Tauseef Ahmad
Srinagar, Sep 19: Senior National Conference leader and MLA Gurez Nazir Ahmad Khan on Saturday raised concerns over a proposed “Tantra Silence” retreat in Gurez Valley, saying no permission had been sought for the event and warning that such programmes could harm the region’s social, cultural and religious sensitivities.
Speaking to the Kashmir Despatch, Khan strongly opposed the proposed event, saying Gurez is more vulnerable than Goa and that its people would not allow such programmes to be organised on their land. He said Gurez has a distinct cultural and spiritual identity and is known for its rich Sufi heritage and association with figures such as Habba Khatoon.
The MLA said tourism promotion should not come at the cost of the region’s cultural and social values and called for the proposed event to be stopped.
According to a promotional poster circulating on social media, the “Tantra in Silence — A Journey Within” retreat is scheduled to be held from September 24 to 27, 2026, in Gurez Valley. The poster identifies the organiser as Rajneesh Tantra Temple and advertises the programme under the themes of “Tantra, Meditation and Conscious Living,” with a package priced at ₹11,995 per person, including stay and food. It lists meditation, sound healing, conscious living and inner-transformation sessions, with participants to be picked up from Srinagar Airport, taken to Gurez and hosted at a riverside camp.
The poster also says that white and maroon robes are compulsory and identifies Swami Dhyan Sumit as the facilitator, describing the retreat as inspired by the teachings of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh.
Earlier, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had also raised concerns over a poster advertising the “Tantra Silence” retreat in Gurez.
In a post on X, Mehbooba urged Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the Jammu and Kashmir Police to intervene immediately and take appropriate action. She referred to a similar Tantra retreat facilitated by Swami Dhyan Sumit, which she said was cancelled in Goa last year following controversy over its promotional material.
She also appealed to Kashmir’s chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and her party office to raise awareness over the issue.
Meanwhile, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq has also expressed concern over the proposed programme, amid growing opposition from local representatives and sections of the community.
