A 21-Day Celebration of Faith, Roots and Daughters: LG Manoj Sinha Salutes Kashmiri Pandit Legacy Today we have not gathered here just to celebrate the holy festival of Diyadaan rather, today we stand at the confluence of time and eternity, and while paying homage to female power, we are going to witness the identity of the family and the consciousness of the universe, said the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha. It is a matter of great pride for the followers of Sanatan culture in the entire world that for the Kashmiri Pandit community, Maha Shivratri i.e. Herath is not just a one-day festival but a multi-day festival (21 days). In that, lighting of lamps and burning them doing Vatuk Puja is a special social and spiritual day. On this day, married daughters receive gifts and Shivratri shagun at their parents’ home. On this auspicious occasion, I extend my best wishes and affectionate blessings to all the daughters, said the Lieutena nt Governor. He heartily congratulated the Trust and the Kashmiri Pandit community for laying the foundation stone at this cultural heritage centre. Our Sanatan tradition is the most unique in the whole world. If we look at the 21-day Maha Shivratri festival, we see different spiritual colours. The gifts and blessings given during Vatuk Puja are not just the offering of material things, they are the transmission of the memories, rituals and spiritual energy of our culture and Sanatan tradition. This festival is actually a tribute to the mother power who not only gives life but also gives wisdom and meaning to every life. I believe that the mother power is still flowing in the veins of our civilization and today we are able to witness the live celebration of that power on this holy land of Mata Bhadrakali. Just as our daughters return to their roots on the occasion of Diyadaan, similarly, when we celebrate the holy festival of Maha Shivratri, we also try to return to our spiritual roots and Lord Shiva gives us the gift of that. Baba Bholenath reminds us that we are children of a vast existence and our spiritual journey undertaken with his worship and prayers acts like the life breath of all of us. I also want to express my deep gratitude to the Kashmiri Pandit community. The spiritual heritage that you have protected for centuries is truly priceless, LG stated. History is witness that the challenges before you were very difficult, there was a brutal massacre of our own loved ones. You had to be cut off from your roots and face adverse circumstances, but you never allowed your spiritual tradition and its flame to die out. This is not a normal thing. Shiva is the name of that ultimate truth which is present in every particle. Shiva is consciousness. Shiva is the base on which the entire existence rests and I believe that only by worshipping Shiva can one know oneself. This dual revolution makes India not only prosperous but also a balanced power. Ancient Indian knowledge system has also proven that spirituality and scientific discovery have never been in opposition to each other. For our society, the science lab and the temple and ashram are never opposites; rather, they are two stages of the same journey that our tradition, our culture, values. LG wished everybody a very Happy Maha Shivratri and blessed and saluted all the daughters for the festival of Diyadaan.
