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Ladakh's moral police have just called off the four-day music festival Ladakh Confluence slated to be held between July 15 and 18.

The festival that featured a stellar line-up that included UK-based percussionist Talvin Singh and Mumbai electronica band Shaa'ir + Func last year, has incensed both the All Ladakh Tour Operators Association (ALTOA) and the Ladakh Buddhist Association (LBA).
 
"We were at the festival last year that was held at Shey. We witnessed how the musicians and audience was involved in immoral activities including sex, drugs and alcohol.

The whole place was messed up. We could not stop them last year even though some of our local kids were seen at this fest indulging in the same activities.
 

British DJ and tabla player known for creating an innovative fusion of classical Indian music and drum and bass, Talvin Singh performs at the 2009 Ladakh Confluence

It was intolerable," says P T Kunzang, president, ALTOA and general secretary, LBA in a telephonic interview from Leh.

ALTOA and LBA along with the Ladakh Taxi Union approached the Jammu & Kashmir Tourism Minister Rigzen Jora, who withdrew his support to the fest, which was running into its second year, this year.

A note from the Ladakh Confluence team on the festival website www.theconfluence.in defends itself: "Our efforts to clarify have been ignored, as have the facts that the confluence is planned to be drug free, has declined generous sponsorships from alcohol companies, highlights and showcases Ladakhi culture and music and that the music at the Confluence is folk and percussion from India and the world."

This year, New York-based Indian percussionist Karsh Kale, South Indian ghatam maestro Vikku Vinayakram and Jaipur-based folk music group Rajasthan Roots were part of the line-up.

Well-known santoor exponent Rahul Sharma, who performed last year, says in support of the fest, "J & K CM Omar Abdullah inaugurated the Confluence last year and enjoyed himself.

The fest should be encouraged instead of getting into aspects like drugs.

It's sending out a message that everything is OK in the state. The fest is bringing musicians and people of various nationalities together."

Kunzang reacts, "We are not against music but all that happened in the name of music. The Confluence did not project Ladakh's tradition and tourism well. We received so many complaints.

Ladakh is working hard to preserve its culture and is a fantastic adventure sports destination. None of this was promoted."

The festival website indicates that the organisers are working independently with the J & K government to make alternate arrangements for the festival.
 
"We believe that this is a genuine loss for tourism in Ladakh as we were expecting over 4,000 visitors," adds the Ladakh Confluence team in the note.