| Last additions - Religion |
Devi - Navreh Nov 10, 2008
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Zar KaasinFirst Hair-cutting ceremonyNov 10, 2008
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Posh PoozaAt the end of the ritual of marriage, saptapadi etc. the bride and the groom are made to sit in a comfortable posture. A red cloth is placed on their heads, and then all the people around offer them flowers (posh) in accompaniment of Veda mantras. This is called worshipping the couple with flowers. The rationale behind this custom is that the couple is considered to be Shiva and Parvati and the two are duly worshipped. First there are mantras for the bride and the groom separately followed by those meant for the two jointly. We are of the view that marriage is a spiritual union between a boy and a girl and they have to live this life of Artha (wealth) and Kama (desires) with due regard to Dharma (righteousness) and aspire for Moksha (emancipation). The four together are called Purusharthas. That is why the newly-weds are treated as Shiva and Parvati and worshipped as such at the time of the Posh Puza.
Excerpts: "The Festivals of the Kashmiri Pandits" by T. N. Dhar, 'Kundan'Nov 10, 2008
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Punn tu RothNov 10, 2008
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Shraan SonderOn the eleventh day of the delivery or on any other suitable date, ladies of the neighborhood, near relatives and ladies in the house collect in the morning. The mother and the baby are properly bathed and suitably dressed. Thereafter small pieces of bhojpatra bark are burnt and lighted barks moved round the heads of the two by turns. A specific folk song is chanted, perhaps to ward off the bad omens and to wish a further safe delivery in due time. This has its origin in the Punaswan sanskara, one of the sixteen prescribed in the rule book. These pieces of the bark are then dipped into the water kept in a pot nearby. This is called Burza Myet.
- T. N. Dhar, 'Kundan'Nov 10, 2008
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Watuk PoozaAny account of the customs and rituals of our community, without a mention of the Shivaratri festival, would be incomplete. This is the crown of our festivals, and is spread over a full fortnight of the PhaIguna month. It is a socio-religious function that is the very part of our life. On the first day of the dark fortnight, called Hurya Okdoh the wholesale cleaning of the house, painting and decorating begins with gusto. The pooja room called Thokur Kuth and the front door called Dar are specially cleaned, one for the pooja and the other to welcome Shiva and Parvati, whose communion is the real essence of Shivaratri. The first week up to the Hurya Satam, is busy time for washing, cleaning and collecting the required items. The eighth day called Hurya Aetham is the day of the presiding deity of the valley, Maa Sharika. On this day we have Havan at Hari Parbat and night long Keertan. This is followed by Hurya Navam, Dyara Daham, and Gada Kah. On these days apart from usual pooja, prescribed items of vegetables and/or fish and meat are cooked according to the custom of every home. Ladies go to their parents' house for bathing and washing and return to their own homes with new clothes, a new Kangri (fire-pot) with a silver tsalan dangling behind it. Twelfth day is known as Vager Bah and it is customary to have Vager pooja on that day, which is the first formal pooja of the Shivaratri. The thirteenth day called Herach Truvah is the day of the main pooja. The eldest member of the family keeps fast for the day. Vatuk is brought by the potter which comprises a 'No't', Resh Dul, Dul, Saniwaer, Macha Waer, Dhupu Zur, Sani Potul, assortment of Parva and Taekya. These are cleaned, filled with water and then arranged in the prescribed order in the pooja room. Nariwan and garlands are tied round these items. The No't representing the Kalasha and some other pots are also filled with walnuts. The actual pooja begins in the night when all the family members assemble in the pooja room for the purpose. The Vatuk, representing various Devatas and Bhairavas, is worshipped under the directions of the Kula-Purohita (the family priest). This is an elaborate pooja for a good three hours and is followed by a sumptuous feast. All the items cooked are first offered to the Vatak Nath. Next comes Shiva Chaturdashi. This is popularly called 'Salaam'. Perhaps because on this day friends from the Muslim community would come to felicitate Kashmiri Pandits. Also beggars, bards and street dancers would come to take their due on this festive occasion, and salute the head of the family with the words 'Salaam'. On this day children receive Heraech Kharch the pocket allowance for their enjoyment. The usual pastime is a game of shells which creates a lot of enthusiasm. On the Amavasya day the culminating pooja of the festival is held and the entire paraphernalia of Vatuk is taken off from its place. In the evening a very interesting event is observed. It is called Dub Dub or knock knock. Actually one member of the family goes out and returns with a glass of water. The door is shut on him and when he knocks at the door a conversation takes place. He is asked who he is. He replies that he is Ram bror and has come with wealth, riches, good wishes for health and happiness, food and means of livelihood and all the good things. Then the door is opened. The walnuts are broken to take the kernel out and along with cakes made of rice flour are first offered to the deity and then taken as prashada. From the next day begins an arduous task of distributing the walnuts among friends, relatives and neighbours. The closer the relationship the larger is the number of walnuts given to them. The highest number, in hundreds, goes to the in-laws of the newlywed daughters. The only thing that remains is the disposal of the residual material i.e.; grass seats of the Vatuk, the flowers and Naervan tied round these pots and other such things. These are dropped into the river on the Tila Ashtami, and this marks the grand finale to this great festival. It is believed that every Kashmiri girl is a Parvati and is wedded to Shiva. The Shivaratri symbolises the wedding of the two, and on this occasion the Bhairavas and other Ganas accompanying Lord Shiva are fed with choicest dishes up to the fill and to their satisfaction. That is what is known as Vatuk poojan.
This tradition of customs, rituals and festivals gives a distinct identity to the Kashmiri Pandit community and needs to be preserved and nurtured alongwith other important facets of our community life and our beloved mother tongue, Kashmiri, which has been enriched by the writings of Lal Ded and Nunda Rishi, Habba Khatoon and Arnimal, Parmanand and Shamas Faquir, Masterji, Mehjoor, Azad, Nadim and scores of other poets, writers and thinkers.
These festivals, rituals and customs have had relevance in the past, these are relevant today and they shall remain relevant for all times to come. The relevance is manifold. Firstly, they give us a distinct identity as Kashmiri Pandits. We know about various festivals which are associated with different communities. Durga Puja is for Bengalis what Ganesh Puja is for Maharashtrians. Ayyapa Puja in the south, Holi in the Braja Dham and Jagannath festival in Orissa are very well known. We, in Kashmir, are proud of our socio-religious festival of Shivaratri and other local rituals. Every spring is holy for us, every village has produced a Mahatma of repute and every mountain peak is sacred for us. These festivals and rituals have spiritualised our community for centuries. They have made us god-fearing, non-violent, pious and religious. With all the advancement in science and the technological development, we cannot discard the spiritual aspect of human existence.
After all, our existence is not confined to our gross body alone. These age-old customs of ours help in character building by creating a sense of care and compassion in us. They make us realise our responsibility towards environment, animal world and birds, besides our fellow human beings. These are important props to give us self-confidence, courage to face all eventualities and dynamism in our approach. It is of paramount importance, therefore, for us to preserve and perpetuate these festivals. Their meaning and significance has to be explained to our younger generation in their idiom, cogently and convincingly so that they realise their importance. Carrying forward these traditions is an answer, to a great extent, to our present day problems of stress, strain and tension at the individual level and at the social level of many ills including inter-caste and inter-religious marriages, etc. However, we should not forget that many of these customs are losing their importance because we do not know their underlying significance and the rationale of their observance. This calls for a concentrated effort in the field of research for which our scholars and the knowledgeables should come forward before it is too late and before some meaningful and useful customs get extinct because of non-observance and disuse. This rich tradition of ours is an indescribable 'Radiance', which is self-illumining, self-satisfying, independent, self-supporting, self-creating, self-rooted and this radiance has to be perceived, realised and then drawn into the depths of ourselves.Nov 10, 2008
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MekhalSignificance of the Yagneopavit Ceremony
- Dr. Prem Nath Sathu
Koshur Samachar
IN the past, in Bharat Varsha (India), the 'yagneopavit' (thread ceremony) was performed by the people belonging to the three castes - Brahmins, i.e. teachers, professors, ministers and the learned people; Kshatriyas, i.e. people of martial class and rulers; and Vaishyas, i.e. people dealing with agriculture and commerce - for their children.
It involved performance of a great yagna, in which all the Degas were invited by suitable incantations to bless the children during the course of their initiation to the most sacred mantra - Gayatri mantra - by the Kula Guru (family priest). The Gayatri is symbolized by the three folds of the sacred thread of a fixed length, sanctified by proper incantation, which is worn by the boy on his initiation.
The sacred thread hits three strands knotted together symbolizing the combination of three entities, viz. Cit., the individual soul; Acit, the material body and Iswara, the Supreme Lord, who is the indwelling witness. The three strands also denote the three functions of thinking, speaking and acting only for spiritual purposes. The common knot for the three strands is called the Bramhagranthi (Bramha Ghand in Kashmiri), which protects the body from disease and evil vibrations. Normally, a Bramhachari wears one set of three strands the grahasti, two such sets, a Vanaparasthi, three such sets, and a Sanyasi, four such sets. If a Bramhachari takes to Sanyas directly, he wears a set of four strands, showing the fourth order of his life.
In Kashmiri Pandit biradari, six such strands (double of the three-fold sacred thread), with a common knot, is worn at the time of marriage, meaning, thereby, that the additional three folds of the sacred thread are on behalf of one's own life-partner. In certain other places, nine such folds are worn, based on one's station in life or hierarchy in the caste. The Gayatri Mantra is mentioned with full adoration in all the Vedas, specially the Atharva Veda.
Our discrimination of the humbug intellect falls under two categories - gross and subtle. Gross intellect pertains to the affairs of the terrestrial world but the subtle intellect enables us to distinguish the Transcendental Reality from the terrestrial world. For this purpose, when the boy has attained some understanding, it is endeavored to have his yagneopavit ceremony, in the initiation of the boy, to the sacred Gayatri Mantra and the wearing of the sacred thread.
By this initiation, the boy is considered to have attained the status of a Dwijah, which means twice-born - the first birth being when he emerged from the mother's womb and, the second, when he received the knowledge of the Supreme Reality through this sacred initiation by the Kula Guru.
Importance of Gayatri Mantra
According to Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, 'sound vibrations which can elevate one from mental concoction is called 'Gayatri.' Gayatri is the sound incarnation of the Brahman, as is clear from the following verse of Srimad Bhagavad Geeta:
Brhat-Saama talha samn am
Gayatri Chandasam aham.
Masanam marga-sirso 'ham
Ritunam Kusumakarah.
Here Lord Krislma says: "Of the hymns in the Sama Veda, I am the Braht-Sama, of the poetry I am the Guyatri, of the months, I am Marga-Sirsa , and of the seasons, I am the flower-bearing spring." Gayatri Mantra is considered to be the sound incarnation of the Lord i.e. the Brahman.
Gaya implies to 'reveal' and 'tri' implies "the essence of the three Vedas". Thus, Gayatri is considered to be 'the mother of the Vedas'. Some call it as the Brahma Gayatri. It is called the Surya-Gayatri because it refers to Savitur - the Sun God, who is responsible for controlling the three planetary systems viz.: Bhur, Bhavah and Svah. Sun, being the visible manifestation of the Divine Power, has assumed the role of the Creator, the Maintainer and the Destroyer of this Universe. That is why the sun is also known as the Surya Narayan because Lord Narayan too has his abode on the sun planet.
In Kashmir, and some other parts of the country, Brahma Gayatri is also known as Gayatri Devi, the dynamic counterpart of the Lord. The devotee, while reciting the mantra, is supposed to be invoking the 'Devi' to come down from the sun-planet to settle down in the devotee's heart. In other words, Gayatri is the embodiment of the Lord's potency i.e. Shakti.
In Agni Puran, it is called Gayatri, because it sings (gayatri) or reveals the Vedic scriptures. It is called Savitri - the daughter of the sun, because it illuminates or enlightens one's intelligence. It is also called Saraswati, as it represents the essence of the Sun God.
The Gayatri Mantra may be stated as under:
"Om Bhur Bhuvah Suvaha
Tat Savitur Varenyam
Bhargo Devasya Dheemahi
Dhiyo yo nah Prachodayat"
To understand the Gayatri Mantra, it may be worthwhile to know the meaning and interpretation of each word:
"Om" or "Aum" - This one letter word (symbol) is called 'pranava'. It is the 'seed-word' which represents Brahman, the Supreme Reality, i.e. God. Shrimad Bhagwad Geeta also refers to the solitary letter "Aum" as the embodiment of the Brahman, i.e. the Supreme Lord (Geeta 8.13).
According to "Gayatri Higher Meditation": "In every breath, man utters and repeats it unintentionally and inevitably. Every vibration in the body, could in the universe, emerges from Om. A child cries 'Om! Om!' The ocean roars 'Om! Om!' The bees buzz 'Om! Om!' The musician hums 'Om! Om!'. Om! is the expression of the seer of truth. Om! is the wisdom of God. Om! is the Nada, i.e. the Sound of God. Ultimately, Om is the eternal, indestructible word."
The sound of Om is called Shabdh Brahman, which is both articulate and inarticulate, i.e. it deals with the knowledge of both the head and the heart. It produces harmony, peace and bliss to one and all.
Secondly, Aum covers the full range of sounds: A - estimating from the base of the throat; U - produced by the impulse rolling forward in the mouth; M - the sound produced by closing the lips. Thus, the letter AUM represents the entire phenomenon of sound in all its ramifications.
Thirdly, the symbol Aum stands for the pure consciousness which pervades the three states of waking, dream and deep sleep. Lastly, it is the real name of the Almighty. Aum occupies a prominent place in all languages and the words, Omnipotent, Omniscient, and Omnipresent are the names of the Great God. Christians say Amen after every invocation to God and Muslims Amin. Both these words have Aum as its origin.
Bhur Bhavah Suvaha - They are the Vyahrtis, which have come into existence from the dawn of the creation. They represent the entire planetary system, which constitutes 'Bhur' representing the earth or the physical plane; 'Buvah' representing the atmosphere or the astral plane; 'Suvah' representing the heaven or the mental plane. Apart from these three visible Vyahrtis, the other four invisible Vyahrtis are: Maharloka, the next higher plane; Janahloka, the still higher plane; Tapahloka, the mansion of the blessed - a much higher plane; and, ultimately, the 'Satyaloka' - the abode of the truth, the highest plane.
These 'Saptha-Vyahrtis' also represent the seven devotees, viz: Agni, Vayu, Aditya, Brahaspati, Varuna, Indra and Vishva Deva. We may also consider them as representing the seven most ancient sages, viz: Kashyapa, Atri, Bhardwaj, Vishwamitr, Gautam, Jamadagni and Vasisth, who are supposed to be ever living.
"Tat" - means "That", but implies Supreme Reality, viz. Tat Tvam Ast.
"Savitur" - refers to Sun God who gives us light and heat. The Sun also represents Brahman. Since Sun is the giver of energy, Savitur also implies Goddess Shakti, the Dynamic Principle of Nature (God), that is responsible for Creation, Preservation and Destruction.
Our earth is a part of the solar system, comprising in addition to Sun, other heavenly bodies, like, moon, stars, planets, asteroids, comets, etc. There are other planetary systems as well as different galaxies, but we belong to the solar system on account of our earth's location in the Universe. In the solar system, the sun plays a very important part. Since the sun is the main source of heat and light to the earth, the existence of human beings and other species on earth, depends, in a large measure, on the Sun - the provider of heat and light energy. In Sanskrit the sun is given 12 names. One of them is Savita or Savitur.
"Varenyum" - or the Supreme Lord, whose divine effulgence is the very source of all illumination in creation.
"Bhargo" - Effulgence or radiance or splendour. It implies the divine essence, the supreme light of the Brahman. Also, 'bha' implies brilliance; 'ra' is the name of "rati-consort of the God of Love (Kamdeva); Ad 'ga' implies full knowledge. So Bhargo is the Supreme Energy of the Lord.
"Devasya" - Divine or Godly, derived from "Devas". Anything godly is a matter of joy to human beings;
"Dheemahi" - "(We) meditate upon".
"Dhiyo" - Intellect or Buddhi;
"Yo" - who;
"Nah" - Our;
"Prachodayat" - unfolds, i.e. utilizes for good actions.
So the Mantra metals: "I meditate upon That Supreme Being (or His Dynamic counterpart, Shakti), "Aum", Creator of the Three Worlds; who is effulgent as the Divine Sun; who is the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer of the Universe, with prayers that He may unfold my intellect (Buddhi) for all good actions."
Gayatri Mantra is both a mantra and a prayer. It is considered as the essence of the Vedas. Generally, a mantra may not have a clear meaning but the Gayatri Mantra has also a full meaning and is complete in every respect. Therefore, it is a mantra as well as a prayer. It is the most potent mantra and its efficacy is proven. While this mantra is an invocation to the Divine God, or Divine Sun or His Energy, it is also an appeal by the seeker to the Divine God, within the body, to emerge out of the "cloud of desires" and to shine forth its resplendent light. This mantra is recited at dawn, noon and dusk in the direction of the sun. Vishwamitra is associated with this Gayatri Mantra in accordance with the details given in the Puranic Texts.
During the morning or evening bath, the sacred thread is properly washed and while washing the 'yagneopavit', one should recite the Gayatri Mantra. Those who are interested in performing the Gayatri Japa can do so, with the help of a "Mala", having 108 beads, for counting purposes. One may ask, why 108 beads and why not 100 or 50 as used by the Christians or Muslims? The figure 108 has a divine (mystic) significance, which is given as under:
In the first place, the radius of the sun is 108 times the radius of the earth and for all of us, both the earth and the sun are of primary importance and they greatly count in our day to clay lives; secondly, there are 12 prominent constellations (Rashis) and 9 heavenly Bodies (Navagrahas) that are nearby. The have a direct effect on human welfare, and 12 x 9 = 108; and thirdly, 1 plus zero plus 8 equal 9, which is the highest in the numerical scale. That is why our enlightened Swamis are referred to as Swami 108 or 1008.
There are also 108 techniques of meditation or 108 paths of reaching God. So, one should not be in a hurry to judge that other paths of reaching God are wrong. At the end of 108 counting beads of a mala, there is a large bead, symbolic of the Ultimate Divine. That is why, the seeker doing Japa does not cross the large bead again but reverses the counting systematically, till one reaches the large head again, and so on, the process is repeated, making sure that one day, the seeker will certainly approach God, as a result of Gayatri Japa, or any other method of god realization.
It bestows bliss and destroys sins. Reciting it 10 times removes the sins committed from birth; 100 times, it destroys sins of previous life; 1000 times, it destroys sins of the past three lives (Yajnivalka Samhita).
In Kali Yoga, the people are not interested in what is contained in our scriptures but lay stress purely on scientific reasoning. I have, therefore, thought it necessary to fully explain in my own humble way the interpretation of the Gayatri Mantra and the need of a Japa Mala, with 108 chanting beads, beginning and ending with the large bead, for the benefit of the people of the younger generation, who wish to go through this small 'write-up' and profit.Nov 10, 2008
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KhaanderFor the first time the groom and the bride see each other through the images formed in the mirror. This is a custom which is still prevailing. After the groom and the bride see each other they are made to hold hands of each other in a firm grip not to get loosened with the passage of time. The groom holds the left hand of the bride with his right hand and same is being done by the bride.This in Kashmiri is called "Athwas"Nov 10, 2008
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DivagoneThe divagone is a ceremony that marks the transition of the bride and the groom from brahmacharya ashram to grihastha ashram. The bride and the groom worship God Shiva and Goddess Parvati. The ceremony is observed separately by the girl's family and the boy's family in their respective homes. Before participating in the rituals, the relatives of the bride and the groom observe a fast. The purohit conducts the ceremony in front of a sacred fire. The ornaments and utensils that will be given to the bride by her family are also placed in front of the fire. An essential part of the rituals is the kanishran. This involves bathing the boy /girl with a mixture of water, rice, milk and curd. Flowers are also showered over the boy/girl. They change into a new set of traditional attire following the kanishran. The parents of the bride give her jewellery, clothes, household items, etc. An essential item of the jewellery is the dejaharu, an ear ornament that has gold tassels strung on a sacred thread that passes through the middle ear cartilage. These holes are pierced in the ears of all Kashmiri girls when they are 2 or 3 years of age. The significance of wearing the dejaharu is that the bride is now ready for matrimony.Nov 10, 2008
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MaenzraathThe maenzraat ceremony takes place a week prior to the wedding. It begins with krool khanun, a ceremony which involves decorating the door of the houses of the prospective bride and the groom by their respective aunts (father's sister). In the evening, the bride-to-be follows an elaborate bathing ritual, during which her feet are washed by her maternal aunt. After the bath, her eldest aunt decorates her hands and feet with maenz (henna). Maenz is also distributed among the relatives and neighbours. The women invited for this occasion are served a delicious Kashmiri meal prepared by the waza. Dinner over, all participate in a lively wanvun or music session. In the groom's house, a little mehendi is applied on his hands as it is a symbol of auspiciousness.Nov 10, 2008
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Navreh ThaalNavreh
The New Year Day in Kashmir
- P.N. Ganhar
Koshur Samachar
NAVREH is the lunar new year which is celebrated in Kashmir and many other parts of the country. This coincides with the first day of the Chaitra (spring) Navratras. It is the first day of 5074 of the Sapath Rishi Samvat which falls on March 29, 1998, this year and is the oldest new year. It is this calendar, according to which Hindus generally celebrate their birthdays, anniversaries, festivals and other religious functions. This day finds mention in Rajtarangini and Nilamat Purana of Kashmir and is regarded as sacred in Kashmir as the Shivratri. The celebrated Arab scholar Alberuni has written that Kashmiris celebrate the second of Navaratras to commemorate victory of their greatest and famous king - Lalitaditya - with great festivity, pomp and gaiety. The first was a festival as the New Year in its own right. Srivara, the famous poet- historian of mediaeval Kashmir, has also mentioned this Chaitra festival in his Rajtarangini. Late Pt. Zinda Koul, popularly known as Masterjee, has written a poem on Navreh and the message it brings.
It is observed as the New Year's day in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka (as Ogadi), in Maharashtra and Goa as (Gaudi Parva), by Sindhis as Cheti-Chand and in the northern parts of India as Chaitra Shukla Di i.e. the first day of the lunar fortnight of Chaitra. In Delhi and northern parts of India, parohits in temples release before the assembled devotees the new almanac after morning prayers and dwell upon its highlight.
In Kashmir, the day is celebrated with great enthusiasm and sanctity. It is on the eve of Navreh that the Kulguru of a Pandit family gets a new almanac (nachipatra - Sanskrit: Nakshetra-patri) and an illustrated scroll (Kreel Pach) with a sacred picture of Ma Sharika on it and some sacred verses. Formerly the Nachipatri used to be in the form of a tolled scroll but now it has taken the form of a small booklet known as Jantari. Just one day before Navreh, Kashmiri Pandits in Srinagar visit a sacred spring Vichar Nag (downtown) and take a holy dip in its waters to cast off the wintery sloth and impurities. After returning home from Vichar Nag round pieces of Wye herb are taken along with homemade rice powder cakes as prasad before breakfast. In olden times, astrologers and astronomers would assemble here to discuss and prepare a new almanac. May be this is the reason why this place is known as Vichar Nag.
Late in the evening, the housewife gets a big Thali (metal-plate) and fills it up with rice or paddy. In villages, mostly paddy is used. After arranging it nicely, the new almanac and Kreel-pach are placed on the rice. Besides dry flowers, a few fresh flowers are also placed on the rice. Wye, a special weed which resembles arabi in shape and which grows in the marshes and is regarded to be very sacred and pure, is also kept on the thali. Among other things placed on the thali are newly sprouted grass, a little curd, walnuts in odd numbers and their kernels, a pen, inkpot and pen-holders and a pot containing a little salt are placed on the thali alongwith silver and gold coin and a lump of cooked rice in a small pot, a wheat cake and a small bread made of rice powder are also placed on this rice. All these things are arranged aesthetically on this small mound of rice. This Thali is then covered with another metal plate for the night. Formerly, the flowers and herb W'ye used to be provided by a florist who was known as Push after Pushap, i.e. the flower, and he used to be a Muslim. He was paid in cash and kind on the ensuing New Year day. Now all these things are procured from the market.
Early morning on the New Year day, a boy or a girl gets up at dawn and, after taking the lid off the thali, takes it to the head of the family and his wife and then to others in such a way that every member of the family gets a glimpse of the things kept in the plate and looks into the mirror as the first thing in the morning. This signifies as prayer for food, wealth and knowledge in the coming year. The bearer of the plate gets a rupee or more from every member of family.
Every member picks up a few walnuts kept in the thali and drops them in the river, where he goes to take a bath. This seems to be a thanks giving affair
that the people have come out of the dreary wintry cold and its allied ordeals safe and sound as the Maharashtarians do when they drop coconuts into the sea on Rakshabandhan day which is turbulent during the rainy season. After a bath and donning new clothes and a new sacred thread, Hindus in the city throng temples, especially the Hari Parbat which is Shakti shrine known as Chakreshwari. Later on, the head of the family offers turmeric coloured rice prepared in ghee known as Tahri to Ma Sharika, the principal deity of Chakreshwari which is afterwards distributed as Prasad among all the family members.
From this day, Nav Durga Puja commences in Kashmir. At the end of the Navratra days, big Havans are performed in various temples and especially at Durga Nag at the foot of Shankaracharya hill and at Baramulla in Shailputri Devis Mandir, which are beautiful springs. During these days, thousands of people visit Vaishno Devi and other Devi shrines in Jammu and Kashmir. Ma Durga is worshipped in the Hari Parbat fort in Srinagar and Bahu fort in Jammu. Nine days of spring Navaratras are held very sacred in Kashmir as in the other parts of India. Vasanti Puja is performed in Bengal during these Navratras. Some people keep fast for nine days and sow barley and worship Durga and Dash Mahavidhya. During these days, Puja is offered to goddess Minakshi in Tamil Nadu etc.
On Navreh, sumptuous dishes are prepared and friends and relatives who come to offer greetings are also entertained. Newly weded brides go to their homes donning new clothes, and carry a pot of curd, bread, sweets, etc as these are thought to be auspicious. New brides and youngsters are given some money by their elders.
After meals, the people would visit gardens for picnic with their utensils and tea pot called Samavar etc and prepare Kahwa tea there. Formerly, the urban people used to go the Hari Parbat to enjoy the almond blossoms in the gardens at the foothill. But, alas, these gardens have shrunk almost to obliteration due to development of new colonies. During these days, Lord Rama is also worshipped in the state. The Navmi or 9th day of Navratras is known as Ramnavmi.
Friends, relatives and Muslims come to greet the Hindus on this day with Navreh Mubarak (a happy new year). A few decades earlier, Kashmiri musicians and minstrels also used to come to regale their patrons and get bakshish. Due to dearness and rising costs now, Navreh festivities have lost some of the gaiety and colour but despite this the occasion is still very popular among Kashmiris living in or outside Kashmir.
Note: Photo contain all the articles viz. seasonal Flowers, Gold, Book, Pen, Walnuts, Curd, Salt, New Years Nechipater, Uncooked rice, Cooked rise, Pratima of Ganesha and Saraswati, Currency coins which are reuired to inspire an individual and meant to receive blessings from the divine. - Dalip LangooNov 10, 2008
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Gaad-bathiNov 10, 2008
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