Sindhu is held at Leh, in Ladakh District of Jammu & Kashmir. It stretches for three days. This festival was started in October, 1997 and continues to be held every year since then. It attracts several foreign as well domestic tourists. The Sindhu Darshan Festival is a celebration of River Sindhu that is also known as the Indus. The celebration is aimed at endorsing the Indus River as an icon of the communal harmony and unity of India. It is also a symbolic salutation to the courageous soldiers of the country.
Every year several participants from different parts of the country participate in Sindhu Darshan Festival. They bring water from the river of their own state in earthen pots and immerse these pots in the Sindhu River. The waters of all rivers merge together, thereby symbolizing the multi-dimensional cultural identity of the country. The first day witnesses a reception ceremony for the participants organized on the banks of Sindhu at Shey. This reception ceremony is conducted by a joint association of committees of various religious groups to promote national integrity. Fifty senior Lamas conduct prayers on the banks of the river. A series of cultural programs is also presented by the artists from various states of the country. A sightseeing trip is organized for the participants and the day comes to an end with a bonfire at night. After this a Puja is organized on the second day of the Sindhu Darshan Festival.
The Postal Department of Government of India issued a Postage Stamp that depicts Sindhu Darshan Festival on 28 July, 1999. Sindhu Darshan was started to focus attention on the heritage of the ancient Indian Civilization and Culture that `Sindhu` symbolizes. The stamp depicts a landscape of the Sindhu with an inset of the famous `Vrishabha` seal of the Indus Valley Civilization and a line, from the `Rig Veda`, describing the Sindhu
This article is a stub. You can enrich by adding more information to it. Send your Write Up to content@indianetzone.com
