CULTURE

Shah Basit Kashmiri Pandits on Monday celebrated their grandest annual festival of Mahashivratri- locally known as Herath. Other than the largest gathering held at the Shankaracharya Temple in Srinagar, prayers were also held at Ganpatyar temple in Habakadal and Hanuman Temple in Amira Kadal areas of Srinagar. Kashmiri Pandits observe the Herath festival for three days to mark the wedding of Hindu God- Shiva and Parvati. On this day, they distribute walnuts as a mark of respect to the Hindu Gods. Herath is the most prominent festival of Kashmiri Pandits, which is celebrated on the 13th day of the dark half of the month of Phalguna, between February and March, and not on Chaturdashi or the 14th as in the Indian mainland. On the first day, special 'Poojas' are held in all temp...

Muslim politicians on Monday extended good wishes to the Kashmiri Pandit community on the occasion of Herath, considered as the Kashmiri equivalent of Maha Shivaratri. Herath greetings to Kashmiri Pandits everywhere. May all your prayers on this special day be answered #HerathPoshte, former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah tweeted. Peoples Democratic Party president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, too, extended Herath greetings to the Kashmiri Pandits. Herath Poshte to our Kashmiri Pandit brethren. May this occasion bring you joy, prosperity & peace, she tweeted. Conveying his greetings, People's Conference chairman Sajad Gani Lone wished that the good old days of bonhomie between the Muslims and the Pandits return to the valley. Herath Mubarak...

Suhail Dar The annual urs Mubarak of renowned Sufi saint Hazrat Fatah Shah Sahab(RA) will commence from 9th of December (Thursday) and will conclude 10th of December 2021 at his resting place in Batengoo village of South Kashmir's Anantnag district. President Markazi Awqaf committee Jamia masjid Batengoo while speaking to The Kashmiriyat said that "on Thursday, Tilwate-e-Quran Khawani, khatmat-ul-muzamat, and Darood-o-Azkar mehfils will be held throughout the day. And renowned Islamic scholar will address to the devotees in an evening time". He invited all the Muslim ummah to come and participate in the commemoration of the urs of this Sufi saint and applead the devotees to follow covid-19 guidelines strictly and wear masks upon their visit to the shrine He added.

The Jindal group has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jammu Kashmir administration and will now "preserve" the historic Shalimar and Nishat gardens in Srinagar. For this, the administration of Jammu Kashmir has tied up with JSW (Jindal South West) Foundation. In the conservation and restoration of these gardens, JSW Foundation will not only provide technical assistance but also financial assistance to the administration. As per reports, The MoU was signed by Secretary, Floriculture Department Sheikh Fayaz Ahmed and JSW President Sangeeta Jindal in the presence of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. Speaking on the occasion, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said that this is a new beginning for the conservation of historical sites which are the hallmarks of the rich cultural ...

Basit Shah Muslims in the Wussan area of central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district performed the last rites of a Kashmir Pandit Radhakirshan Raina on Sunday Raina, 85, of Wussan Ganderbal, died Sunday morning. He was living in Wussan since 1984 and was among a few families from the Pandit community living in the Muslim-majority area. As soon as the news of his demise spread in the area hundreds of Muslims, including women and children rushed towards his house to console his family and mourned at his demise. "We were equally saddened to lose an elderly person in our neighborhood. We gathered and performed the last rites without considering what faith we follow,” Sheikh Bashir, a local resident told. He said Hindus and Muslims are like brothers. We always looking after one another ...

Firdous Qadri The famous Shital Nath Temple in Kashmir has been thrown open for devotees after nearly 31 years. Locals told The Kashmiriyat the temple located in the Habba Kadal area of Srinagar was reopened on the occasion of Basant Panchami, a Special pooja was also performed by devotees at the temple. Thanking the Muslim community for their support, "We have always lived with communal harmony in Kashmir and we hope this continues in the future too." Kashmiri Pandits said that the temple has been taken care of by the local Muslim community. A Devotee Santosh Razdan said that the Kashmiri Pandits settled in various parts of India have come here to celebrate the birthday of the Shital Nath temple. "We have been invited by the local Muslim community to celebrate the birthday,...

Meer Irfan Local Muslim neighbours of a Bhaskar Nath who passed away in a Srinagar Hospital on Saturday morning, shouldered his dead body for miles amid heavy snowfall. Locals told The Kashmiriyat that the amublance in which the dead body of the deceased was being carried could not move ahead in Shopian due to heavy snowfall in the area. The Locals spotted the ambulance and after failing to make it cross the snow covered road, the locals took out the dead body and carried it on their own shoulders for a distance of more at least 10 Kimoetres to Pargochi. As per the Locals, the ambulance driver had called the family of the deceased who informed their muslim neighbours and without any hesitation rushed to the spot and carried Bhaskar on their shoulders. Later, upon reaching Pa...