STATE TIMES NEWS
LEH: It has become important for all the cultural societies of Ladakh to work unitedly for the cause of protecting Ladakh’s cultural identity. Indigenous language is the root of the culture and that needs to be strengthened by inculcating interest in youth for their mother tongue.
This was stated by President Ladakh Cultural Forum, Mipham Otsal in an interactive session held with cultural societies of Leh district in the Lotsava auditorium of the Academy of Arts, Culture and Languages, Leh.
Otsal assured that the Ladakh Cultural Forum will lead from the front to make sure that Ladakh’s rich cultural heritage is preserved and handed over to the younger generation.
Ladakh Culture Forum was reorganized and reformed in September this year. This society is one of Ladakh’s oldest civil societies founded in 1976 under by scholars and artists of Ladakh.
The aim of reforming the prestigious forum was to make it more inclusive by involving all local stakeholders to work for the revival, preservation, and promotion of Ladakh’s rich cultural heritage.
Director, Ladakh Theater Organization (LTO), Mipham Otsal was unanimously nominated president and founder/secretary, Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation (HCHF) Dr. Sonam Wangchok as General Secretary besides electing other members in the executive and the advisory committees.
While highlighting different initiatives undertaken by Ladakh Cultural Forum since 1976, Dr. Sonam Wangchok termed it as Ladakh’s largest association consisting of scholars, artists, NGOs, village societies, students, and individuals working in the field of cultural preservation in Ladakh. “Strengthening Ladakh Cultural Forum by involving all local stakeholders is the need of the hour to protect Ladakh’s cultural heritage from all kinds of threats and challenges,” he said.
To revive and preserve Ladakh rich culture based on the ten sciences or fields of study categorized into two groups, major and minor fields, secretaries for each science were also appointed. The five major fields of study are Philosophy (nang don rigpa), Logic and epistemology (tshadma rigpa), Grammar and Literature (sgra rigpa), medicine (gsowa rigpa), and arts and Crafts (gzo rigpa). The five minor fields of study are astronomy and astrology (skar rtsis rigpa), poetry (snyan ngag rigpa), rhetroric (sdeb sbayor rigpa), lexicography (mngon brjod rigpa) and drama and dance (zlos gar rigpa).
Secretary, Grammar and Literature (sgra rigpa), Dr. Thupstan Nurboo also addressed the representatives of cultural societies of different villages and stressed on feeling pride of one’s own language. He suggested several ways for Ladakh Cultural Forum and cultural societies of Ladakh to entice young children to learn their indigenous language and feel the pride of it.
Advisor, Ladakh Cultural Forum, Gelong Thupstan Paldan advised societies to revive traditional values and systems to ensure sustainable development.
Renowned singer Morup Namgyal, Padma Shree awardee, advised cultural societies of Ladakh to work closely with Ladakh Cultural Forum to organize workshops and awareness programmes to educate people about the importance of culture and heritage, and appealed to the people of Ladakh to respect the mother tongue and feel proud of speaking it.