L-G Manoj Sinha Urges Preservation And Promotion Of Jammu’s Cultural Heritage
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the two-day literary-cultural conclave Sahitya Sanskriti Samagam, organised by the University of Jammu, he described the region’s traditions in literature, culture, and spirituality as forces that teach people to rise above divisions of caste, creed, and artificial boundaries
SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday appealed to writers, artists, and cultural practitioners to safeguard Jammu’s rich heritage, to actively promote its legacy, and to build stronger links between the younger generation and their roots.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the two-day literary-cultural conclave Sahitya Sanskriti Samagam, organised by the University of Jammu, he described the region’s traditions in literature, culture, and spirituality as forces that teach people to rise above divisions of caste, creed, and artificial boundaries. The values embedded in these traditions, he said, place humanity above all and form the moral core of the community.
Commending the University of Jammu for its sustained efforts, the Lt. Governor praised the institution’s role in preserving the region’s cultural ethos and noted its growing stature among the country’s leading universities. “The society we become will be shaped by the abundance of our literary and cultural wealth, and that nurturing this wealth is essential to defining both present identity and future possibilities,” he asserted, urging participants to use the conclave as an occasion to reflect on the deeper identity that binds people together and fosters a profound sense of belonging.
Describing the true confluence of culture and literature, he said it must involve direct engagement with the land and its people through diverse art forms that give new resonance to the social soul. Paying homage to great luminaries and illustrious literary personalities, he emphasised that a region’s identity is not measured solely by economic indicators but by its stories, songs, and the vibrant work of its artisans. He called on enlightened minds in society to recognise folk arts and folk literature as living, dynamic expressions of Jammu’s vitality rather than relics confined to archives.
Sinha reminded the audience that folk traditions live in the everyday practices of writers’ quills, singers’ songs, dancers’ footprints, and artists’ brushes and pigments. With a sense of responsibility he appealed especially to youth to serve literature and culture, framing this not merely as inheritance but as a duty to carry forward a cultural-literary bequest that teaches the virtue of inclusion. Safeguarding language, he observed, preserves collective memory, while nurturing regional art forms builds confidence and self-respect within communities.
He urged a renewed focus on local tales, dialects, and artistic traditions, noting that every individual’s identity draws nourishment from these roots and that intergenerational exchange transforms heritage into a living dialogue rather than a static past. The conclave itself features cultural processions, stalls showcasing indigenous attire, handicrafts, traditional cuisines, books and arts, panel discussions, and a series of activities designed to highlight the region’s unique identity and to honour its languages, folklore, customs, creativity, and literary legacy. On the occasion the University released the first edition of its multilingual magazine The Litzine, marking a tangible step toward amplifying local voices.
