Displaced Kashmiri Pandits celebrate Navreh in Jammu, vow to observe it in Kashmir next year

Jammu: The displaced Kashmiri Pandits, clad in colourful pherans and carrying 'thals', celebrated Navreh, the first day of the New Year according to the Kashmiri Hindu calendar, in Jammu on Tuesday.

They vowed to make concerted efforts to celebrate the festival in the valley next year.

Miles away from their homes in Kashmir, which they left in 1990 due to terrorism, they celebrated the 35th Navreh in exile. The Saptarishi calendar entered its 5100th year on Navreh.

"We congratulate the people of India, particularly the nine communities celebrating the New Year (Nav-varash) today. We congratulate the Kashmiri Pandits, whose 5100th year of the Saptarishi Hindu calendar has started today," former legislator Ajay Bharti told reporters.

"This calendar is actively followed by KPs. In this regard, the Mata Bhadrakali Trust organised a beautiful programme to celebrate Navreh," he added.

Bharti said the festival of Navreh or Navratri is celebrated as the first day of the year in our community.

"This day is also being called Sankalpa day in exile as readout Sankalpa with a vow to celebrate it in Kashmir next year. On the first day of the year, we worship ‘Mata’ so that the whole year passes with happiness," he added.

The Kashmiri Pandits (KPs) thronged the Mata Bhadrakali temple at Phallian Mandal on the outskirts of Jammu to celebrate the festival. They conducted rituals connected with the celebration by wearing traditional dresses.

"We all came to the Bhadrakali temple on Navreh and took a Sankalp that next year, it will be celebrated in Kashmir. Kashmiri Pandits across the world celebrate Navreh," said Vikas Raina, a devotee and entrepreneur.

"I can still recall that in Kashmir, we used to have darshan of a ‘thali’ decorated with flowers and then would perform the puja," he added.

Several temples and social organisations in Jammu also organised Navreh functions.

Raina said that the century has changed today from the 5099 Saptarishi date to the 5100th year.

"We pray to Goddess for our journey back home to the valley so that we get rehabilitated there in our motherland," he said.

A Maha Yagya was organised by the Uma Devi Temple Complex in Muthi, where hundreds of KPs celebrated Navreh and Navratri.

Commissioner Secretary Mandeep Kour and her husband, Commissioner Secretary of the Industries department Vikramjit Singh, took part in the yagya and congratulated the community.

Sanjay Pandita, who is the principal of a government higher secondary school, hopes that this Navreh will pave the way for our return and rehabilitation in the Kashmir Valley in this new century according to the Saptarishi calendar.

Navreh falls on the first day of the bright half (Shukla Paksha) in the month of Chaitra (March-April) of the Kashmiri Hindu calendar. PTI AB AS AS