The third and concluding day of Basohli Utsav 2026, scheduled for October 21, will feature a diverse programme of literary discussions, sports activities, cultural performances, religious ceremonies and artistic exhibitions, highlighting the region's rich cultural heritage while providing a platform for youth participation and creative expression.

The day's events will be organised at several prominent locations in Basohli, including the Fort area, Barla Chougan, Ramleela Ground, Rani Talaab and the Raavi riverbank near Atal Setu.

Youth Parliament to deliberate on rural employment

A major attraction of the literary session will be a Youth Parliament on the theme 'Gaon Main Rozgar Ke Avsar' (Employment Opportunities in Villages), scheduled from 11 am to 1 pm at the Fort area.

The programme will bring together school and college students to deliberate on employment opportunities in rural areas. Dr Bhanu and Jasvir Singh will coordinate the session, while Shamsher Singh Charak will serve as the judge. Neelam Spolia and Chandan Raina will anchor the event.

The proceedings will begin with a traditional welcome, followed by the ceremonial tying of turbans, pinning of badges and lighting of the ceremonial lamp. An official documentary showcasing Basohli's regional heritage will also be screened before the commencement of the Youth Parliament.

The participating students will deliberate on the theme in accordance with the prescribed rules and guidelines. The session will conclude with remarks by the judge and a vote of thanks. Certificates will be presented to participating students during the closing ceremony in the evening, while distinguished guests will be honoured with customised nameplates inscribed in the traditional Takri script.

Rahul Thakur, Deepanshu Kanotra, Shruti Singh Jamwal, Lakshya Sharma, Ashok Kumar and Madan Lal will coordinate the event. Amit Sharma, Surjeet Chouhan, Amit Sadh and Ajit Singh will look after facilitation and awards.

Panel discussion on artificial intelligence

A panel discussion titled 'AI Mein Manavta Ka Sangharsh' (Humanity's Struggle in the Age of AI) will be held from 1 pm to 2 pm at the Fort area.

Sanjeev Pandey, Risheek Sharma, Manjo Singh Gaur and Ashutosh Vashist are scheduled to participate in the discussion, which will be attended by school and college students.

The session will be anchored by Rabia and Chandan Raina. The programme will include a welcome for the guests, a screening of the Basohli Utsav documentary, an introduction to the discussion and the presentation of Takri-script nameplates to the guests.

The discussion is expected to provide a platform for students to engage with questions surrounding artificial intelligence and humanity.

Dham Chowkdi at Barla Chougan

The literary and interactive programme will also include a Dham Chowkdi at Barla Chougan from 1 pm to 2 pm.

The event will be anchored by Neelam Spolia, with Shiv Doblia serving as moderator. Dr Gourav Vaid, Dr Harish, Dr Yashpal and Dr Natasha are among the guests listed for the programme.

The session will begin with a welcome and introduction of the guests, followed by an introduction to the event by the moderator and the commencement of the Dham Chowkdi.

Sports activities at Ramleela Ground

Sports activities will be organised at Ramleela Ground from 11 am to 2 pm, with Chief Education Officer Kathua Kewal Krishan scheduled to attend as the guest.

Brij Mohan Basotra will anchor the programme, while Naveen Kumar Choudhary and his team will coordinate the activities.

The proceedings will include a welcome for the guest, presentation of a bouquet, traditional turban-tying ceremony and the presentation of a badge. The participating teams will be introduced, and the rules of the game will be explained before the start of the competition.

The team players will also be introduced to the guest and other invitees, including Sarpanches and Panches. A nameplate inscribed in Takri script will be presented to the chief guest.

According to the programme schedule, the winning team will receive a cash prize of Rs 25,000, while the runner-up will receive Rs 15,000. The prizes will be presented through cheques during the closing ceremony of Basohli Utsav.

'Konark' play and cultural performances

The first cultural session will take place at the Main Cultural Stage at Rani Talaab from 2 pm to 5 pm. The highlight will be the staging of 'Konark', a play by Anurag and party.

An exhibition of artwork and paintings will also be organised from 4 pm to 5 pm. The event will be coordinated by Amit Sharma, Dheeraj Padha, Chander Mohan and Aastha.

A street play, or Nukkad Natak, will be staged from 5 pm to 5.30 pm by the J&K Department of Culture. Kulvir Singh and Sushil Thakur will anchor the programme.

A Jhanki will also be organised from 5.30 pm to 6 pm, under the coordination of Amit Sad.

Raavi Aarti and religious programme

The religious session, scheduled from 6 pm to 7.30 pm, will feature Raavi Aarti, Jhanki and a Gungaal/Kud dance party march at Atal Setu and the Raavi riverbank.

The schedule lists Justice Sanjeev Shukla and Jammu Divisional Commissioner Vikas Kundal among the Yajmans for the Raavi Aarti.

The ceremony will begin with the welcome of the Yajmans, followed by the traditional tying of turbans, pinning of badges, introduction of the guests and commencement of the Aarti.

The religious programme is expected to add a devotional dimension to the festival, bringing together cultural traditions and spiritual observances along the banks of the Raavi.

Star-studded cultural night

The second cultural session will begin at 8 pm at the Main Cultural Stage, Rani Talaab, with a cultural night featuring singers, dancers, instrumental performers and cultural groups.

According to the schedule, the performers and groups include Saptak, featuring Rohit Sharma, for instrumental performance and song; ghazal singer Neeraj Gandhi; singer Lekh Raj Verma; and Gorakh Nath for a Deeku dance performance.

The programme will also feature Tavishi Anand, described in the schedule as a national and international dancer from Kishtwar, along with Samridhi Sen, identified as a singing contestant associated with Sony TV's Singing Superstar.

Other listed performers include Simran Devi from Pancheri, Asiya Poswal associated with Choona Hai Aasmaan, Davinder Kumar from Pancheri, the Andotra sisters Isha and Manisha, Jamal Din and Seema Anil Sehgal.

Vishal Gupta Production and the North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC) are also included in the programme.

Ankur, Vitesh, Surinder and Manik Purohit will coordinate the cultural night.

The closing ceremony will include awards and felicitations, speeches by guests and a vote of thanks. Amit Sharma, Surjeet Chouhan, Amit Sadh and Ajit Singh will coordinate the facilitation and awards.

Cartoon workshop promotes heritage and a drug-free India

A special cartoon workshop, being held from October 19 to 21 at Front Park, Fort Basohli, will also continue on the third day of the festival.

The workshop, scheduled from 11 am to 4 pm, carries the themes 'Vikas Bhi Aur Virasat Bhi' (Development Along with Heritage) and 'Nasha Mukat Bharat' (Drug-Free India).

Senior cartoonists Sagar Kumar, Madhav Joshi, Manoj Kureel, S. Tariq, Manoj Chopra, Chander Shekhar Sharma, popularly known as Bunty, and Arvind Sharma are listed among the participating artists.

School students from different institutions, interested students and artists from the Basohli Painting Centre are expected to participate in the workshop.

The festival schedule also provides for exhibitions at the pond area during the daytime, from 11 am to 4 pm, and at Atal Setu from 4 pm onwards.

With activities spanning youth engagement, contemporary issues, sports, performing arts, religious traditions and visual arts, the third day of Basohli Utsav is set to offer a varied programme celebrating the cultural identity and artistic traditions of the historic town.