Kashmiri Pandit Heritage Tour: A vision in action

• ASHWANI KUMAR CHRUNGOO
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• 07 May 2026

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The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) has been conscious of this heritage of Kashmir and proposes to organise the first-of-its-kind 'Heritage tour of Kashmir' in the month of June 2026

FRAGRANCE OF IDEAS

 Kashmiri Pandits, the indigenous people of Kashmir, have been living in their 37th year of exile far away from their homeland, Kashmir. They were forced to live in exile due to genocide and ethnic cleansing that were inflicted upon them by the terrorists in the valley during and after 1986. After their mass exodus, they were compelled to live in displacement and dispersal.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said about them that "acts akin to genocide were committed against them". It also said that "they were not given the relief and due understanding that they deserved". However, the community showed resilience, which was also acknowledged by the NHRC, and fought for their survival and existence with all the might at their command. They have a rich history, and the members of the community, dispersed throughout the world, are conscious of it.

Kashmiri Pandits have been living in the Kashmir valley for more than six thousand years. Their traditional almanac which is functional even to date, describes that they lived in the valley of Kashmir from times immemorial and were/are the fundamental founders of the civilisation and history of Kashmir. Their almanack is known as 'Saptarishi-Samvat' and this year (2026-27) is the Saptarishi-Samvat:5102.

All sorts of ancient, medieval and modern literature, philosophy, tradition, arts, science, technology, economics and politics bear their handprints & footprints which no one on this earth could till date erase or finish from their existence as witness to history. These are the mirror of Kashmir's rich civilisation and history and are sacred and sacrosanct for generations after generations of the Kashmiri Pandit community.

The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) has been conscious of this heritage of Kashmir and proposes to organise the first-of-its-kind 'Heritage tour of Kashmir' in the month of June 2026. The tour was initially going to be organised in September 2024, but due to the elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the tour couldn't be executed in the year 2024. In the year 2025, the Pahalgam terror incident, in which 26 Hindus were killed, compelled the organisers to postpone it by one year. The GKPD has finally decided to make it happen this year in the month of June, from 6th June to 14th June.

The GKPD declared that 'after decades of exile, the time has come for Kashmiri Pandits to embark on a journey of rediscovery—an odyssey back to the land of our ancestors, where the sacred rivers carry the echoes of our mantras, and the mountains stand tall, silent witnesses to our wisdom. This is more than a heritage tour; it is a reclamation of memory, a revival of spirit, and a promise to our youth—that they will walk the hallowed paths of their forebears, stand before the timeless shrines of Sharika, Ragnya, and Martand, experience Bhairava and feel the pulse of a civilisation that refused to be erased.

The journey in the valley will start on 6th June 2026 from Srinagar and will last for one week up to 12th June 2026. The tour will be immediately followed by a two-day conclave of GKPD at SKICC, Srinagar, on 13 and 14 June 2026. The whole programme has been specially designed for the youth of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community who have been detached from their homeland, Kashmir, for the last 36 years. Delegates from all over the world are getting themselves registered for the event. The programme will be attended by a large number of dignitaries from various fields of life.

The GKPD has already made contact with the Central government, in addition to the government of Jammu and Kashmir, in connection with the organisation of the event and also in regard to the security and safety of the visiting participants in the valley. The GKPD says, "Participation in the Kashmir Yatra/Pilgrimage is entirely voluntary. The organisers and facilitators shall not be held liable or responsible for any personal injury, illness, loss, damage, accident, delay, or unforeseen event—including but not limited to force majeure—that may occur before, during, or after the event". This is particularly brought to the notice of the government and the administration for its role in the context of the successful organisation of the historical event.

The detailed information and the contents regarding the programmes during the whole event is/will be available on the various portals of GKPD. The information will flow from the following office bearers of the GKPD and its associates: Utpal Kaul, Delhi, Dr. Surinder Kaul-USA, Rakesh Kaul-USA, Kashi Akhoon-Delhi and Ashwani Bhat-Mumbai. The Associates of GKPD regarding the whole event are the following: Kashmir Overseas Association-US, Kashmiri Pandit Association-Mumbai, JK Vichar Manch-Delhi, Sanjeevani Sharda Kendra, Jammu, AIKS Youth-Jammu and AMEAK-Srinagar.

The Sarkaryawah of RSS, Dattatreya Hosebole, who was on a visit to the US recently, had a meeting with Dr. Surinder Kaul at Houston and discussed the Heritage tour project of GKPD with him. After the important meeting, GKPD circulated the following message to its associates, activists and the general public for their information and knowledge:

"As part of an outreach campaign to engage with organisations and stakeholders across the political spectrum in India, Dr. Surinder Kaul, Co-Founder of the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD), held a one-on-one meeting with Dattatreya Hosabale, Hon’ble General Secretary of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, in Houston on April 20, 2026.

During the 90-minute, in-depth and candid interaction, Dr. Kaul sought support and guidance from Hosabale Ji for the upcoming Global Kashmiri Pandit Heritage Tour and the two-day Global KP Conclave scheduled to be held in Srinagar from June 6 to June 14, 2026.

Dr. Kaul also highlighted a range of critical issues, including the ongoing relief measures, as well as the persistent challenges faced by camp-dwelling Kashmiri Pandits and employees under the Prime Minister’s Package in the Valley.

Hosabale Ji listened attentively to the concerns raised and shared valuable insights and suggestions for the way forward".

This is indeed a very important development so far as the successful organisation of the whole event is concerned. The chief organisers and their associates for this event have expressed their satisfaction with the above-mentioned meeting. It is expected that the project will receive the desired support from different shades of opinion within the society, and efforts are afoot to have the participation of displaced Kashmiri Sikhs also in the event.

The Heritage tour will begin on 6th June 2026 from the summer capital of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir - the Srinagar city. It will thereafter visit the following important venues, which have great importance in the civilisation and history of Kashmir from the point of view of the Kashmiri Pandits:

Source of Mata Vitasta at Vetha-Vatur & Omah Mandir, Sidha Lakshami Peeth, Lok Bhawan, Mata Shiva Bhagwati-Akingam, Mata Uma Devi-Brari Angan, Mata Tripura Sundari, RKMS Vivekananda Kendra-Nagdandi, Logripura & Martand Surya Mandir, Pahalgam-Chandanwari & Mamleshwar Mandir, Bhairav caves, Vasuki Naag-Hushur & Baidpore, Raithan Teerth, Shankeracharya Mandir, Mata Zeishta Devi Mandir, Mata Sharika Devi Mandir-Hari Parbat & Chatti-Patshahi, Swami Laxman joo Ashram, Ram Chandra Mandir, Raghunath Mandir & Ganpatyar, Swami Gopinath ji Ashram, Mata Kheer Bhawani-Tullamulla, Mata Roop Bhawani Mandir-Waskura, Nandkeshwar Mandir-Sumbal, Sharda Mata Mandir-Gushi, Bhadrakali Mandir-Handwara, Mata Sharda Mandir-Teetwal & Gugloosa, Mata Shailputri Mandir, Koti Teerth & Venkura Mandir-Baramulla.

The above given itinerary covering most of the Kashmir valley will be followed by a two-day conclave on the banks of Dal Lake in the SKICC hall in Srinagar on 13-14 June 2026. It is expected that the conclave will be attended by the delegates of the Heritage tour, activists of GKPD and its associates to the event, important and prominent dignitaries and representatives of the government and administration. Since the whole event has no political agenda and is mainly focussed on the heritage of Kashmir and its connection with the youth of the displaced community, various organisations will be eager to participate in the conclave. However, the admission will be restricted to the delegates and the pass-holders only.

The GKPD calls the heritage tour a pilgrimage, and in this context, their view, as per its brochure, is summed up here:

"Kashmir, the land of snow-clad mountains, lush valleys, and ancient temples, has long been a sacred abode for devotees seeking spiritual solace. This 6-day pilgrimage itinerary has been thoughtfully designed to take yatris through the holy teerth-sthans, shakhti-peethas, historic mandirs, and spiritual ashrams of South, Central and North Kashmir. The journey begins with the revered shrines of Mata Vitasta and Martand Surya Mandir in Anantnag, ascends through the scenic valleys of Pahalgam, and continues to the spiritually significant sites of Srinagar, Gulmarg, Varmul (Baramulla) and Kupwara. It culminates at the border tirtha of Sharda peeth in Teetwal, a site of immense historical and religious importance.

This pilgrimage is not merely a journey across landscapes but a journey of the soul connecting the devotee with centuries of devotion, divine energy, and the spiritual heritage of Kashmir. Along the way, participants will have the opportunity to engage with the local Kashmiri Pandit community, witness traditional rituals, and partake in shared experiences that foster devotion, learning and unity.

May this yatra inspire inner peace, reinforce faith, and leave all participants enriched by the eternal blessings of the divine presiding deities of the valley.

In the concluding part, there is no further to add than the prayer for the success of the whole event. Here, it becomes important to appeal to the administration of Jammu and Kashmir and particularly the Divisional Commissioner of Kashmir and the Deputy Commissioner of Srinagar district, to extend their cooperation to the organisers for the smooth and successful conduct of the programme.

(The author is a senior BJP and KP leader, Human Rights Defender and a columnist and can be reached at: ashwanikc2012@gmail.com)