Ragini Bhat writes on Festivals of Kashmiri Pandits
Kashmiri Pandits since ancient times were people who loved nature, they lived in harmony with their picturesque surroundings and environs and celebrated various festivals while singing and dancing. While some festivals were devotional in nature, several others marked change of season and harvesting of crops. Most of the festivals are still celebrated by Kashmiri pandits, and these are celebrated as per lunar calendar. It is interesting to note that there is still practice of celebrating birthdays according to lunar calendar.
Following are some of the popular festivals which are still celebrated by Kashmiri Pandits.
Sonth – Sonth brings forth the spring season a unique custom on Sonth as well as Navreh is to decorate steel or silver plate with rice, flower, walnuts, pen etc. that is viewed by each family member in the morning as a good omen.
Navreh – The Kashmiri Hindu festival of Navreh the new year’s day in Kashmiri lunar year is celebrated on the bright fortnight of the month of Chaitra (Ending March/April) also has unique features. On the eve of this day a plate filled with unhusked rice, baked bread, some walnuts, a cup full of curd, a little salt, a silver coin, a pen and an inkpot, a mirror, new panchang or almanac, an image or picture of a deity, and bunch of flowers is the first thing to be seen by everyone in the household. Naverh has great significance for them as the worshippers of mother goddess as the first day of Navaratra is sacred to Durga. People throng Hari Parbat to pay obeisance at Chakreshwara to her in her manifestation as Sharika Devi who is greatly revered by the Pandits on account of her association with the birth of Kashmir from primeval waters .
Zang Trai – On the third day after Navreh, married women go to their parent’s house and return in the evening with new dress, noon (salt), Chott (cake or roti), atagat (some cash). These items are considered symbolic of good fortune and prosperity.
Jyeshtha Ashtami – The eighth day of bright fortnight of jyeshtha (may-june) is celebrated in reverence of Ragnya Devi or Kshir Bhavani who is worshipped at Tulmul a small town near Srinagar. She is regarded as manifestation of Shakti. According to the legend guided by Hanuman from Srilanka she made her first appearance on this day at Tulamula Kshir Bhavani.
Jwalaji – The 14th day of the bright fortnight of the Ashara month (june) is specially dedicated to Jwalaji, the goddess of fire. People used to go to Khrew a place 20 Kms from Srinagar and offer yellow rice and lamb’s lung to the goddess. The tradition of offering Yellow rice and lamb’s lung is still followed.
Shravana Punim – Poornima of the Shravana month which usually falls in August is the day of Lord Shiva. On this day pilgrims reach the holy Amarnath cave to have a darshan or glimpse of the holy ice lingam. Kashmiri pandits observe fast on this day.
Chandan Shashthi – The sixth day of the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada (August September) is sacred to women. On this day known as chandan Shashthi, women observe a dawn to dusk fast and bathe six times during the day.
Janam Ashtami – The eighth day of the dark fortnight of Bhadrapada ( August-September) is celebrated as the birthday of Lord Krishna, the 8th incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Darabi Mawas – The Amawasya of the fortnight of Bhadrapada (august- September) is Darbi Mawas. The family Guru (Purohit) brings ‘Darab’ a special kind of grass, which is tied to the main entrance of the house .
Pann – The festival is celebrated by most of the Kashmiri families in the month of Bhadrapada (August-September). On the day of Ganesha Chaturthi or during the remaining days of the fortnight roth (a special sweet thick bread) is prepared using wheat flour, sugar, cardamom or badi elaychi and poppy seeds which is fried in ghee. It is worshipped and the tale of its origin is recited by the eldest member of family. The roths and rotis are distributed among the neighbours and relations as ‘pann naveed’.
Mahanavami, Dusshera and Deepawali are celebrated amongst Kashmiri Pandits as in the other parts of India.
Gada Batta and Khyachi Mawas – It is believed that prior to the arrival of the Aryans/ Saraswat Brahmans into Kashmir, forest dwelling tribes such as Nagas, Pishachas and Yakshas lived in the mountains. These tribes ran short of food during the cold winter months, so Brahmins offered them cooked food during the cold winter months, this gave rise to some festivals such as Gada Batta and Khyachi Mawas, these fall in the month of Posh (December). (Explore) On the night of Gada Batta fish and rice is placed in the upper storey of house for the dayut (Deity) who is expected to shower blessings on the family. The Amavasya of the same fortnight is the auspicious day of Khetsi Mawas, when rice mixed with moong beans and other cereals is cooked in the evening to please Yakshas, (Yacch) so that he casts no evil on the members of the family. (M.K Kaw))
Guru Tritya – The third day of the bright half of Maaga (January) month is celebrated as the day of the ‘Guru’. It is called Gor Trai by Kashmiri Pandits. The family purohit brings a picture of goddess Saraswati for a new born baby or a new daughter-in-law in the family.
Kaw Punim – This festival is observed on the full moon day of the month of Maaga (January) Kaw means crow in Kashmiri, on this day Kawpatlu (flat spoon or plate for feeding a crow) is constructed with wood sticks and dry paddy grass and boiled rice is cooked with vegetables (depending upon family tradition) which is served to crow on this Kawpatlu.(Explore)
Shivaratri – Shivaratri is the major socio religious festival of Kashmiri Pandits. Shivaratri known as Herath in Kashmiri is the most important festival of Kashmiri Pandits with its celebration spread over a whole fortnight of the month of Phalguna (February- March). The word Herat is derived from Sanskrit word ‘Har-Ratri’ meaning night of Shiva. Pandits celebrate their shivratri a day ahead of other Hindus in accordance with Tantric rituals peculiar to them, involving worship of Vatuka Bhairava represented by a pitcher full of water with walnuts kept for soaking. The soaked walnut are later distributed as Naivedya. The essential feature of the annual Kashmiri festival of Shivaratri is the worship of aniconic baked clay images of Shiva, Devi, Vatuka, and Rama Bhairava. Shiva is worshipped in the shape of a conic linga known as Sonipotul according to kashmiri Shaivaite Tradition. (S.S Toshkhani)
1 Toshkhani S.S & Warikoo K, Cultural Heritage of Kashmiri Pandits, Himalayan Research and Cultural Foundation, New Delhi, 2009
2 Kaw M.K, Kashmir and its People: Studies in the Evolution of Kashmiri Society, A.P.H Publishing Corporation, New Delhi, 2004