Festivals
Festivals in Kashmir Province - Shivratri| Navaratra | Navroz | Durga Ashtami | Vikrami Samvat | Urs | Shab-i-Mairaj | Jeth Ashtami | Rakhi | Janam Ashtami | Vaitha-Vatur-Truvah | Diwali | Muharram | Guru Nanak Dev | Dussehra | Khichri Amavasya | Gori Trai | Basant Panchmi |
Festivals in Kashmir Province
Shivratri or Herat
The Shivratri festival or Herat, which falls in Feb-Mar is also celebrated by Kashmiris. It lasts for about a fortnight. Hindus spring-clean their houses during this fortnight, wear new clothes, and buy utensils. Women go to their parents homes to get the 'festival money', as they call it. The worship of Shiva and Parvati starts three days before the festival. It is said that Shiva and Parvati were wedded on Shivratri. The offerings in this worship are walnuts soaked in earthen utensils. The four parts of the kernel represent four yugas. After some days, people are seen carrying baskets containing these nuts to be distributed among relatives and friends.
Navaratra
The New Year day falls on first Navaratra - the first day of the new moon in the month of Chaitra. In every Hindu home, it begins with an invocation to Lakshmi, the goddess of bounty. In every family, a young lady lays a large plate with paddy, sugar, curds, fruits, walnut, coins, a mirror, ink-holder and the New year scroll. Early in the morning she shows the plate to every inmate and thus seeks the blessings of the goddess for moral and material development of members of the family.
Navroz
The Navroz festival of the Shia Muslims comes a week after the New year day. They celebrate this nine-day festival with good eating and activities showing a spirit of gay abandon, in contrast to recitation of religious dirges that characterise most of their festivals.
Durga Ashtami
During the month of April they celebrate Durga Ashtami, followed by Ramnavami. It is the birthday of Lord Rama. For the Kashmiri pandits the day is also connected with goddess Durga, and they celebrate it with a feast of rice and meat viands, after the prayers.
Vikrami Samvat
In the middle of April or on the Baisakhi day, starts the New year of the Vikrami Samvat. The day presents a grand spectacle of colour and gaiety on the Dal lake and in the gardens that flank it.
Urs or Ziarats
The Urs (or Ziarats) is a typical Kashmiri festival. It is held annually at the shrines of Muslim saints on their death anniversaries. There is a saying " It snows when the Urs of Meesha Sahib is held, it is windy when the Urs of Batamol Sahib takes place, it rains on the occasion of the Urs of Bahauddin". These Urs are popular despite the rigours of weather. This is celebrated in different parts of Srinagar, not only by Muslims but Hindus and Sikhs as well. An interesting feature of the Urs celebrations at Batamaloo (the locality in Srinagar named after the saint Batamol Sahib) and in Anantag (Rishi Mol's anniversary) is that both Muslims and Hindus abstain from taking meat during the course of the festival.
The inter-communal participation is the main feature of the Urs celebrations. The anniversary of Rishi Pir, a Hindu saint, held on the fifth day of the full moon of Baisakh, at his home in Srinagar is attended by Muslims also.
Shab-i Mairaj /Shab-i-Barat
Muslim festivals which are celebrated nationally, include Shab-i Mairaj which is followed by Shab-i-Barat. The dates of these festivals change in accordance with the appearance of the moon and shift by 10 days each year. During the night of Shab-i-Barat, the Muslims keep vigil. Legend goes that on this night the Holy prophet visits each house and relieves the pains of suffering humanity.
Ramzan
Another Muslim festival of this area is Ramzan. During the month of Ramzan, Muslims abstain from eating or drinking during the day.
Jeth Ashtami / Har Ashtami
Jeth Ashtami is succeeded by Har Ashtami in a month. These two days are the birthday and the incarnation day, respectively, of the Rajnya goddess. Hindus fast on these days and go on a pilgrimage to Kheer Bhawani, a well known spring-girt temple at Tulmula dedicated to the Goddess Rajnya Devi. After a bath in the cool stream nearby, incense and candles are burnt at the altar of the goddess.
The counterpart of Kheer Bhawani, is Devibal in Anantang, which is also a spring-girt temple. This temple is visited on these Ashtamis by Hindus living in neighbouring areas. A belief connected with these ancient shrines is that their water changes colour according to the state of the society. It has been known to become black before a disaster or calamity.
Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan
Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan in northern India is the day for brothers and sisters to renew the affectionate ties that bind them. On this day, the Kashmiri Hindus in Srinagar climb the temple of Shankaracharya on a hill top. This is believed to be an abode of Lord Shiva. But the more revered abode is situated in the far off, glacier-bound cave-shrine of Amarnath where pilgrims from all parts of India behold sacred pigeons - believed to be incarnations of Shiva and Parvathi. Those who cannot trek to Amarnath make it to Thanjivara cave - 3 km from the town of Bijibrara - to worship the Shiva lingam. The belief is that three pilgrimages to this shrine equal the merit gained by the Amarnath yatra.
Janam Ashtami
Kashmiris also celebrate Janam Ashtami, in August, just eight days after Rakhi. Hindus fast on this day, hold religious meetings to propagate the teachings of the Gita. The Ras Leela of Lord Krishna is staged at some places.
Vaitha-Vatur-Truvah
On the 13th day of the lunar fortnight of Bhadon (Aug-Sep), Kashmiris celebrate a festival named Vaitha-Vatur-Truvah which literally means: 'Vaitha for the River Jhelum-source-thirteenth day'. It is held at an ancient temple at Verinag, the source of the Jhelum, in which Hindus coming from all parts of the valley , participate along with some local Muslims. A big Havana ceremony is performed on the occasion.
Diwali
Diwali, the festival of light, is also celebrated in this area. It is an occasion for the puja of the new moon of Kartik (Oct-Nov).
Muharram
The Muslim festival, Muharram, marks the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the prophet's grandson, who was murdered at Karbala. Huge taziyas made of paper and wood are taken out in procession.
Guru Nanak Dev
The Birthday of Guru Nanak Dev in November is a very auspicious day for the Sikhs. They visit Chati Patshahi, near Hari Parbat. Epistles from the Granth Sahib are recited throughout the day.
Dussehra
On the tenth of Asvin (Sep-Oct), Dussehra is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Lord Rama.
Khichri Amavasya
A typically Kashmiri festival known as Khichri Amavasya falls in the month of Posh (Dec-Jan). Kashmir is believed to have been the abode of Yakshas in ancient times. The Yaksha spirit is invited to relish Khichri (rice cooked with dal and ghee). It is believed that during the night the yaksha comes and tastes the Khichri served neatly in the attic along with a fish.
Gori Trai
In the month of Magh (Jan-Feb) comes the Gori Trai, on the third day after the new moon. The family priest brings gaudy scroll paintings for the children. Saraswati Puja is offered on the day.
Basant Panchmi
Basant Panchmi , is another festival celebrated in Kashmir. During this time, bird-loving Kashmiris cook yellow rice, prepare small balls of it and throw them on the roof for crows and other birds.
