SRINAGAR: A significant dialogue held in Srinagar underscored the deep historical connections between Kashmir and Nalanda, an ancient centre of Buddhist learning, while calling for the revitalization of India’s rich civilisational traditions and the strengthening of cultural diplomacy.
The Chenab Times has learned that the Srinagar-Nalanda Dialogue, part of the broader Nalanda Literature Festival, was organized by the Ministry of Tourism, Jammu and Kashmir’s Department of Culture, the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), the National School of Drama, and Nava Nalanda Mahavihara University. The event brought together scholars, policymakers, and cultural leaders.
Addressing the participants, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha emphasized that the dialogue provided a crucial opportunity to revive India’s profound traditions of knowledge and spirituality. He stressed the importance of shaping a future-oriented educational framework that reconnects younger generations with their civilisational heritage while integrating modern technology.
Sinha remarked, “Together, the scholars of Jammu and Kashmir and Nalanda shaped one of the world’s oldest living civilisations. This heritage is our guiding light. The Srinagar-Nalanda Dialogue is our opportunity to carry that light forward with wisdom, courage and a new vision for Viksit Bharat.”
The conference highlighted Kashmir’s historical prominence as a key centre for Buddhist studies. Historical accounts suggest that, similar to Nalanda, Kashmir flourished as a significant hub of Buddhism from approximately the 3rd century BCE to the 8th century CE. It is widely believed that the region hosted the Fourth Buddhist Council during the Kushan period.
This discourse gains added significance amidst a resurgence of interest in the Valley’s Buddhist past, particularly following the recent unearthing of a substantial 2,000-year-old Buddhist complex in Zeganpora village, south Kashmir. This site is considered among the most extensive ancient Buddhist locations discovered in the region to date.
Lieutenant Governor Sinha further elaborated on India’s cultural diversity, asserting that the nation’s strength lies in its capacity to unite a variety of traditions and identities. “From Bihar to Jammu and Kashmir, from the temples of Tamil Nadu to the monasteries of Ladakh, from the ghats of Kashi to the valleys of Kashmir, each region preserves its distinct cultural identity and rhythm of life. Our shared aim should be to weave these diversities into a harmonious unity that enriches the nation’s collective consciousness,” he stated.
Sinha also paid tribute to the historical significance of ancient centres of learning such as Nalanda, Takshashila, and Vikramashila, which historically attracted scholars and travellers from across Asia and beyond. He referred to Kashmir’s own intellectual legacy, noting the region’s association with the historic Sharda Peeth, a renowned institution that drew students and scholars from distant lands for instruction in diverse subjects, including mathematics, philosophy, music, and literature.
“The Srinagar-Nalanda Dialogue reminds us that the moment has come to renew this tradition as a modern, relevant intellectual project. Just as scholars in ancient times travelled from Nalanda to Jammu and Kashmir carrying manuscripts, philosophies and scientific ideas, we must revive open exchange and deep engagement of ideas,” Sinha urged.
Renowned Kashmiri linguist Padma Shri Prof. Shafi Shouq elaborated on the region’s historical linkages with ancient centres of learning, tracing them from India’s Northeast to Taxila and Gandhara. “The entire belt from India’s Northeast to Taxila and Gandhara was a vast watershed of ideas. It assimilated and generated new ideas, and the entire world paid attention,” Prof. Shouq said, adding that the influence of Gandhara on Kashmir’s culture and traditions remains evident in its local language and customs.
An official statement from the organizers described the Srinagar-Nalanda Dialogue as “a movement to revive the culture of thoughtful engagement and knowledge sharing.” The initiative aims to establish a platform for diverse voices to converge, fostering a more informed, connected, and harmonious society.
Among the dignitaries present were Prof. Siddharth Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Nava Nalanda Mahavihara University; Suman Billa, Director General of Tourism; Chittaranjan Tripathy, Director of the National School of Drama; Prof. A. Ravinder Nath, Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Kashmir; Prof. Nilofer Khan, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kashmir; along with senior government officials, academics, and students.
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