Leh: Folk songs are an integral part of Ladakh and weddings in Ladakh are incomplete without them. The designated man from the groom’s side who is responsible for bringing the bride from her home is supposed to be well versed in the traditional wedding folk songs as he is supposed to sing them at each step. However, with time this practice is slowly declining and as compared to before when almost all villagers knew the lyrics and tune of these folk songs, these days, people who know these folk songs are becoming fewer and fewer.
With this concern in mind, Maryul Semyangs Cultural and Society, Leh, UT Ladakh is organising a ten-day cultural workshop from February 19 to February 28 to teach folk songs especially the ones that are used during weddings to young kids and residents from different villages around Leh. The workshop focuses on different practices of Ladakhi weddings and teaches the audience the traditional way of the Ladakhi wedding. Among the teachers are Sangeet Natak Akademi Award winner and renowned folk song artist from Skurbuchan village, Tsering Stanzin, Jigmet Chanchuk from Phuktse village, Sonam Tsering from Basgo and Stanzin Sherap, a renowned female folk song artist from Nubra.
Highlighting the importance and need for this workshop, Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardee, Tsering Stanzin says, “I have been a folk artist all my life and witnessing the decline of this practice is very concerning. To revive this, the Culture Academy has compiled books of folk songs so that these valuable aspects of our culture are not lost. The youth need to understand that folk songs are an integral part of Ladakh and that it is through these folk songs that we learn about our history. During earlier times there were no books for us, we learned folk songs through oral traditions. These days we have phones and everything is available on our phones, so the youth should take full benefit of that.”
Among the audience, a 28-year-old Tundup shared that when he attends weddings, he is not able to sing with the others as he does not know those songs. He says, “Through this workshop, I intend to learn as many songs as I can so that I can sing together with others at weddings.” Another young kid named Jigmet Dorjey, an 11-year-old from Kanji village says, “ Folk songs give me a sense of joy. I know one or two folk songs and I intend to learn more here and go home and teach my friends.”
Heading this workshop is Stanzin Dorjey, the President of Maryul Semyangs Cultural and Society, who also hails from Skurbuchan village. Maryul initially started as a band in 2015 and became a society officially in 2024. After their registration, they wanted to organize something that tackled the issue of the declining practice of folk songs and explore the promotion of folk songs among the youth. Dorjey says, “We had 100 participants during the first day and it was great to see such participation. I have also approached village heads of villages around Leh so that they can send at least 2 people so that they can learn here and then promote it among their villages. Mainly we are focusing on wedding traditions and folk songs.”
The workshop is being held with the support of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh and the participants are being provided with a certificate as well.
