NEW DELHI, May 23: Several foreign delegates attending the G-20 tourism summit have pledged to promote tourism prospect of Kashmir having been highly impressed by its exquisite and intricate handicraft and its scenic beauty of the surroundings.
“We had a shikara [boat] ride on the beautiful Dal Lake. It gave me a serene experience,” Chang Jae-Bok, South Korean Ambassador to India, said. On filming popular Korean serials in Kashmir, Mr. Jae-Bok said it was doable. “It will take some time. We need to promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges. It will help people of both the countries to generate interest in each other,” he added.
Craft bazaar set up at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre displayed local handcrafts and evinced an interest among the visitors. Maqbool Jan, an award-winning papier mache artist, said several delegates expressed astonishment at the art work done by hand. “This will put our artwork on the international scene,” Jan said.
Sajad Ahmad, a resident of famous Kanihama village in north Kashmir known for producing Kani shawls, said the foreign delegates were introduced to fine handicrafts produced by Kashmir. In a rare experience, the G-20 delegates were asked to try their hands by participating in the live demonstration of art works. “It was an engaging experience for the visitors. They tried their hands at artworks like Basohli painting, walnut carving, papier mache etc. Several delegates bought from the master craftsmen,” Mahmood Ahmad Shah, Director, Handicraft and Handloom, Kashmir, said.
Simon Wong, High Commissioner of Singapore, who posted a series of pictures from Kashmir on his social media handle, praised the local culture and “scenic shikara ride.” “The ride was followed by a cultural performance and delicious ‘wazwan’ dinner!” he said. He said Singapore was looking for new areas of investment and growth in India.
(Manas Dasgupta)