Nearly 1,000 participants to join traditional procession; Shillong Chamber Choir, Andaman troupe and 47-member NZCC contingent among major attractions
LEH: The stage is set for Ladakh Festival 2026, with the UT Administration preparing a three-day cultural extravaganza that seeks to take Ladakh’s rich heritage to a wider national audience while bringing diverse cultural traditions from across India to the region.
Briefing the media on Friday, Secretary Tourism & Culture, UT Ladakh, Sanjit Rodrigues, said preparations for the festival had been completed and this year’s programme would combine traditional and contemporary performances with handicrafts, cuisine, photography, films and traditional sports.
A major attraction of the opening ceremony will be the 25-member Shillong Chamber Choir, which has arrived in Leh and is rehearsing for the inaugural programme to be inaugurated by the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. Rodrigues said the choir’s performance is expected to add a distinctive dimension to the opening ceremony.
The festival will also feature a 14-member cultural troupe from the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which has arrived in Leh for performances during the three-day event.
Adding to the pan-India character of the festival, the North Zone Cultural Centre (NZCC) will present a fusion concert featuring a 47-member contingent representing different States of the Northern Zone. The participation is being projected as an effort to promote cultural interaction and showcase the diversity of Indian traditions alongside Ladakh’s own cultural heritage.
The festival will simultaneously put the spotlight on Ladakh’s own diverse cultural traditions, with each district presenting its cultural troupe and prominent local artists participating in the programmes.
The Polo Ground is expected to serve as a major cultural hub, while the Leh Market will host a Ladakhi handloom and handicraft showcase and a food court featuring authentic Ladakhi cuisine. The festival programme will extend beyond music and dance, with exhibition polo matches at Chushot Polo Ground and a new Ladakh Festival Archery Cup in Leh.
For the first time, each district has been asked to nominate two of its best archery teams for the competition. A rolling trophy will be introduced, with the winning team to be recognised annually as part of the festival. The initiative is aimed at giving greater prominence to archery as part of Ladakh’s traditional sporting heritage.
A photo exhibition and film screenings will also be organised at the Polo Ground, while Ranthang Art Gallery at Leh Market will host an exhibition featuring local art and photography.
Films by Ladakhi artists and photographs depicting the region are also being incorporated into the festival, broadening its cultural scope beyond live performances.
One of the significant changes this year is the integration of the traditional procession with the evening cultural programme. Rodrigues said nearly 1,000 artists and participants are expected to take part in the procession.
The decision to combine the two programmes follows suggestions from stakeholders and is intended to encourage greater public participation in both the procession and the evening programme. The Tourism and Culture Department has also encouraged hotels, restaurants, cafés, homestays and other hospitality establishments to promote the festival and facilitate tourist participation.
With performers from different parts of India joining artists from across Ladakh, the Ladakh Festival 2026 is being positioned not merely as a tourism event but as a broad cultural exchange platform, bringing together the region’s traditional heritage, contemporary artistic expression and India’s wider cultural diversity.
