The annual Mamani Festival, a traditional food festival, was organised by Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation in Khardun Chiktan.

The event was held in collaboration with Voluntary Education and Utilization Society (Venus), Khardun Chiktan. This year the celebration was special as it was held at the base of Chiktan’s historic and famous Razi Khar.
Members of Muslim and Buddhist community from eight villages in Hagnis Hill Council Constituency of Shakar-Chiktan Block participated in the festival.
Collectively they presented 35 traditional dishes including Thugpa, Popot (grain soup), Hrtsrap Khur (yeast bread), Markhur, Azoq (Skinn and Kabchey) (Puri), Poli (pancakes made with buckwheat), curd, Suggoo (Kash or Pachae), Gangtur etc.
Former Executive Councillor and Councillor from Chiktan, Mohsin Ali was the Chief Guest for festival. In addition, famous scholar, poet and nature enthusiast, Bashir Ahmad Wafa was the special guest at the celebration.
The celebration of Mamani in Ladakh pre-dates the introduction of Buddhism. At that time, people worshiped various spirits called Lha. During Mamani, each household would prepare a dish or even a set of dishes and offer each item in the name of the Lha, provided bonding for the community as they exchanged dishes and honoured their ancestors.
In due course, celebrations underwent various changes and various Buddhist and Muslim communities still offer special charity, organise special prayers for their deceased ancestors and prepare traditional dishes to celebrate this festival.
Over the last few decades, the celebration of Mamani had started to fade though many communities continued to celebrate it.
In 2016, Kargil-based cultural activist and correspondent at All India Radio, Kargil, Anayat Ali Shotopa collected many of his relatives and friends to organise a formal celebration in Kargil town to revive this traditional festival.
This festival has great cultural importance as it allows communities to bond together and celebrate their shared heritage. It also facilitates communal harmony as members of Buddhist and Muslim communities in Ladakh participate in this festival, which strengths social harmony in the region.
In 2018, as part of their mandate to conserve heritage in the region, Himalayan Cultural Heritage Foundation formally took over responsibilities to hold this festival in different locations with Anayat Ali Shotopa providing the necessary leadership required to bring people together for such celebrations.