Kashmiri Pandits celebrate ‘Navreh Milan’ with fervor

Srinagar, Mar 30: The Hindu religious places in Kashmir were thronged with devotees, who celebrated Navreh with religious fervor. As the Hindu community across the country started the Navratri celebration, the Pandit community in Kashmir observed it as Navreh. On Sunday, devotees thronged the Shankaracharya Temple, Hanuman Temple, and Durga Nag Temple in Srinagar. They also observed the occasion at the famous Kheer Bhawani temple in Central Kashmir’s Ganderbal. To mention, Navreh, or Kashmiri New Year, is the first day of the Kashmiri New Year celebrated by the Kashmiri Pandit community.

The temples across Srinagar and Jammu were full of hustle bustle, with priests organising Pooja, Bhajan and other religious activities on the occasion. Many local Kashmir pandits were seen celebrating the festival with zeal. “This is the beginning of a new year for all the Hindu community. We as Kashmiri pandits celebrate this as Navreh, where families get together, visit temples, and hold pooja at homes,” a Pandit devotee said. With tourists thronging the valley amid pleasant weather, many of them got the opportunity to join celebrations in Srinagar. “This is a lively experience, and we are glad to be part of this festival at such a beautiful place. We were out to visit Mughal gardens and tulip gardens, and amid the festivities, we made the stop at the Shankaracharya temple. It was a blessed experience,” said Rajiv, a visitor.

Kashmiri Pandits dedicate the Navreh festival to their goddess Sharika and pay homage to her during the festival. During the festival, the Kashmiri Pandit community from across the country reached Kashmir and attended pujas and other religious activities.

Jagdish Bhardwaj, a member of J&K Dharmarth Trust who has been looking after the various Hindu temples across Kashmir, said that the festival was celebrated across J&K with religious fervor. “This is an important festival for the Hindu community across the country, and it was celebrated smoothly across J&K. Our temples wore a festive look, and all the community members participated in religious gatherings. This festival is coming around Ramdan and Eid, and I want to extend greetings to my Muslim brothers on the occasion,” Bhardwaj said.

Several people extended their wishes to the Pandit community on the occasion. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and LG Manoj Sinha also wished people on the occasion.