Shimla bedecked to ring in Christmas, New Year

Shimla, December 22

Hotels in town here are all geared up for Christmas-New Year festivities while elaborate arrangements have been made by the district administration for the festivities around the Winter Carnival.

While most hotels in Shimla, Kullu-Manali and Dharamsala have received heavy bookings, the tourists are hoping to enjoy snowfall. Apart from the Christ Church, the entire the Mall and the Ridge area here has been decorated and lit up for the festivities.

With this being a long weekend and Christmas being on Monday, the district administration and police are preparing for a record number of tourists. The Tourism and Art and Culture Departments have made elaborate arrangements at the winter carnival to be held on the Ridge.

Apart from display of folk dance and music, a food festival offering cuisine from different parts of the state will be held. A Maha Nati will also be held on the Ridge here in which hundreds of women will participate. Amit Kashyap, Managing Director Tourism, said the HPTDC is offering special packages on the New Year at its various hotels.