Jammu, Sep 19 (NVI): Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Saturday laid the foundation stone of the Mata Lalleshwar Cultural-cum-Heritage Centre at Mata Bhaderkali Asthapan in Thalwal here.
The project, sanctioned under the Capex budget at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore, is aimed at preserving and promoting the legacy and teachings of 14th-century Kashmiri mystic poet and saint Yogini Lalleshwari, officials said.
Speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony, Sinha said the centre would serve as a repository of Jammu and Kashmir’s spiritual and cultural heritage while promoting research, art, spirituality and social harmony.
“Today, we stand at a significant juncture in our history, where the blessings of our ancestors and their timeless wisdom are converging with the aspirations for a confident, developed and self-reliant Jammu Kashmir,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said Lalleshwari’s teachings transcended social divisions and embodied the ideals of tolerance, equality and inner transformation.
He said the centre would host exhibitions, translation initiatives and archival facilities besides fostering research and fellowships in Kashmir Shaivism.
“The centre will empower youth through art and creative expression, promote social harmony, and strengthen national integration,” Sinha said.
He said the centre would not merely be a physical structure but an institutional foundation for cultural preservation and would help disseminate Lalleshwari’s philosophy through modern platforms.
Sinha also said the project would contribute to spiritual tourism and economic revitalisation by attracting seekers, historians and travellers from across the world.
He said cultural and heritage centres were important for preserving a society’s civilisational memory and providing future generations with a connection to their roots.
“In today’s fast-paced life, people are facing unprecedented mental stress, crises of identity and the challenges of existential loneliness,” Sinha said, adding that the teachings of saints such as Lalleshwari could provide spiritual resources for self-discipline, mental peace and emotional resilience.
Senior civil and police officers, officials of the Culture Department, members of the Mata Bhaderkali Asthapan Trust, prominent citizens and devotees attended the ceremony.—(NVI)
