Lt Governor lays emphasis on promotion, development of shrines, monuments and heritage sites of the UT to attract more tourist inflow
Srinagar: From organizing three mega Sufi festivals to holding exhibition of rare paintings and even the film festivals, the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages will be taking up various activities for promotion of culture and heritage of Jammu and Kashmir during the current year.
This was disclosed by Sarmad Hafeez, Administrative Secretary, Culture Department while apprising the Lt Governor Manoj Sinha of the ongoing projects, besides the activities to be taken up by the department for the promotion of culture and heritage of the UT. The Lt Governor was chairing the meeting to review the functioning of Culture & allied departments including Department of Libraries & Research; Archives, Archaeology and Museums, and J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages at the Civil Secretariat here.
He also informed the Lt Governor that National School of Drama is also setting up its centre at Srinagar soon.
It was informed that the Academy has a collection of over 700 manuscripts and miniature paintings on Mysticism, Vedant, Islamiyat, Languages and Literature, History, Mathematics, Palmistry, Politics, Sociology and Music. The Academy also has as many 953 rare and rich collection of paintings of famous painters which are soon going to be put for public display.
The Academy is also planning to organize film festivals at Srinagar and Jammu in collaboration with Department of Tourism and Information, besides National School of Drama (NSD) is setting up one of its centres at Srinagar.
The meeting was also informed about the upcoming events and projects like Literature festival at Patnitop, Promotion of border Tourism activities, Cultural activities at heritage sites, Dastaan-goi; School of Folk and Sufiyana Music etc.
On being informed that the Academy is organizing three mega Sufi festivals in J&K, the Lt Governor directed for involving colleges and universities and roping in local, national and internationally-acclaimed Sufi artists for the same.
While reviewing the working of Libraries & Research department, the Lt Governor called for modernization of Public Libraries of the Department and upgrading the same as Digital Libraries.
Work in convergence with Mission Youth, J&K and Smart City Mission to turn these Libraries into productive learning-cum-career counseling centres, the Lt Governor told the officers. He further asked the department to explore means to provide online access of the repositories of books available with the libraries to the students through online mode.
Laying special focus on promotion and development of shrines, monuments, and heritage sites to attract more tourist inflow to the UT, the Lt Governor directed the department to integrate tourism and cultural promotion plans, besides holding traditional and cultural events on the backdrop of the historic significance of these important places so that the visiting tourists, as well as the locals, can get the first-hand experience of the rich cultural heritage of J&K.
Specific directions were passed for the development of Shri Shiv Khori and Baba Banda Singh ji Bahadur Shrines at Reasi.
While taking stock of the future deliverables of the department, the Lt Governor directed the concerned officials to prepare an annual activity calendar of Culture department so that people are able to know that what’s in the offering for them and can plan accordingly.
The Lt Governor suggested a host of measures to showcase the heritage and culture of the UT, and strengthen connect of the people with J&K.
