Kashmir has been the host of global summits since ancient times
Kashmir a seat of learning, Sharda Kshaitra
Kashmir’s silent majority is no more silent
Nazir Ganaie
Srinagar- Union Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi, said on Sunday Kashmir’s history is as old as mankind—asserting that the valley’s “silent majority is not silent anymore.”
Lekhi, in an exclusive chat with Kashmir Observer, said that the government of India (GoI) was making all efforts to revive the socio-cultural landscape of the Kashmir region by bringing all the stakeholders on board. She said that the government was constantly promoting the arts and culture of Jammu and Kashmir.
“In everything, there is something, some message that PM Modi does. There is always a message in his acts. He is very concerned about Kashmir and promoting the arts and culture of Kashmir at the global forums,” Lekhi said.
The Union Minister revealed that the Centre was mulling revamping and bringing back the lost legacy of the ‘Harwan Monastery’. She said that the Harwan monastery is a reminder of the pivotal role played by Kashmir in the spread of knowledge globally.
“Harwan, the seat of ancient Kashmir, will be on the global map soon. We all relate to the G-20 today, but let me tell you Kashmir has been the hot and happening place for the spread of knowledge and bringing back the legacy of the knowledge world to the place which has been blessed by Maa Sharda,” she said.
“It is hard to imagine the importance of the site from its ruins. But this ancient monastery played a pivotal role in Kashmir’s history. It is here that the 4th Buddhist council of the Mahayana (Sarvastivada) school of Buddhism was held sometime in the 1st or 2nd century CE, on the orders of the Kushana emperor Kanishka.”
She said that sadly, the significance of the site seems to have been lost somehow in modern times. “It is not known exactly when the Harwan monastery was built; though excavations reveal archaeological remains dating from 1st to 6th century CE. During this period, numerous Buddhist monasteries dotted Kashmir, with the ones at Harwan and Ushkur (Baramulla district) being the most prominent. Even the present Pari Mahal, near Srinagar, was once the site of one such Monastery.”
She said that the government was mulling revamping the Harwan which not only acted as a seat of learning but also played an important role in the promotion and preservation of Kashmir’s socio-cultural ethos.
“We all relate to G-20 today, Kashmir has been the host of global summits since ancient times,” she said, adding that tourism has great potential to change the ground situation.
“The tourism potential of the valley is to be explored on a larger scale. Nowadays, you see how many tourists walk freely on the roads, and go to places, far off places, I must say. Kashmir Valley tourism is the biggest path toward change and development,” Lekhi said, adding “Tourist arrival is a path of change and development in the region. The more tourist influx, the more tourists arrive in the valley, and the people of this region will be able to get opportunities to make a better livelihood. It will help people to head towards prosperity,” she said.
The MoS also said that frontier districts, and border tourism among border villages have a great potential to be developed as tourism destinations.
‘Kashmir a well-known Sharda Kshetra’
She said “The speciality of India is the “culture of living together” with every one and this Vitasta Mahotsav is the ambassador of spreading this speciality of Kashmir to the whole of India and the world. Through the Vitasta Mahotsav, Kashmir becomes an all-encompassing ideology and culture. It is this place only where music and knowledge developed and reached their peaks, that’s why Adi Shankar called it Sharda Kshetra and established Sharda Peeth here.”
Commenting on what she termed as fanatics of the Kashmir region, Lekhi said that “Kashmir has a cultural legacy. It is a cultural history as old as mankind. The kind of times Kashmir has been witnessing in between had taken away the glory from this place. In Punjabi we say, Yehan Khap laganay walay log Zaida they…. (In Kashmir, the majority of people would create a mess.) I must tell you Kashmir’s silent majority is no more silent now.”
‘Women in power and position can bring change’
Stating that she was overwhelmed seeing the position of women in the Kashmir region, she said that “Kashmir has treated their women with dignity,” she said. “Women in power and position can bring change. Kashmir has a huge tradition of women empowerment which you probably don’t know. There were thirteen women rulers.”
She said that in a region like Kashmir, “it is only women who can ensure safe and secure childhood, adulthood and safe life in Kashmir.”
The Union Minister said that women in power and position can bring change on the ground.
“Kashmir has a huge tradition of women empowerment which you probably don’t know. There were thirteen women rulers. There were women rulers, women saints, and women artists, ours was a cosmopolitan safe place, where knowledgeable people would love to come. This place (Kashmir) has had the blessing of Maa Sharda. I am really happy about Kashmir and Kashmiris honouring their women this way,” the MoS Lekhi said, adding “Kashmir was a seat of learning, Sharda Kshaitra. I was fortunate to have offered prayers at Maa Sharda Devi Temple in Teetwal in Kupwara. Sharda Peeth was the ancient and foremost centre of knowledge in the Indian subcontinent where scholars used to come from around the world I also paid obeisance & sought divine blessings of Waheguru Ji at the holy Gurdwara in Teetwal which been reopened after 75 years.”
Creative activities must go on…
She said that the Government was constantly working on promoting and involving artists on larger platforms. “The only thing is that the youth of Kashmir has to be kept away from the drugs and other menaces prevalent in the society,” she said.
“The PM really gifts Mrs Biden a diamond wrapped and boxed in a papier mache box, this was only done to encourage our artists.”
Pertinently, the Union MoS was accompanying Union Minister for Home Affairs and Corporate Affairs, Amit Shah, for an inaugural ceremony of a 3-day long Vitasta festival held at SKICC Srinagar. The festival, according to the organizers, focuses on the folk beliefs associated with the Vitasta (Jhelum) river, which has been considered very sacred since Vedic times.
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