Kargil,June 12 (Scoop News)-With the objective to uphold and showcase the rich typical Aryan culture of Kargil area to foreign and domestic tourists thereby enhancing the prospect of cultural and ecotourism in the Aryan villages of Darchiks and Garkone besides to give a chance to the Dardi and Purgi folk artists of this region to preserve and showcase their folk music and dance forms, Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Kargil today organized a One Day Aryan Valley Folk Music and Dance Festival at the Women’s Empowerment Centre of the Army at Darchiks village, Kargil .
Four cultural troupe numbering 80 artists, 40 each from the Aryan valleys of Darchiks and Garkone villages, and 1 Purgi cultural troupe numbering 15 artists from Wakha Mulbekh area participated in the day long festival who enthralled the local people and other guests including a good number of domestic and forgein tourists,
Col T.K Mukherjee Deputy Commander Tiger Hill Brigade was the Chief Guest on the occasion. Folk songs depicting the welcoming of guests, prayer for peace and prosperity in the river valleys, importance of environmental conservation in the present era of materialism and blind development, importance of valuing the natural bounty, appeal for unison with nature besides others portraying the themes of national integration, communal harmony and the history of the migration of Dards and the colonization of the present villages of Darchiks and Garkone were presented on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion Col T.K Mukherjee while congratulating the Academy for organizing such an impressive folk festival termed this step as laudable as such activities would pave a way for the stability and development of the age old Aryan folk traditions. He added that such steps of cultural awakening and cultural promotion programmes which the Academy is organizing in the far flung areas of the district are the need of the day as the rich treasure of the folk literature is gradually fading away. He urged the Cultural Academy Kargil to organize such festivals every year and to arrange advance publicity so that participation of the tourists is maximum.
Earlier in his welcome speech Muhammad Ali Tak Cultural Officer Kargil while underlining the purpose of the day long festival termed it as yet another step in the series of efforts being initiated by Cultural Academy to enhance the prospects of cultural tourism and ecotourism in the far flung areas of Kargil district especially the areas that are nestled along the National Highway 1 towards Leh. Tak added that yet another objective of the festival was to give a chance to the Dardi and Purgi folk artists of this region to preserve and showcase their folk music and dance forms that are gradually waning away due to the overpowering influence of the outward cultures.
While informing the audience particularly the tourists, researchers and scholars about the Dards of Kargil Tak said that the land of Kargil is home to typical race in the world-the Dard or the Brokpa meaning the highlander which is a unique ethnic race whose dress, food habits, socio economy and day to day life is quite different from other parts of Kargil. Tak added that the Dards are variously described as the descendants of the wandering troops of Alexander of Macedonia or the direct descendants of a pure Indo Aryan tribe. They are even believed to have been the descendants of the people associated with the gold digging ants mentioned by Ptolemy and Megasthenes in their geographical accounts.
While reiterating the mandate of the Academy towards the preservation and promotion of the rich multiethnic culture of District Kargil Tak said that the Academy as always will be committed to the preservation and promotion of the local cultural heritage through various literary and cultural programmes from time to time and more such festivals are in the offing.
Nazir Hussain, Special Officer for Culture (G1) delivered the vote of thanks.
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