LEH: Secretary Tourism, Farooq Ahmad Shah inaugurated Ladakh Festival at a scintillating function at Leh today. Congratulating the audience, especially foreign as well as domestic tourists, for witnessing this mega cultural show, he hopped that the tourists would enjoy the grand celebrations during next seven days. Secretary said that holding of Ladakh Festival in the month September was initially aimed at stretching the tourist season here and now the objective is achieved with the presence of large number of tourists here. He said that this success story is being replicated in other parts of the State to boost tourism. He appealed the locals to maintain the same cultural spirit to preserve the magnificent ethnicity of this region.
Terming J&K State as best tourist destination in the country, Farooq Shah said that the people of all the three regions of the State have to play their role in promotion of tourism besides preserving culture, traditions and heritage of the State. He said that Tourism Department is focusing on creation of improved infrastructure in all the regions besides regulating the tourism trades.
The Deputy Commissioner, Leh Prasanna Ramaswamy in his welcome address said that Ladakh Festival is being organized here to showcase the rich culture of this region besides providing a platform for cultural exchange. He said that Ladakh possess vibrant culture, exotic places and the influx of tourists has tremendously increased during the past few years. He said with the launching of online inner line permit for tourists in Leh, the tourism sector witnessing an extra momentum here.
To mark the inaugural ceremony of the festival, a colorful cultural show was presented by the artists of different cultural groups. Large number of foreign and domestic tourists also joined the local artists and were seen dancing on the rhythm of Ladakhi music. Earlier, various cultural groups and students of different schools in their traditional costumes took out a procession from Karzoo pond to Polo-ground Leh passing through main bazaar showcasing the richness of Ladakhi culture.