Srinagar, Nov 12 (PTI) A dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits will help restore the Valley’s social and cultural fabric, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Thursday.
Sinha was addressing a two-day National Seminar on ‘Revival, Preservation and Sustainability of Cultural Heritage of Kashmir,’ organised by Kakini Building Humanity at SKICC here.
Sinha also paid tribute to the Kashmiri Pandits’ contribution to Kashmir’s literary, spiritual and cultural heritage is invaluable.
Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat attended the event remotely.
The LG said heritage is priceless and the present generation should not merely admire it, but preserve and make it more accessible.
Sinha said Jammu Kashmir is known not only for its natural beauty but also for its contributions to philosophy, spirituality, language, aesthetics and human thought.
He referred to Acharya Abhinavagupta and said that the philosopher embodied the unity of spiritual experience, art and intellectual inquiry.
“Every university, every teacher, and every cultural institution of this land should work on translating important texts, encourage research, and provide scholars and students with a common platform. I believe that heritage must be alive, it must converse, and it must guide our new generation,” he said.
The L-G also underlined the importance of preserving ancient religious sites, manuscripts, museums and cultural institutions and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for granting central patronage to heritage conservation.
As it happens, preservation work has been initiated on 106 heritage projects, with over 40 projects already finished.
Under Phase III, 321 projects have been identified, and 312 have received administrative approval.
The digitisation work of historical records is underway in the Jammu and Srinagar archives, with nearly 96.8 lakh pages digitised so far, representing about 68 per cent of available documents.
Under Mission Gyan Bharatam, surveys have identified 43,000 manuscripts for digitisation.
Sinha also highlighted work on Sufiana School in Srinagar, the modernisation of Abhinav Theatre and Kala Kendra in Jammu, the restoration of Mubarak Mandi and research into recently discovered Kushan-era Buddhist remains in Baramulla district.
Speaking about the Naranag Heritage Complex in Ganderbal, the L-G lauded the research and documentation initiatives by Kakini Building Humanity.
He also appreciated efforts connected with the Harmukh-Gangbal pilgrimage, describing it as a symbol of the region’s enduring cultural and spiritual traditions.
“I believe that Naranag has its own distinct historical and spiritual dignity, where faith, geography, and collective memories are deeply intertwined. Therefore, I am extremely pleased that Kakini Building Humanity has also established a chair at the Indian Heritage Institute,” he said.
Sinha added, “The vaakhs of Yogini Lalleshwari and Nund Rishi still reach people’s hearts across centuries, because their words contain eternal truths that are untouched by the passage of time. Preserving this tradition of harmony is our collective public responsibility.” PTI SSB VN
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