Ladakh celebrates 3-days Sindhu Festival

By Tenzin Menkyi SHEY, Jun 17, 2014
SHEY :
The commencement of three days event of Ladakh Singhe Khababs Sindu festival was held on 12 June at Sindhu Ghat. The Chief Guest for the inaugural function of the event was expected to be Omar Abdulla, Chief Minister, J&K, who is not in attendance owing to technical glitches of the aircraft. The guest of honours were Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minister for Urban Development and local bodies, Govt of J&K, Rigzin Spalbar, Chief Executive Councillor, LAHDC, Simrandeep Singh, District Commissioner, Leh, Shafi Lassu, Executive Councillor, Tourism and Miloslav Stasek, Ambassador of Czechs Republic to India.

The guest of honours and VIPs were given a grand reception by the local artists from various regions of Ladakh in their finest traditional wear with Lharnga, a musical offering and TCV Ladakh students performed Dro, an auspicious Tibetan dance to beckon good luck. Foreign and domestic tourist also took pleasure taking pictures along with the locals in their distinctive costumes.
Various religious communities of Ladakh performed the purification rituals of the Indus River.

Shafi Lassu address the public by welcoming all the VIPS and people from different corners of India and abroad. He said, “It’s been 40 yrs since Ladakh has been opened to tourism. Advent of tourism trade in Ladakh has not only alleviated the economic condition of its people, but the way of life of its people has changed drastically. Tourism industry generates numbers of employment in the Ladakh. This year, until May 25, 000 tourists already arrived in Ladakh. People of Ladakh were also blessed with arrival of His Holiness the Dalai Lama conferring Kalachakra intiation. The collaboration of LAHDC, LBA, LGA and other organisation with the aid of state government has been able to host such grand religion congregation in Ladakh this year. More than 2.5 Lakh devotees are expected to summon.”
Rigzin Spalbar talk about the undergoing construction of 18 hole Golf Course near Sindu Ghat. He said many local talks in opposition to the project. But Ladakh must change with the time. The sole aim of the project was to entice wealthy tourist who runs his own charted flight and pour money directly into Ladakh.

Rigzin Jora spoke about the new pavilion at Sindhu Gath which he builds during his tenure hoping to complete its full construction sooner. He also said he is working on the pavement of pilgrim route from Ladakh to Kailash mansarovar and tour road from Ladakh via Karakoram to Tibet. They are on the process of discussion with Ministry of Civil Aviation about the reduction of air fare to Leh. He stressed on dispersions of tourist to far flung tourist destination like Pangong, Tsomoriri Lake, Dha, Beema and encourage eco tourism and home-stay.
He added that beside a pilgrim destination, Sindhu Darshan festival was aimed to elongate tourist season in Ladakh, which has been successful as tourist season in Ladakh is now 6 months, it used to be 2 months.He also said, "Ladakh holds the record of maximum tourism per capita in whole of India with its ratio of 2 person per capita and doubled the target to 4".
He concludes his speech by acknowledging the tourist for their unconscious help in the betterment of livelihood of the local people.

A vibrant traditional dances like Chabskyan , Shondol, Zanskari, Jabro and Brokpa dance and marriage song enchanted the gathering.

Polo match at Polo Ground and Music Concert at Sindu Sanskriti Kendra were held on 13-14 July respectively.