Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha today attended the ‘J&K Cultural Festival’ organised by Shri Kailakh Jyotish & Vedic Sansthan Trust at Baba Jitto Auditorium, SKUAST Jammu. The occasion was also graced by Acharya Mahamandleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri ji Maharaj.
In his address, the Lieutenant Governor commended the efforts of Shri Kailakh Jyotish & Vedic Sansthan and everyone associated with the Trust for promoting and propagating the cultural values, and linguistic heritage of Jammu Kashmir.
He said that organizations and individuals must come forward to preserve and spread India’s timeless wisdom and value systems to foster a more harmonious and enlightened society. “Our ancient civilization profoundly influenced the humanity through its rich cultural, intellectual, scientific and spiritual contribution and shaped the idea of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.
“We must bring generations together to preserve, protect and promote our cultural heritage and disseminate ancient wisdom of our civilization. It is also imperative that we devise the various ways in which heritage awareness can be promoted in the society,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
The Lieutenant Governor asked the youth, religious organisations and civil society members to focus on preservation of Natural Heritage, Cultural Heritage and Living Heritage. Besides, prioritising sustainable development, we should follow multidisciplinary approach to preserve our cultural practices, folk arts, traditional crafts and ancient knowledge system, he further said.
The Lieutenant Governor emphasised that our Scientists, Artists, and Spiritualists, have an indispensable role to play in realising the vision of Viksit Bharat. “Concerted efforts involving all the stakeholders are vital for the preservation and promotion of our Heritage”, he said.
The Lieutenant Governor further called upon every section, especially the young generation to become the brand ambassadors of sustainable lifestyle and spread awareness in the society about our duties towards Mother Earth.
The event witnessed the felicitation of prominent personalities from diverse fields, and showcasing of a documentary film, and release of a book edited by Mahant Rohit Shastri titled ‘Abhinandan Granth’ on the life of the Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor.
J&K Cultural Festival was aimed at promoting rich cultural heritage, religious traditions, and social unity. During the Fest, exhibition of local handicrafts, traditional cuisines and folk dances were organized. An exhibition was also organised to showcase the strength and technological advancements of the Armed forces and inspire the youth to join the Army and serve the nation.
Prof. B. N. Tripathi, Vice-Chancellor SKUAST-Jammu; Shri Sham Lal Sharma, Member of Legislative Assembly; Shri Sanjeev Verma, Commissioner Secretary, Social Welfare; Mahant Rohit Shastri, President, Shri Kailakh Jyotish & Vedic Sansthan Trust, senior officials, religious heads, and people in large number were present on the occasion.