Munish Sood, Mandi
January 21 : Manali, Himachal Pradesh’s most iconic winter tourist destination, rolled out a grand welcome to tourists on Tuesday as the much-awaited Winter Carnival kicked off with colourful processions, cultural performances and festive fervour. However, celebrations are unfolding under the shadow of an approaching western disturbance, with weather agencies warning of heavy snowfall and rain from the evening of January 22 till January 24.
The four-day Winter Carnival began with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu flagging off vibrant processions of women’s groups and cultural troupes from the Circuit House. The grand parade moved through Mall Road, showcasing Manali’s rich cultural heritage. The Chief Minister later reviewed the tableaux from a special stage on Mall Road before formally inaugurating the carnival at Manu Rangshala.
Thousands of tourists from across the country have arrived in Manali to witness the annual winter spectacle. The carnival features competitions such as Winter Queen and Voice of Carnival from January 21 to 23. This year, all star nights have been dedicated exclusively to Himachali singers, giving a strong platform to local folk culture and music.
The main attraction remains the Mahanati performances scheduled for January 21 and 23, where nearly 1,500 women from around 45 women’s groups of Manali’s left and right banks will perform traditional nati on Mall Road in colourful attire.
Throughout the carnival, Mall Road and Manu Rangshala will host a variety of cultural programmes, folk performances and traditional displays, offering tourists a deep glimpse into the valley’s vibrant heritage.
However, excitement is mixed with concern as weather experts have forecast a powerful western disturbance likely to affect Himachal Pradesh from January 22 evening onwards. Heavy snowfall is expected in higher reaches of Kullu, Lahaul-Spiti and Rohtang, while Manali may witness rain and snowfall, which could disrupt road connectivity, tourist movement and open-air carnival programmes.
Hoteliers and tourism stakeholders fear that prolonged snowfall and possible highway closures could impact tourist footfall during the peak carnival days. Authorities are on alert, keeping snow clearance machinery on standby, especially on the Manali-Leh and Manali-Atal Tunnel routes.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister also announced development projects worth crores for the Manali region, including road upgrades under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana and the foundation stone for a 75-metre motorable bridge over the Beas at Rangri.
As Manali dances to the rhythm of nati and folk music, all eyes remain on the skies. Whether the winter carnival ends in celebration or snowbound chaos now depends on how fierce the approaching western disturbance turns out to be.
