• MLA’s innovative initiative to bring constituency in focus

NAGROTA: Hundreds of Jammuties are set to share the blue skies on Sunday by flying kites from scenic and mesmerizing Surinsar in the Nagrota Assembly Constituency as part of Take-1 initiative to promote domestic tourism. The festival will begin at 10 A M on September 6.  Concptualised by MLA Nagrota, Mr Devender Singh Rana, the innovative kite festival, synchronizing with Krishna Janamashtami, has already caught the imagination of 300 youngesters, who have registered to be part of the initiative. Many enthusiasts are coming forward and so are the kite manufacturers, who are planning colourful kites of different sizes and variant designs.

 “Red, yellow, green, white, in fact, all colurs blending in the blue skies would symbolise the diversity of our rich ethos and composite culture”, said a spokesman for the festival, adding that Mr Rana is personally monitoring the minute details of the event, which he plans to be an annual affair.

 The spokesman said that the idea behind holding such festival is to woo the residents of Jammu and its peripheries to make Surinsar a picnic spot, which in return will give boost to local tourism and add to the economy of the people in his constituency. “It will be a two-way traffic; the locals will be service providers while the incoming holidayers will while away from busy schedule to spent their leisure time along with families in cool, serene and bewitching environs of Surinsar”, he maintained.

 On the kite festival, the spokesman said the event will have all the fun when the skies above the city will become vibrant with colourful kites, fluttering and darting in close proximity of the hillock, triumphly cutting another kite’s string and all that which is usual in kite flying.

 Surinsar Lake is known for its natural bounty and mythological importance. Surrounded by thickly wooded mountain ranges and serene environs, it is a popular and perfect picnic spot. The beauty and natural splendour of Surinsar Lake can be compared with the magnificence of Dal Lake and Nagin Lake of Srinagar.

 “Apart from kite flying, we are planning several more initiative to promote Nagrota as upcoming tourist cum sports destination in coming months”, Mr Rana, who also owns Take-1 entertainment channel, said while exuding confidence that given the huge potential the area is all set to become an economic hub in Jammu. He was elated over the response to kite festival and hoped this to grow as a mega annual event in the future.