KATHUA: The 3 days Basohli Utsav, which was a celebration of culture, tradition, and community, concluded with great success, leaving visitors captivated by a diverse array of events.
Organized under the supervision of Divisional Administration, the festival took place in the scenic town of Basohli, also known as Vishwasthali, highlighting the region’s rich cultural heritage.
On the concluding day of Basohli Utsav, Principal Secretary Culture and School Education, Suresh Kumar Gupta appealed youth to be passionate about the glorious heritage and play ambassador role in highlighting the cultural legacy of the area. He said efforts will be made to make Basohli Utsav a grand event in coming times.
Encouraging the local community to take pride in their heritage, he urged the residents of Basohli to become ambassadors of Basohli art by incorporating traditional Basohli art forms at the front of their homes, thus preserving and promoting the region’s cultural legacy.
Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, in his address emphasized that the festival was organized to restore the town’s historical significance as Vishwasthali, a title that reflects Basohli’s past as a flourishing hub of trade, renowned for its Pashmina, Basohli paintings, and its strategic location.
He highlighted that the mention of Basohli Utsav by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Mann Ki Baat last year serves as an inspiration to intensify efforts to preserve and promote the region’s rich cultural heritage. He added that Basohli holds immense potential to feature prominently on India’s cultural and tourism map due to its unique heritage assets.
The Divisional Commissioner expressed confidence that with the continued support of the Department of Culture, Archaeology, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), and the District Administration, the Utsav will gain further momentum and expand in scope with each passing year.
He also directed the Deputy Commissioner, Kathua, to prepare a year-round activity calendar showcasing live demonstrations of Basohli paintings and Pashmina weaving to attract tourists.
Director ACB, Shakti Pathak in his welcome address, highlighted the rich legacy of Vishwasthali, once a thriving center of culture, tradition, art, and craft. He noted that Basohli was not only renowned for its artistic and cultural heritage but also served as a hub for financial trade and commercial activities due to its strategic importance. He emphasized the significance of reviving this legacy through events like Basohli Utsav and reinforcing the town’s historical stature.
The festival featuring world famous Basohli Ramlila in the evening times besides multi-discipline sporting events, which saw enthusiastic participation from local schools.
Later, the prizes were distributed among the top three winners of Paintings, Story Telling, Shaloka Vyakhya and Sports disciplines viz Kabaddi, Santolia, Tug of war etc.
DC Kathua Dr Rakesh Minhas, Secretary Academy of Art & Culture Harvinder Kour, Director Handicraft and Handloom Suraj Rakwal, Regional Director IGNCA Shruti Awasthi, ADC Basohli Anil Kumar Thakur, CEO BBDA Ajeet Singh were also present on the occasion.