Srinagar, Sept 19: A proposed “Tantra in Silence” retreat in north Kashmir’s Gurez Valley has sparked controversy, with PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq urging the Jammu and Kashmir government and police to intervene.
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.
Mehbooba, in a post on X, shared the promotional material and urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Jammu and Kashmir Police to take note of the proposed programme and take appropriate action.
She referred to a similar “Tantra” programme associated with Dhyan Sumit in Goa, claiming that it was cancelled last year following controversy over its promotional material and police intervention.
“Gurez is no playground for experiments in the name of spirituality or tourism,” Mehbooba said, while also appealing to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and the office of Mufti to raise awareness about the issue.
Mirwaiz subsequently voiced similar concerns, saying the matter deserved immediate attention from the authorities.
“Kashmir is the land of sufis and saints. Here spirituality is experienced, not marketed at a cost,” Mirwaiz said in a post on X.
He said tourism promotion should not become an excuse to undermine Kashmir’s religious, cultural and social ethos or ignore the values and sensitivities of local communities.
“The concerned authorities @CM_JnK, @omarabdullah should immediately take note and stop this exploitation,” he said.
According to the promotional material, the proposed retreat is centred on meditation and spiritual practices and is scheduled to be held over four days in Gurez.
The controversy has also brought attention to the earlier Goa episode cited by both leaders. Their references to that incident were made in the context of the proposed Gurez programme and the concerns they have raised over its promotional content and nature.
The proposed event is yet to begin, and it was not immediately clear whether the organisers had obtained all requisite permissions from the concerned authorities.
