Kumik in Zanskar Named Ladakh's First Heritage Village
Ladakh Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena declared Kumik village in Zanskar as the Union Territory's first Heritage Village, alongside the launch of the Ladakh Zanskar Festival 2026.
Kumik, a remote settlement in the Zanskar Valley, has been declared Ladakh's first designated Heritage Village. The announcement was made by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and coincided with the opening of the Ladakh Zanskar Festival 2026.
The village, perched at high altitude, is known for its traditional houses, sacred spaces, agricultural practices and long-standing customs. It also preserves a significant Buddhist textual tradition, including rare Kanjur manuscripts and other Tibetan Buddhist materials.
In a post on X, the Lieutenant Governor described Kumik as more than a monument frozen in time, calling it a living heritage that reflects the Union Government's twin approach of development alongside cultural conservation, summed up in the phrase "Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi." He said the village represents a side of Zanskar where faith, knowledge and scholarship were nurtured and passed down, and that its preservation is also about recognising the resilience of Himalayan communities.
The declaration came as the Lieutenant Governor inaugurated the 11th edition of the Ladakh Zanskar Festival, a two-day event celebrating the region's culture, identity and tourism potential. This is the first edition of the festival since Zanskar attained district status in April this year.
During the event, the Lieutenant Governor toured stalls and Doksa exhibitions displaying local crafts and products, and virtually inaugurated several completed infrastructure assets in the district. He also released "Shesrab," the annual magazine of Government Degree College Zanskar, and a special postal cover on "Gonbo Rangjon" produced with India Post.
Addressing the gathering, he said district status was not merely an administrative change but a recognition of the long-standing aspirations and distinct identity of the people of Zanskar. He congratulated residents on what he called the first major cultural festival of Zanskar as a new district.
Highlighting the region's tourism potential, he pointed to its monasteries, mountains, rivers, trekking routes, adventure activities and traditions, and noted that the festival has been included in the UT Administration's official tourism calendar, helping bring Zanskar's culture and tourism to a wider audience.