This literary festival in Srinagar is not just another formal event with speeches and guests,it actually feels like attempt to remind people that Kashmir has very deep cultural and intellectual side too . And honestly,that part often gets pushed behind politics and noise.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurated two-day literary festival on May 30 at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar . Event is meant to make participants experience rich cultural and intellectual heritage of Kashmir,not just attend sessions and go back.
And L-G Sinha also welcomed guests from outside Union Territory,almost saying that they should not just look at Kashmir from distance,but feel its literary depth properly . His line was,"I am confident that during these two days,you will not only see but also deeply feel the literary, cultural and intellectual soul of this land."
That is strong statement because he placed writers and poets at centre of civilization building . He said writers and poets shape civilizations,at times even more than institutions do . And tbh,that is one of those lines which sounds simple but carries lot of weight .
Few things he focused on clearly:
- Literature can influence generations beyond what institutions can do.
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call to reclaim India's historical narrative was echoed.
- India's ancient knowledge systems in mathematics,science,and astronomy were highlighted.
And then Sinha brought in Lord Hanuman comparison,which was interesting . He said just like Lord Hanuman realized his own strength,India's literary community also needs to recognize its historical importance and contribute positively to global narratives.
But main message was also about colonial distortions and how India's role in science,culture and knowledge has been ignored or underplayed for long time . Sinha said contemporary narrative often overlooks India's foundational role in mathematics,science,and astronomy .
He put it very directly also:"We must repeatedly remind the world that when many parts of the world were struggling in darkness,India was a major centre of science, culture and knowledge," . That line was clearly aimed at scholars,researchers and people who write history .
And he also pointed out that failure to document India's history accurately has created misconceptions about India's contributions . He referred to ancient achievements acknowledged in historical texts from Persian and Arab scholars,which is not small thing ah .
At end,Lieutenant Governor underlined need to recognize and preserve India's rich intellectual traditions,and said colonialism had damaged confidence in these systems . But bigger question stays there only… if we know all this,are we really documenting and telling it strongly enough?
