The two day Silk Route festival is going to be held on 23rd of June at Sand Dune Leisure Park, Sumoor, Nubra.  Rigzin Spalbar, Chief Executive Councillor(CEC),LAHDC will be the Chief Guest and other guest of Honours includes Dr.Sonam Wangchuk,EC, Health, LAHDC Leh, Tsetan Namgyal, MLA Nubra, Gyurmet Dorjey, EC, Tourism, LAHDC Leh and P.Namgyal Former Union Minister.

 

Recognizing the potential of Sumoor (the model village of Nubra) village in playing central role in economic development through cultural tourism, the villagers started an annual village festival two years back. To make the festival more beneficial the villagers requested Dr Sonam Wangchok, founder/secretary Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation (HCHF) for collaboration and guidance.

In a meeting held in Sumoor on 1st June 2013, it was agreed that this year the festival will be organized by Samstan Otsal Tsogspa in collaboration with Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation (HCHF) to complement the newly discovered Sand Dune and Camel Safari in Sumoor. Accepting the proposal of Dr Sonam Wangchok the villagers agreed to name the festival as “Silk Route Festival".

The two-day-long extravaganza is in keeping with the essence of the Ladakhi festival; marked by feasts, dances, games and music, all in full measure while taking measures not to disturb the ecological sensitivity of the region.

The Silk Route Festival offers a unique tourism product through provision of the Ladakhi village cultural and traditional lifestyle in aspects of accommodation and hospitality, entertainment, arts and crafts.

Handicraft items made by hands by locals to be displayed, which includes gift & souvenir articles, office-ware, furniture and furnishings, accessories, decorative items, tableware, house ware and traditional dresses.

The villagers will also utilise the occasion to promote traditional food by putting up stalls to sensitize visitors relating to indigenous local foods. The stalls are designed to emulate a typical village household where the visitors could sit on the floor and enjoy the food items in a traditional way.

Traditional dances, folk songs and folk music will add charm to the aura. The dances will performed in groups. The beauty of the dances will be raised by the colourful costumes, gold, silver, brass and precious stone ornaments etc.

To spread awareness particularly among the younger generation and to review the centuries old famous sports of Ladakh, the traditional Archery will also be organised.

Nubra is famous for its double-humped Bactrian camels and this unique safari has always proved to be a fascinating and the most remarkable experience, especially when one is rolling on the back of a camel in the sand dune and enjoying the scenic view of river, villages and the mountains with snow picks in the back ground.