Srinagar, June 27: Karan Singh, the former Sadr-e-Riyasat (head of state) of Jammu and Kashmir, emphasized on Saturday that the age-old tradition of coexistence in Kashmir, known as Kashmiriyat, is rooted in Sufism and shared cultural values. He asserted that this tradition should be preserved through continuous interfaith dialogue, stressing that humanity must always be prioritized over religious differences.
Speaking at an interfaith dialogue held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre on the theme of “Urdu, Kashmiriyat, and Shared Cultural Traditions,” Singh commended the organizers for bringing together topics such as interfaith dialogue, Urdu, Kashmiriyat, and shared cultural traditions, noting that these subjects could be discussed over several days.
Reflecting on the importance of interfaith dialogue, Singh recalled the historic World Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893, where Swami Vivekananda presented India’s message of universal acceptance to the world.
He stated that the goal of interfaith dialogue is not to prove one religion superior to another, but to understand each other’s beliefs and acknowledge that all religions ultimately lead to the same truth.
Citing the famous Rigveda verse, “Ekam sat vipra bahudha vadanti” (Truth is one; the wise express it in various ways), Singh added that all religions worship the same omnipotent being through different paths.
He remarked that if God is one, then there cannot be different gods for various religions. Just as there are many paths to reach the summit of a mountain, different religions also lead to the same destination.
Highlighting Kashmir’s civilizational heritage, Singh noted the evolution of Vedic traditions, Buddhism, Shaivism, and later Sufism in the valley. Saints like Lal Ded, Mir Syed Ali Hamadani, and Sheikh Nooruddin Noorani (Nund Rishi) promoted a culture of love, tolerance, and coexistence.
He concluded by stating that Sufism thrived in Kashmir because it spread the message of love, not hatred. No religion can flourish through hatred; humanity must always take precedence.
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