STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Minister for Finance & Culture Dr Haseeb Drabu on Sunday said the government is mulling to begin ‘cultural mapping’ of the State with the listing of cultural resources and documentation of the artifacts outside its domain.
He further said the state government also mulls to take up with the concerned ministries to bring back the lost treasure to J&K.
While taking a review of restoration work on the prestigious Mubarak Mandi Heritage Complex here, Dr Drabu said with all such initiatives, the culturally-rich State would become a mosaic of varied architectural landmarks.
Expressing concern over slow pace of restoration work on the prestigious Heritage Complex, Dr Drabu stressed stressed for roping in other agencies to supplement the ongoing works being carried out by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) so that the restoration work is expedited and grandeur of the heritage site is restored.
Floating the idea of ‘cultural mapping’ of the State, the Minister said the Jammu and Kashmir has a rich cultural and heritage origin. There is a need to recreate these cultural repositories areas to revamp it on the cultural scenario, he added.
“We should also identify people having relevant expertise in conservation of heritage sites, so that they are entrusted with the work to restore the buildings on fast-track,” he said.
The Minster also conducted survey of Dogra Art Museum which houses a treasure trove of artifacts, paintings, sculptures, ammunition and art works. He was accompanied by Secretary Culture Dilshada Khan, Director Archives, Archaeology and Museums, J&K Muhammad Shafi Zahid, Joint Director Tourism, Jammu Vishesh Mahajan, Deputy Director, Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums Peerzada Muhammad Ashraf and other officers of the department.
Meanwhile, the Minister also chaired a meeting of Kala Kendra Society at Jammu.
In the meeting, Dr Drabu said the government is adopting several innovative measures and policies to woo heritage tourism to the State. He further said, “It isn’t just a compulsion for the government only who will keep an eye on the wide expanse of heritage sites for promoting tourism. We all have to devise some innovative measures, so that the State will become the hub of heritage tourism.”
“A plan is to be devised so that more and more people over for exploiting heritage value of this State,” he added.
He said the modalities are being worked out for creating a space for Jammu Museum, which would house the art works and other artifacts from Dogra Art Museum also. He also called for adopting innovative model to attract tourists to visit such sites.
Interacting with the officials, Dr Drabu said the Kala Kendra should hold various events, which will go a long way to preserve the rich culture of the State and pass them on to the coming generations.
The Minister was informed that various festivals including ‘Rutt-Rahre’- a traditional festival of Dogra culture are organised to attract budding artists, students, civil society members and art enthusiasts.
Dr Drabu called for spreading awareness among the people about culturally rich heritage origin of the state and to attract youth for their active participation in preserving and promoting J&K’s distinct traditions.
The meeting was attended by Secretary Culture, Dilshada Khan, Secretary Jammu Kashmir Academy of Art Culture and Languages, Dr Aziz Hajini, Director Archives, Archaeology and Museums, J&K, Muhammad Shafi Zahid, Director Local Bodies and Secretary, Kala Kendra Soujanya Sharma, Deputy Director, Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums, Peerzada Muhammad Ashraf and other officers of the department.
