World heritage fest begins in Kullu with mini-marathon, yoga session
The scenic Tirthan Valley under Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP) in the Banjar subdivision of Kullu district witnessed the grand inauguration of the World Heritage Festival-2025 today.
The five-day celebration is being organised from June 21 to 25 in the Tirthan Range of GHNP at Shairopa, marking another year of honouring the park’s prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Site status, which it received in 2014.
To mark the beginning of the festivities and to celebrate International Yoga Day, a 5km mini-marathon was organised from Gushaini to Dehuri. It saw the participation of schoolchildren, youth and local women. The marathon was flagged off by APMC Chairman for Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti, Ram Singh Mian.
Approximately 150 participants from various schools and local groups took part in the run. In the student category, Yog Raj from GSSS Bathahad secured the first position (boys) and Gunjan Thakur from GSSS Gushaini won first place (girls).
In the open and women’s categories, Mohan Thakur emerged winner in the open category, Kesari Devi from Jamlu Shilli Self-Help Group clinched first position (women), Tara Devi from Jagrati SHG Rikhal secured second place, followed by Poonam Devi from the same group in third place.
All winners were awarded by chief guest Ram Singh Mian.
A special yoga session was also held in the valley, focusing on holistic well-being and environmental harmony.
According to Sachin Sharma, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of GHNP Kullu, this year’s celebration includes a blend of online and offline activities, aiming to raise awareness about environmental conservation and biodiversity protection.
The events over the next four days include: Bird race, nature walks, school and college-level competitions, online science fair, ‘Great Himalayan Premier League’ tug of war, health check-up camps, street plays (nukkad natak), cultural programmes and classical performances.
The goal of these activities is to educate and inspire local residents, students and tourists to protect the park’s natural heritage and promote eco-friendly practices.
GHNP was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 2014, in recognition of its outstanding significance for biodiversity conservation. The park protects over 1,000 plant species, including many medicinal herbs, 31 mammal species and 209 bird species as well as amphibians, reptiles and insects. Four of GHNP’s mammal species and three of its bird species are globally threatened, including the musk deer and the western-horned tragopan.
Himachal Tribune