NOVEMBER 04: The North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC), Patiala, under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, in collaboration with the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL), Jammu organized LokVirasat – A Festival to celebrate Vanishing Folk Art Forms here today in K.L. Saigal Hall.
The event was inaugurated with a special message from Mohammad Furqan Khan, Director NZCC, Patiala, who highlighted the importance of preserving and promoting India’s rich and diverse cultural heritage. “It is our responsibility to ensure that the unique folk traditions that form the backbone of our cultural identity are passed down to future generations. This festival serves as a platform to showcase and revitalize these treasured art forms,” said M. Khan.
Secretary JKAACL Harvinder Kour, in her message, expressed her delight at the collaborative effort, stating, “The LokVirasat festival is a step towards protecting our intangible cultural heritage. This scheme, launched in 2013 by the Zonal Cultural Centres, aims to bridge the generational gap between folk art masters and young learners, thus ensuring the continuity of these art forms.She further announced that JKAACL will also be launching the GurushishyaParampara scheme in Jammu & Kashmir to foster mentorship and skill transfer in traditional arts.
The highlight of the event was the performances by the artists who were recipients of the Gurushishya scheme for the year 2022-23. The audience was captivated by a range of presentations, including V.D. Surishta from Udhampur, performing Geetru; J.R. Sharma from Jammu, showcasing Folk Dances of Jammu; Rakesh Kumar from Jammu, presenting Dogri Folk Dances; Ramesh Kumar from Jammu, performing Folk Lore and Folk Songs; Kuldeep Saproo from Jammu, with Sufi & Folk Music; Vijay Dhar from Jammu, performing Folk Theatre andPremNathRadhey with Chinjaan Dogri Folk.
The event was graced by the esteemed presence of Padma Shri Rumalo Ram, an acclaimed Dogri Folk artist, who served as the Chief Guest. He was felicitated by Jarnail Singh, Assistant Director Program, NZCC and Dr.JavaidRahi, Chief Editor (Gojri) of JKAACL, for his invaluable contributions to folk culture. The proceedings of the function were conducted by Sat Pal Singh.