The genesis

THE Ladakh Festival is a major event organised every year by the J&K Tourism Department, in collaboration with the local communities and the district administrations of Leh and Kargil.

It is a unique project by the state government to promote Ladakh's traditions and customs, cultural heritage and various performing arts. For the tourists, the festival is a unique opportunity to witness the lifestyle and culture of people, who have lived for ages on the crossroads of the Asian subcontinent, blending socio-cultural and religious influences from the neighbouring cultures of Central Asia, Tibet and North India.

About the festival, Assistant Director of Tourism Department, Leh, Nessar Hussain says, "It was started in 1983 as a district-level event by former Chief Secretary Chhewang Phuntsog, who was posted in Leh at that time as the Deputy Commissioner of Ladakh. The festival has grown from the initial two-day district-level event to a two-week state-level event.

According to Hussain,"There was a break in the festival from 1989 till 1992 due to communal tension in the region and militancy disturbance in the state. In 1993, it was revived by the state government as a promotional tourism campaign for the Ladakh region and was held in New Delhi. The purpose to restart the festival in New Delhi was to promote the region among the travel agencies and the media in the National Capital.

After the war of 1965, Ladakh was reopened to tourists in 1974. The area being a strategic location in India, the movement of both domestic and foreign tourists is limited. The entry is allowed at some places only after taking an Inner line permit, which is issued through the District Magistrate, Leh. Some tourist spots, however, are still closed to tourists.

While the purpose of restricting the tourist movement has become irrelevant due to sites like Google Earth, the state government, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council and local travel agents are considering to take up the issue to scrap the system and allow free movement of visitors.

Deputy Director of Tourism Department Urgain Lhundup says, "The success of the festival has inspired the travel agents and they have started to include cultural tours in various tourist packages. Many travel agents and major hotels now organise music concerts and folk song and dance performances for the visitors.

The festival, a state government effort, has now become a public-private partnership, with agents and hoteliers realising its benefits and potential. They now even sponsor refreshments to the tourists during the inaugural and closing ceremonies of the festival and in many other ways. They also offer discounts ranging from 15 to 25 per cent on many tourist packages during the festival.

An artiste Tsewang Dolma from Dha-Hanu says, "The festival provides an opportunity to artistes from the remote areas to participate and showcase the unique Dropa culture of the region. The Dropa culture is also known as Aryan culture, an influence of the Aryan invasion. It is found only in four villages — Dha-Hanu, Darchik and Garkhon — in Leh and Kargil districts."

To ensure the participation of everyone in the village, the Nambardar selects artistes on a rotational basis.

— YD