JAMMU, NOVEMBER 25, 2021: As part of Janjatiya Gaurav Saptah being celebrated under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, the ongoing Tribal Literary cum Cultural Festival was inaugurated yesterday by the Lieutenant Governor, Sh. Manoj Sinha, concluded today amidst scintillating performances by various cultural troupes, artists, and engrossing literary sessions here at General Zorawar Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu.
The two-day-long festival organized by the Tribal Research Institute showcased the rich and diverse heritage, culture, art, craft, cuisine, herbal medicine etc as well as the literary heritage of the various tribal communities living across the UT. Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, Secretary of Tribal Affairs also heads the research institute.
The festival provided an opportunity for many artists to showcase their talent at the UT level for the first time acting as a source of encouragement and also giving a fillip to the preservation of tribal culture. More than 300 artists and scholars attended various events over a period of two days.
The highlights of the concluding day were Mushaira, a Paper-reading session by researchers on Gujjar, Bakerwal, Gaddi, Sippi, and Shina tribes. Theatre performances, Folk music, and dances by Gujjar, Gaddi, and Shina tribes were also part of today’s programme.
The theatre performance showcasing the construct of a tribal society stole the hearts of everyone present and was thoroughly enjoyed by all the participants. A Mushaira in Gojri language was organized in which more than 60 poets participated and that was the main attraction of the day.
During the concluding ceremony, Director Tribal Affairs Department, Sh. Mushir Ahmed Mirza highlighted the various events organized during the Janjatiya Gaurav Saptah across the UT of J&K and also spoke about the contribution made by tribal communities in the freedom struggle. He expressed hope that such events are used as a platform by tribal communities to not only showcase their heritage and culture but encourage the younger generation to preserve their culture as well. The two-day festival saw a footfall of more than 2500 visitors all across the UT of J&K.