Folk artistes from Jammu and Kashmir have clung to music and dance to live through periods of turmoil and violence in the strife-torn state. "Our music,dance and our culture is our soul which has helped us survive in the over 60-year-old conflict zone," says Yusuf,one of a folk artist troupe from Budgam district in Jammu and Kashmir which is visiting the national capital. The artistes are participating in the ongoing 'Kashmir Festival' reflecting the multi-cultural nature of Jammu and Kashmir at the Delhi International Arts Festival (DIAF) here. Their music,they say,reflects love,happiness and peace and is unknown in other parts of the country due to the insurgency in the state. A group of male and female dancers from Kargil formed part of the artistes presenting Shon-lhooa dance wearing full-length woolen robes called 'Sakpas'. Shon Lhoo is a song essentially sung at the end of the harvest season in most of the villages around the Wakha Mulbekh belt of Kargil district. Sung by both males and females,the song reflects the contentment of farmers after a good season's harvest. "Our idea is to reflect our traditions through our performance,to portray the cultural harmony that exists among the people of the region," says Punchok Dolma,who wears colourful bead jewellery with her 'Sakpa' dress. An all male troupe from Jammu presented their harvest season dance 'Kudd' during the three-day festival that ends today. Red turbans and cummerbands add a dash of colour to the 'kudd' costume of white phirans with churidar pyjamas. Chabskyan dance- in which performers dance with a wine goblet balanced on their heads - is a heritage of Ladaki kings and was traditionally presented only before the court. Apart from this the performances included 'Jabro' a community dance of the nomads of Tibet,who travel the plateaus and high hills of the Changthang area of Ladakh. This form of tap dance is performed by men and women at all festive occasions. "I have been a member of this troupe for the past 15 years and have now planned to make my children learn this art form. Besides education,the idea of conserving our roots need to be instilled in the present generation," says Namgyal,a Buddhist artist from the Kargil sector. "My son who is in school is learning the art form and if he plans it to make career option further,I am all for it," adds Namgyal. One hundred children from the state accompanied the troupe to promote their cultural heritage which is not widely known due to the militancy in the state. "We celebrate each moment with a song,a dance to heal our suffering,to forget what happened in the past and begin the day with a new hope," says Yusuf.
