Srinagar, Nov 15: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday inaugurated the “Chhau Parv”, a festival aimed at generating awareness about the traditional dance form.
Sinha lauded the Sangeet Natak Akademi for organising the three-day festival, workshop and seminar on Chhau and folk dances of Jammu and Kashmir to preserve and promote cultural diversity.
The festival is being held at the Tagore Hall here.
“In ancient times, Chhau was considered a war dance and an art form meant for the upliftment of the soul. The Chhau Parv aims to generate awareness about aesthetic appeal of this rich tradition, nurture young talents and strengthen the spirit of ‘Ek Bharat-Shreshtha Bharat’,” the lieutenant governor said.
Chhau is a traditional dance form of West Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand.
At the inaugural ceremony, Sinha paid tribute to tribal icon Birsa Munda and recalled the immense contribution of tribal leaders in India’s freedom movement.
He also highlighted the efforts of the union territory administration in reviving the rich intangible heritage and folk culture of Jammu and Kashmir.
Sangeet Natak Akademi chairperson Sandhya Purecha and renowned artistes from West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand and Jammu and Kashmir were present on the occasion.
