By : Sheikh Mohammad Isa
Srinagar, September 19: Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Dr Moulvi Mohammad Umar Farooq has urged the Jammu and Kashmir authorities to examine a proposed “Tantra in Silence” retreat advertised for Gurez Valley, saying tourism promotion should take religious, cultural and social sensitivities into account.
In a post on X, Mirwaiz said concerns raised by PDP president Mehbooba Mufti about the proposed programme “deserve immediate attention”. He urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Jammu and Kashmir Police to take note of the matter. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
“Gurez is the land of sufis and saints. Here spirituality is experienced, not marketed at a cost,” Mirwaiz said.
He added that tourism promotion should not be used as a reason to overlook the religious, cultural and social values of the region.
The issue came into focus after Mehbooba Mufti shared promotional material for the proposed retreat and sought intervention from the J&K government and police.
According to the promotional material cited in reports, the retreat is scheduled for September 24 to 27, 2026, in Gurez Valley and is described as a meditation and spiritual programme. The material identifies Swami Dhyan Sumit as the facilitator.
Mirwaiz also referred to a similar programme in Goa and said it had been cancelled following objections over its promotional material. However, the specific circumstances surrounding the Goa event have not been independently established in the sources reviewed.
Mehbooba Mufti had earlier urged the Chief Minister and J&K Police to intervene and take appropriate action over the proposed Gurez programme.
The controversy has centred on the programme’s branding, facilitator and the earlier Goa episode, while the promotional material for the Gurez event describes it as a meditation retreat. Independent confirmation of the organisers’ permissions and the final status of the proposed event was not immediately available.
Mirwaiz said the authorities should examine the matter and take appropriate action while keeping Kashmir’s religious, cultural and social values in consideration when promoting tourism and other activities.
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