Excelsior Correspondent JAMMU Mar 2: Natrang Jammu showcased Ritadiyaan a rarest singing tradition of Dogras featuring Rasal Singh and Party here today at its Studio Theatre. This was perhaps the first ever public performance of this magnificent art of Dogras which delighted one and all. Chief guest on the occasion Shiv Kumar Sharma SSP Traffic honoured the participants with mementos and appreciated Natrangs effort in showcasing this tradition of Dogras. Introducing this unique cultural expression of Duggar land Natrang Director Balwant Thakur while addressing the audience live from Johannesburg (South Africa) said that Natrang in its endeavor to preserve and promote the dying cultural traditions of Dogras took the initiative of showcasing the public performance of Ritadiyaan. This unknown narrative singing tradition has its roots in the ancient times. There have been a time when we hardly had any source of information and these custodians of our culture have been taking the age old wisdom from generation to generation through such artistic traditions. In Ritadiyaan the narrative singers educate masses about the significance of days and months. Infact they were the ones responsible for making younger generations remember the names of days and months. Interestingly every day and month is having a different significance in the life of community and public is sensitized about the rituals related to each day. “In a time of internet when everyone claims to be over-informed we should not forget that it becomes our larger responsibility to value and respect the things of the past” said Balwant Thakur and appealed to all to come forward and support these real custodians of our rich heritage and culture. Eminent artist of the UT of J & K Chander Shekhar while introducing the Rasal Singh & Party said: “Folk traditions are our roots and a society cant progress without these traditional roots which have been saved by the legends of this tradition. Rasal Chand his father and great grandfather from Ramnagar Udhampur used to sing these narrative traditions”. He also thanked Natrang for providing a platform to these traditional narrators and promised to organise such activities every year not only in the Jammu city but also in other parts of the UT to popularise this tradition.

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