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Kashmir Leaders Call for Ban on 'Tantra in Silence' Retreat
Confirmed
In Short: A four-day 'Tantra in Silence' retreat scheduled for September 24-27 in Kashmir's Gurez Valley has sparked a political and religious row.
A four-day 'Tantra in Silence' retreat scheduled for September 24-27 in Kashmir's Gurez Valley has sparked a political and religious row, with former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Kashmir's chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq urging the Jammu and Kashmir government and police to intervene.
Mufti and Mirwaiz Farooq have called for a ban on the event, citing concerns over its organizers and content. The retreat, promoted with details of accommodation, food, and meditation sessions at a cost of ₹11,995 per participant, has been flagged by prominent religious figures and former political leaders.
Mufti publicly appealed to the Lieutenant Governor and the Jammu and Kashmir Police to examine the nature of the proposed program. She also extended her appeal to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and Mufti Nasir-ul-Islam, a prominent religious figure, to raise awareness and address concerns surrounding the retreat.
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, representing the House of Grand Mufti Jammu & Kashmir, expressed serious concerns about the retreat, stating that Kashmir welcomes guests but does not surrender its values. He highlighted that Kashmir’s religious heritage and ethos should not be undermined for tourism promotion, nor should it be an excuse to disregard local values and sensibilities.
Mufti noted that a similar 'Tantra' retreat facilitated by Swami Dhyan Sumit, a self-styled godman promoting a new religion under the Shree Rajneesh Foundation, was cancelled in Goa last year after its obscene promotional material sparked widespread controversy, and the Goa Police had to intervene.
The proposed retreat’s facilitator, Swami Dhyan Sumit, has been identified as the organizer of the event. According to the promotional material, the retreat is centered on meditation and spiritual practices and is scheduled to be held over four days in Gurez.
Mufti and Mirwaiz Farooq have questioned the allowance of such a program in Kashmir, a region they described as the land of Sufis and saints where spirituality is traditionally experienced rather than marketed.
The controversy has also brought attention to the earlier Goa episode cited by both leaders, emphasizing the need for scrutiny and intervention to protect the cultural and religious integrity of the region.
What this adds
The retreat, advertised for September 24 to 27, is being promoted as a spiritual and meditation programme, with Swami Dhyan Sumit named as its facilitator.
Background
A four-day 'Tantra in Silence' retreat scheduled for September 24-27 in Kashmir's Gurez Valley has sparked a political and religious row.
What's confirmed
- Go Ad Lite Home india jammu and kashmir 4-day 'Tantra' retreat in Kashmir’s Gurez sparks political, religious row Mufti urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and J&K Police to intervene, saying Gurez was “no playground for experiments” in the name of spirituality or tourism.
- “A poster is advertising a ‘Tantra Silence’ retreat in Gurez Valley, Srinagar. A similar ‘Tantra’ retreat facilitated by Swami Dhyan Sumit, a self-styled godman promoting a new religion under the Shree Rajneesh Foundation, was cancelled in Goa last year after its obscene promotional material sparked widespread controversy, and [the] Goa Police had to intervene,” Mufti said in a post on X while seeking intervention from Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
- It is part of the sacred cultural landscape of Kashmir, a land shaped by generations of faith, scholarship and spiritual tradition.
What's still developing
- Bashaarat joined The Indian Express after completing his Masters in Mass Communication and Journalism from the University in Kashmir.