SRINAGAR: A four‑day “Tantra in Silence” retreat advertised for Kashmir’s Gurez Valley has triggered sharp political and religious backlash, largely because of who is organising it and the controversial history associated with similar programmes.
The event is being facilitated by Swami Dhyan Sumit, linked to the Rajneesh Temple and Shree Rajneesh Foundation, and described in promotional material as a meditation‑based spiritual retreat inspired by the teachings of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (Osho). According to the organisers, “Tantra in Silence” is marketed as a Himalayan spiritual experience promising meditation, sound healing, conscious living and inner transformation.
Former chief minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday demanded immediate intervention. She warned that Gurez—remote, culturally sensitive, and known for its Sufi heritage—cannot be turned into a “playground for experiments in the name of spirituality or tourism.” She emphasised that the Goa retreat was cancelled due to “obscene promotional material” and urged the J&K government and police to act before similar tensions arise in Kashmir.
Kashmir’s chief Muslim cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, echoed these concerns, calling the programme “outrageous” and urging authorities to halt what he described as an exploitation of Kashmir’s religious, cultural and social ethos. He stressed that Kashmir is “the land of Sufis and saints” where spirituality is lived, not commercialised, and warned that tourism cannot be used as an excuse to undermine local values.
The term “Tantra Silence” itself appears to be a branded retreat format used by Swami Dhyan Sumit, combining tantra‑based meditative practices with silent contemplation. While the organisers frame it as a spiritual inward‑journey, critics argue that the branding deliberately blurs the line between legitimate meditation practices and provocative “tantra” imagery that has previously been used to market events in ways perceived as obscene or culturally insensitive. This tension between spiritual marketing and public sensibilities lies at the heart of the current controversy.
The strongest objections in Kashmir stem from the organiser’s previous retreat in Goa, which was cancelled after widespread public outrage. In late 2025, Goa Police intervened to stop a tantra retreat promoted with explicit sexual themes—references to Kamasutra, “Tantric Energy of Intimacy”, “Blind Touch Dance”, and even “Cosmic Orgasm”—sparking complaints from civil society groups, women’s organisations and the Catholic community. The Goa Archbishop condemned the promotional material, and authorities ordered the organisers to withdraw the posters and cancel the event. Swami Dhyan Sumit later apologised, claiming the programme was misunderstood, but the controversy left a lasting imprint.
It is this history that prompted the Kashmiri political and religious leaders to raise objections which have transformed the Gurez retreat into a full‑blown political and religious dispute. At its core lies a clash between commercialised spiritual branding and deeply rooted cultural sensitivities, amplified by the organiser’s controversial track record.
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