SOCIAL FESTIVALS

Gaad Batta

Kashmiri Pandits believe every house has a deity known as Ghar Dīvtā – the deity of the house. Gāda battā literally means Fish and Rice which is offered to the Ghar Dīvtā on this day.

This festival is celebrated on a Tuesday or Saturday in the month of Posh (during the waning phase of the moon . 

The kitchen is cleansed, and utensils are washed thoroughly for the preparation. The fish is usually prepared with Nadru (lotus stem), Mujj (Radish), or Monj (Knol Khol). The preparation is offered in a Toke (an earthen deep dish) and kept in the Kanī (attic of the house – the topmost floor just below the roof). In addition to the cooked rice and fish, raw fish is also kept in a ring of grass called chret along with a glass or a small bowl of water. This offering is either kept covered under Kranjul or left uncovered. A traditional oil earthen lamp which is called a chong is lit before leaving the room.

Once the food is kept at its place, and the lamp is lit, the room is left undisturbed. The next morning, the food is either left for birds on the terrace/open veranda, or distributed amongst the family as prasād. 

Traditionally the scrapes of fish, remains or fins are discarded only once the food is offered to Ghar Dīvtā. This festival is not celebrated by all the families, some do it, some don’t – but once a family decides to do it, they have to do it for generations and never miss this yearly commitment.

Khechri Amavasya (Khechmaavas)

Khechri Mavas or Kchechmaavas is celebrated in honour of Kubera and Yaksha. It is also known as Yaksha Mavas. 

The Yaksha is a mystical supernatural being who is the guardian of Lord Kubera’s treasures. As per the Puranas— Kubera is the lord of fortunes and wealth. The Puranas place Kubera’s kingdom in the Trans Himalayan region. His kingdom is guarded by the Yaksha.

Kchechmaavas is celebrated in the Hindu calendar month of Paush on the night of the New Moon (Amavasya). This festival is a symbol of staying in harmony with other beings surrounding you. The belief goes that when humans first settled in Kashmir, the land of Yaksha, they had an agreement or a pact that the humans would offer food to Yaksha on cold freezing night of wintry months so that the Yaksha would not cause any trouble to humans. 

As per the legends and myths, when the humans settled in the land of the Yakshas there was a mutual undertaking-a sort of treaty-that on certain fixed occasions in the cold freezing wintry months, the humans would offer a sumptuous non-vegetarian feast to the Yakshas who in turn would not trouble them. Yakshas by nature were believed less ferocious but more powerful with divine inclinations. 

The tradition is followed even today, the generation of today is still honouring this treaty even after millennia has passed since the first human settlement in Kashmir. 

The offering : 

On this night, rice and lentils are cooked together with turmeric and salt – what is called Khechar (or Khicari in Hindi) – this khechar is offered to Yaksha on an improvised grass plate which is kept at the compound wall or outside the house. The kitchen stone mortal (kajwath) is placed, by the side, on a circular base (ring made out of hay), and worshiped as a symbol of the cosmos and decorated with sindoor (vermilion), sandal paste, raw rice and flowers. Some households also serve fish on this day. Some believe this is also the worship of Kubera. 

The most interesting and exciting part of this day is the belief that the Yaksha will come wearing a red cap to eat the offering, and anyone who can snatch or find the Yaksha Toup (Yaksha’s cap) will find unlimited riches.

Pann

Every Kashmiri loves Pun Pooza, it is a festival when the delicious Roth is prepared and distributed to friends and family after the pooza. The roth is crisp, sweet, deep fried, flat wheat bread. 

This festival is celebrated on a chosen auspicious day between the Chathurthi tithi 4th  day from new moon to Chaturdashi tithi – 14th day from new moon of the Bhadrapad month. This is the time when many parts of India celebrate the Ganesh festival where they welcome lord Ganesh in their homes. Kashmiris believe this is propitiation of Maa Bhagwati – Maa Bhagwati is an ancient form of goddess Durga, specifically this day is to worship Ganesh and Beeb Garaz Maej. 

Roth

Cleaning of the kitchen and utensils is a very important aspect of preparing the Roth. The kitchen is thoroughly cleaned, all utensils that will be used for the preparation are washed thoroughly. The wheat flour, sugar, ghee, khas khas, badd aayl (badi elaichi) are all procured fresh from the market – any used item is not used to make the roth. Usually Roth are made in odd numbers 9; 11; 21 – Roth are distributed as prasad after the pooza is complete. Each household decides how many roth they want to prepare depending on how large the family and friends circle is. 

A Kalash (or small brass pot) is filled with water and kept at a designated place, usually it is either a clean corner in the kitchen or at the altar of the house. A red cotton thread called Nairvan is tied around its neck and Kalash is decorated with silver Vark (also varak Waraq or warq) which is a fine filigree foil sheet of pure metal. Some runner grass, a coin is put in the Kalash. A few Roth are placed on top. 

Once the Kalash is ready, each person holds some runner grass, and argh (argh is flower petals and dampened rice grains) and surround the elder of the house. The elder of the house narrates the Pun Katha – 

“Rayta manz rayta, bhdrpada” all narrations begin with this line followed by the day on which the pooza is done — eg: Sunday: Rayta manz rayta, bhdrapada, choram te aathvār. 

The story of the Beeb garaz Maej is about a king who had been dethroned and imprisoned in a deep dry well by a cruel king. It is about how the queen, his wife whom he had shunned away, despite her distress helped him regain his life and glory by finding wheat grains, washing them, making the base of the roth and preparing the sweet breads in order to perform a ritual with her utmost faith. This of course freed him from the well and restored his place as king.  The purpose of the story and puja is that by performing it on this day, preparing sweet bread and offering the same to the deity, the poverty and the miseries of the person are removed and the family is able to live a life of comfort and happiness. 

Gora-Trai

Gora-Trai or Gauri Tritiya – the tithi of Tritiya is dedicated to Maa Gauri – according to Varāha Purāna, Gauri is the goddess of speech. This day of Gora-Trai is especially auspicious for women. It is celebrated on the third day of the bright fortnight of Magha.

In Kashmiri, this festival is dedicated to Goddess Saraswatī and was earmarked as the day of convocation, when students were issued certificates on the completion of their education. On this day the family priest brings a portrait of the goddess of learning with some sacred slokas printed on it. Whenever a child is born or after a wedding the family priest of the bride’s parents brings a special portrait and in return gets honorarium from the boy’s family.

Zangtry

Celebration of this festival is the exclusive prerogative of women, especially the married ones. It is celebrated on Tritiya of Chaitra Shukla, which is the third day of the bright half from the day of Navreh. 

On this day they visit their parental homes and enjoy an outing or have fun and frolic with parents and their family. In the evening they return with gifts of chochi (bread) salt and atgat (cash) as a good omen for the members of her family.