Navreh celebrated with fervour in Kashmir

Srinagar, Apr 9:  The religious places of Kashmiri Pandits across J&K witnessed a rush of Kashmir Pandits and other devotees as the community celebrated the Navreh festival with religious fervour on Tuesday.

Navreh is the first day of the New Year of the Kashmiri Pandit community.

A major celebration took place in Srinagar.

Scores of devotees participate in a major function at Vecharnag temple in Srinagar.

Many Kashmiri Pandits said that they had particularly come from outside to Kashmir to participate in the celebration.

Priya Bhat, a Kashmir Pandit, said that she participated in the celebration for the first time in over three decades.

“Everyone here is so welcoming. We felt at home as everyone participated in the festival. The people here made us feel as if we had never left. We hope such celebrations continue in future too and we continue to live in peace and harmony,” she said.

Many Kashmiri Pandit devotees were seen singing and dancing on Kashmir Bajans in the temple's premises.

Women folk from the Kashmiri Pandit community were using Tumbaknaris, the age-old musical instrument native to Kashmir while participating in the celebrations.

“This used to be an important festival in our lives since childhood. It is so delightful to meet our brothers and sisters across all the communities here in Kashmir and participate in our festivities,” another devotee said.

Kashmiri Pandits dedicate 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 Puja and other religious activities.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah extended Navreh greetings to the Kashmiri Pandits community on Tuesday.

The PM took to the microblogging website X and posted: “My warmest wishes to everyone on Navreh, a beautiful manifestation of the Kashmiri Pandit community’s culture. May this occasion usher in a year of prosperity, health, and happiness. May this year also be filled with the joy of new beginnings and the continuation of old traditions, enriching our life in every possible way.”

The Union Home Minister Amit Shah also took to X and posted: “Navreh Poshte. Greetings to our Kashmiri Pandit sisters and brothers on Navreh. May this new year bless all with a bounty of good health, prosperity and happiness.”

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha also wished the community on the occasion of Navreh.

“Navratri and Navreh, greetings to everyone. May the auspicious occasion strengthen bonds of brotherhood and inspire us to dedicate ourselves to the service of humanity. I pray to Maa Durga to shower her blessings on all,” he posted on microblogging site X.