MANALI: Adorned with traditional attire and jewelry, women of mahila mandals from Kullu villageswould present their skills of catwalk on the ramp of first national level Winter Carnival, which is going to be held in Manali in second week of February.
 |
| Manali Winter Carnival (file photo) |
To make the carnival more interesting, chosen women from villages would get a chance to participate in fashion shows and winter queen contests where dozens of beauties from many states would give them stiff competition. According to sources at carnival organizing committee, hundreds of women from about 80 mahila mandals would be taking part in Manali Winter Carnival. “Beautiful women with old ornaments and unique local dressings would be chosen for the contest and the country would get to see them doing catwalk. The winning woman would be awarded with title of lady of festival,” sources said.
 |
| Manali Winter Carnival (winter queen contest) (file photo) |
After learning about the contest, women in villages have filled with enthusiasm to give tough challenge to professional models from cities and to become lady of festival. Janki Devi, member of Astha Mahila Mandal, said, “Though we don’t know the basics of catwalk and our women and girls are lacking in confidence, but we are second to none in beauty, IQ and general knowledge. We have good opportunity to prove our mettle in fashion world.”
As the amphitheater would be busy with fashion shows, talent hunt shows, entertainment and folk programs for five days, Mall Road of Manali would witness variety of programs including mehandi, folk music and folk dance competitions. Tug of war between women would be another attraction this year.
?
 |
| Manali Winter Carnival |
?
The main aim of organizing Winter Carnival is to attract more and more tourists to Manali in February, the month of dull tourism season. Participants from Jammu, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, Assam, Odisha, Uttarakhand, Delhi and Himachal are contacting organizing committee to take part in the carnival.
Saying that the Voice of Himachal, Himachal’s only singing talent hunt show, is not a part of Manali carnival, Kullu deputy commissioner Sharab Negi, who is the chairman of Winter Carnival committee, has decided to extract it from carnival. “Singing auditionswere being organized without having discussion with Carnival committee. We would be organizing more tasteful events to entertain both locals and tourists,” he said.
