areas. During the past few years, there has been some progress on making some roads in its remotest parts. Once completed, these roads, mostly built by Border Roads Organisation (BRO), will connect it to neighbouring Himachal Pradesh on one side. The remote Padder tehsil of Kishtwar district is dominated by Buddhists.
The average temperature in Zanskar these days is in the range of -4 (minus 4) degrees Celsius. Due to icy cold winds, the weathermen say that this feels more like -10 (minuse 10). To organise a winter festival during such harsh conditions was something the local administration had taken as a serious challenge, managing to gather crowds in good numbers.
On the second day of the festival, various activities were conducted. Under the snow skiing events, players from the local Snow Ski School showcased different activities, including cross-country, snow rally race, Sonolam, and snowshoe race. Snow Yoga was also presented by the students of Government Higher Secondary School, Padum, in which the dignitaries also participated. Padum is one of the farthest areas of Zanskar division and reaching this area is truly a herculean task because of the steep gradient of the road at many places.
The guests also inspected the snow sculptures made by local artists. The sculptures were a major attraction for tourists who were visiting this outpost.
In the second round, the guests witnessed the final matches of volleyball and traditional archery, along with a cultural programme featuring local artists and schoolchildren. Trophies and awards were distributed to the winners, runners-up, and participants.
The administration appreciated all the departments for their tireless support in making the event a grand success. The Zonal Physical Education Officer, Zanskar, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to the participants and all individuals for their wholehearted support during the festival.
The 5th edition of the festival was inaugurated on Thursday by Deputy Commissioner of Kargil Rakesh Kumar. The dignitaries were received by local artists in a traditional style, accompanied by music (Daman and Surna). They were escorted in a procession from the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) to the venue, riding yaks and horses. Following the inauguration, the DC flagged off a group of students for a walkathon from the Sports Stadium, covering a distance of 4 km.
The main function commenced with a welcome speech by Tehsildar Zanskar Mohd Hassan, who welcomed the Chief Guest, Guest of Honour, and other attendees, thanking them for attending the festival.
The Guest of Honour, Councillor Karsha, expressed his gratitude to the DC for attending the festival and travelling from Kargil to Zanskar under harsh conditions. He also emphasized the need to fix the festival dates well in advance to attract more tourists.
The Chief Guest congratulated the Zanskar administration, led by the SDM, for successfully organizing the festival on such a large scale despite the severe cold conditions. He also interacted with local artists and players of archery and volleyball, and inspected stalls set up by various government departments and Self-Help Groups (SHGs), showcasing local products. Local artists performed traditional songs and dances on the first day of the festival.
Later, the Deputy Commissioner visited the camp of 13 BRTF Zanskar and interacted with the officials. He also inspected a government building proposed for a Tourist Information Centre-cum-Museum, which will provide information about tourist sites, including the locations and history of Gonpas, and other attractions in the Zanskar Sub-Division.
