Part of the Indian government’s Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Jammu’s Heritage Festival saw its second leg at the Ramnagar Fort in Udhampur on May 5, 2022. The event included activities like long heritage walks, poetry and story recitals, music performances from Sufi and rock bands and popular folk dances. Local celebrities also participated in the events.
The festival was held in collaboration with the District Administration, Udhampur and the Archaeological Survey of India. Udhampur—and Ramnagar Fort, in particular—formed the perfect backdrop to this festival, with their scintillating natural views, beautiful weather, mouth-watering cuisines and the rich history and heritage.
People from different professions and walks of life—tourists, students, locals, vloggers, journalists and officers of various departments—thoroughly enjoyed the event. There was also an element of novelty since this was the first time that such an event had been organised here. The locals and the younger people expressed hope that Ramnagar will feature prominently on India’s tourist map due to the tourism department’s efforts.
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The event, which ultimately saw a footfall of around 10,000 people, was flagged off with a heritage walk by various dignitaries, while the history of the Ramnagar Fort was narrated by Shivdev Singh, the President of the Ramnagar Heritage Society. Many are now hailing this momentous event as a new start for Ramnagar.
The previous leg of the festival had already been held in Bhimgarh Fort, Reasi. According to the Hindustan Times, Vivekanand Rai, Director of Tourism, Jammu, stated that the main purpose of organising these events is to promote heritage tourism and to put the state firmly on the country’s heritage map.
