Title: Kashmiri Matrimony
Date: 2025-06-10 10:39:39
Tags: Kashmir, Matrimony, Marriage, Knot, Jammu and Kashmir
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Marriage is one of the most auspicious days i...
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by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
The question of the return and rehabilitation of the displaced Kashmiri Hindu community has today reached a critical stage. After more than three decades of exile, the community stands at a crossroads—not merely in terms of where it will live, but whether it will continue to exist as a distinct ethnic, cultural and civilisational community in its ancestral homeland.
The issue is therefore much larger than the construction of heritage sites or the restoration and renovation of temples. These are important components of preserving a civilisation, but they cannot constitute rehabilitation in its entirety.
A community cannot be rehabilitated merely by preserving its temples while the community itself remains permanently displaced. Nor can rehabilitation be reduced to periodic announcements, symbolic gestures or temporary relief measures that do not address the core question of return.
The fundamental question before the Government of India and the Government of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir is simple: what is the long-term strategy for restoring the Kashmiri Pandit community to its homeland with security, dignity, constitutional protection and the confidence that its future generations will be able to live there without fear? This question is not merely administrative; it is moral, historical and civilisational in nature.
After more than 37 years, the absence of a clear answer is itself becoming an answer—and it is creating deep disappointment and anxiety within the community. Each passing year strengthens the sense that uncertainty is being normalised and that temporary arrangements are slowly replacing the idea of permanent return.
The exodus of Kashmiri Hindus in 1990 was not an ordinary migration. It resulted in the uprooting of a historically indigenous community from its ancestral habitat after the Valley descended into terrorism, targeted killings, intimidation and religious extremism. Thousands of families were forced to leave behind homes, agricultural land, businesses, temples, shrines, educational institutions, memories and a civilisation that had developed in Kashmir over centuries. Many properties were subsequently sold under distress, and many families rebuilt their lives elsewhere, but they could not rebuild the lost geographical and cultural continuity of their community.
The first generation has spent decades waiting.
The second generation has grown up largely outside Kashmir. And the third generation is now growing up with Kashmir as an inheritance of memory rather than an experience of everyday life. This is perhaps the greatest danger confronting the community, because exile, if prolonged indefinitely, eventually becomes assimilation, and assimilation, in the case of a minuscule ethnic community, can ultimately mean extinction.
The Kashmiri Pandit community is not simply a religious minority seeking better facilities. It is a historically rooted ethnic and cultural community with its own language, traditions, festivals, philosophical traditions, literature, rituals, sacred geography and civilisational memory. Kashmir’s Hindu civilisation produced an extraordinary intellectual and spiritual heritage—from the Shaiva and Shakti traditions to Sanskrit scholarship, from Abhinavagupta to Lal Ded, from Sharada traditions to countless temples, shrines, manuscripts and sacred sites. If the community disappears as a living community from its ancestral land, the loss will not be limited to a few thousand families; an entire civilisational continuum will have been broken. This is why rehabilitation must be viewed not merely as a welfare programme, but as a question of historical justice, constitutional responsibility and civilisational preservation.
There has been considerable discussion about the reasons behind the exodus of 1990.
One narrative has held the then Governor, Jagmohan, responsible for encouraging or facilitating the departure of Kashmiri Pandits, while others strongly reject this interpretation and point to the prevailing atmosphere of terrorism, targeted killings, threats and intimidation. Whatever one’s assessment of that historical controversy, one fact remains undeniable: Kashmiri Pandits left because they no longer felt that their lives and future could be protected in the Valley. The larger responsibility therefore belongs to the institutions of the State that were expected to protect the life, liberty and property of every citizen. The tragedy cannot be reduced to the role of one individual or transferred indefinitely from one government to another.
More than three decades have passed. Governments have changed, political regimes have changed, administrative structures have changed, the constitutional framework of Jammu & Kashmir has changed, and the security environment has changed. Yet the fundamental question of the collective rehabilitation of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community remains unresolved. Time has not diminished the urgency of the issue; in many ways, it has deepened it.
There is another uncomfortable question that must be asked: where was the larger civil society of Kashmir when a minority community was being driven out?
While there were certainly courageous individuals who raised their voices and expressed solidarity, these voices were not matched by a sufficiently strong collective movement demanding the return and rehabilitation of the displaced community. At the same time, it must also be acknowledged that the majority community itself lived under the shadow of terrorism and radicalisation, and ordinary Kashmiri Muslims who opposed extremist forces also faced intimidation and danger. Yet precisely because ordinary people themselves suffered, there should have been a stronger moral recognition of what happened to their Pandit neighbours. Genuine reconciliation cannot be built merely through statements that “Kashmiriyat” belongs to everyone; it must also mean acknowledging the suffering of the other Kashmiri and accepting the responsibility to create conditions in which that suffering is neither denied nor forgotten.
The return of the Pandits cannot remain a ceremonial slogan repeated on television while no serious social, political and institutional effort is made to make that return possible.
The security environment in Jammu & Kashmir has changed substantially over the past several years, particularly after the constitutional changes of 2019 and subsequent administrative and security measures. Yet security cannot be measured only by the decline in terrorist incidents. For a displaced community, security means confidence in the future, trust in institutions and assurance that history will not repeat itself. The tragic killings of minorities and non-local workers in recent years, along with continuing terrorist activity, have shown that the threat has not disappeared completely. Therefore, the Government cannot simply say that the situation has improved and expect return; it must provide institutional guarantees that ensure the community will never again be vulnerable to organised intimidation or displacement.
Heritage protection, including the restoration of temples and shrines, is undoubtedly welcome and necessary, but monuments cannot substitute for people.
A civilisation survives only when its people continue to live, worship, speak their language, celebrate their festivals and participate in the social and economic life of their homeland. Therefore, policy must move beyond heritage preservation towards community restoration, ensuring that cultural revival is accompanied by demographic and social reintegration.
The elected Government of Jammu & Kashmir also has a responsibility. Rehabilitation cannot be treated as merely a Central Government subject, nor can it be addressed through contradictory statements. Political representatives must clearly articulate whether they support the dignified return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits, what model they envisage, what security arrangements they will support, and how cultural, educational and economic ecosystems will be restored. Sympathy alone cannot rebuild a civilisation; concrete policy is required, backed by political will and administrative clarity.
At the same time, the Central Government cannot allow indefinite uncertainty. If a large-scale return is not presently possible, it must say so honestly and present a time-bound roadmap. If it is possible, it must explain how. A displaced community cannot be left waiting without a defined destination, because uncertainty itself becomes a form of continued displacement.
It was precisely because of the dangers of an unprotected return that Panun Kashmir adopted the Margdarshan-91 Resolution, proposing a separate homeland with constitutional safeguards and secure settlement. More than three decades later, while circumstances have changed, the core concern remains relevant. The Government should not dismiss this proposal but examine it seriously through an expert committee in light of present constitutional and security realities, along with other possible models of rehabilitation.
A comprehensive rehabilitation policy must include a clearly defined geographical zone, constitutional safeguards, dedicated security architecture, property restoration mechanisms, housing and infrastructure, employment opportunities, cultural and educational institutions, religious freedom, political representation and structured inter-community reconciliation. Without these, rehabilitation remains incomplete and risks becoming symbolic rather than substantive.
The prolonged exile has already created deep social consequences within the displaced community itself. Families are scattered, language and traditions are weakening, and younger generations are increasingly disconnected from Kashmir. If this continues, the question may no longer be how to return, but why to return at all. This erosion of connection is perhaps the most silent yet profound consequence of prolonged displacement.
The community seeks justice, security, dignity and the right to return as equal citizens, not as refugees dependent on charity. It must also reject both hatred and forgetting—remembering the past without becoming prisoners of it, and looking forward without erasing its historical pain.
Rehabilitation, in its true sense, means restoring home, community, security, livelihood, culture, faith, political voice and dignity. Anything less risks permanent displacement, even if physical relocation were someday attempted.
The Government of India now has an opportunity to address this unfinished question with seriousness. A high-level, time-bound commission should be established to examine all models, including the Margdarshan proposal, assess security conditions and prepare a comprehensive roadmap. After more than 36 years of exile, the community deserves a clear answer to a fundamental question: is its return still part of the national vision, or has its displacement become an accepted reality?
The Kashmiri Pandit community stands at a crossroads.
One path leads to gradual disappearance through assimilation and dispersal. The other leads to a carefully planned, secure and dignified return to its ancestral homeland. This choice can no longer be postponed indefinitely.
Temples can be rebuilt, houses can be rebuilt, roads can be rebuilt—but if the community itself disappears from the land, the living civilisation of Kashmir will be lost. The time has come for courage, clarity and historical responsibility.
Our return cannot remain a slogan. Our rehabilitation cannot remain a promise. Our civilisation cannot be allowed to become merely a memory.
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
It has been 36 years since a hapless minority was forced to leave the Kashmir valley
through selective, targeted killing, an open display of weapons, and terrifying sloganeering
from mosques! Such was the bone chilling impact of events that were orchestrated on the
night of Jan 19, 1990 that thousands of Kashmiri Hindus simply left their homes and
hearths, took whatever transportation was available and sought refuge in the safer areas
of Udhampur, Jammu, Delhi and various other locations across India. The Relief and
Rehabilitation Deptt of J&K Govt has registered appx 48000 families of Kashmiri Pandits,
who fled Kashmir in 1990-91, terming them as ‘Migrants”. Thousands of Kashmiri Pandit
families are registered in Delhi as refugees; there are even families who chose not to get
themselves registered following the trauma of Exodus from Kashmir. It is estimated that
over 5L KPs were compelled to leave their homes and hearths in the 1989-95 period.
Thousands were forced to live in the refugee camps of Muthi, Purkhoo, Mishriwala, Jhiri,
Udhampur etc in Jammu Division. Thirty-six years down the line, the Jagti refugee camp
(officially known as the Jagti Township) in Jammu houses a population of approximately
4,000 to 5,250 migrant families who reside in two-room flats.
Every single Kashmiri Pandit family, living in India or even abroad yearns for a return to
the valley – Kashmir, after all is the land of our forefathers! History of Kashmir does not
start with the advent of Islamic rule in the 14th century as some of the Islamised ‘historians’
would want the world to believe! The Saptrishi Samvat(calendar) that Kashmiri Pandit
community follows is currently running the year 5102! Kalhan, India’s first known
historian, has recorded the history of Kashmir since Mahabharata era!
Several attempts were made by KP individuals/ families to return to Kashmir after the
initial shock but periodic massacre of Hindus {Sangrampora (1997), Wandhama (1998),
Chittisinghpura (2000), Nandimarg (2003)} kept the pot boiling! Plus, regular targeting of
prominent Hindus, people like Ajay Pandita Bharti (Sarpanch of Lukbhawan village, June
2020), ML Bindroo (renown chemist), Supinder Kaur(teacher) both in October 2021, kept
sending negative signals to Hindus at large. Delhi based KP organizations have compiled
a list of almost 1000 KPs who were killed during the tumultuous years of 1986-96 by
radicalized Muslims in Kashmir. That, plus the posturing by political activists, so called
intellectuals and Muslim religious leaders ensured that the atmosphere remained toxic and
generally unwelcome for KPs. Not a single Muslim forum or organization or valley based
political party has till date acknowledged the negative role played by the ‘ordinary man on
the street’ in ensuring KP exodus in 1990. After all, people who came out in droves,
demanding Ralliv – Chalyiv ya Galliv (convert, run away or be ready to die) of KPs did not
come from Gaza - they were local Kashmiri Muslim youth, baying for the blood of Kafirs!
Has anyone acknowledged that, leave aside apologise, for traumatising lives of over 5L
KPs, who have an unbroken history of over 5100 years of existence in Kashmir?
Return to our homeland is a most justified demand of the KP community. Two, even 3
generations of KPs have passed since our forced Exodus, yearning for a return to their
homes and hearths. Post abrogation of Art 370 in 2019, a hope was born in our hearts –
of return to the valley and proper rehabilitation. Several ‘enthusiasts’ started expecting
the Modi Govt to para drop KPs into the beautiful valley at the earliest. Well, that did not
happen, primarily because the atmosphere in the valley remains toxic. Several KP
organizations and leaders see this as an ‘act of betrayal by the Modi Govt. The delay in
facilitating a return to the valley has resulted in turning many KP community ‘leaders’ into
bitter critics of the Govt.
Recently (June 6-14, 2026), ‘The Global Kashmiri Pandit Heritage Tour and Conclave 2026’
was organized by some KP organizations, particularly, by the US based Global Kashmiri
Pandit Diaspora(GKPD). It involved a pilgrimage to some important temples (Titwal, Martand, Mattan, Khir Bhawani etc) and a two day (June 13-14) ‘International Conference’
in Srinagar. Media gave extensive coverage to the Heritage Tour as well as the
‘Conference’, suggesting patronage from the LG’s administration! The aftermath of the
‘conference’ has led to an enlivened debate within the Kashmiri community. A very large
segment of KP community is hurt and up in arms against the organizers for their ‘callous’
neglect of the refugees living in various Camps even today. People are resenting that in
the conference, speakers supposed to be representing the hurt KP community chose to
exonerate the ‘common Muslims’, and even separatists like Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the
fountainhead of terrorist movement and his cohorts in the Hurriat Conference of all their
‘sins’ against the KP community. A press release on June 17, by the US based Kashmir
Hindu Foundation Inc has in very clear terms condemned such attempts as a
subversion.
The KUF press release
clarified that any
‘forgiving and
reconciling with Jihadi
Islamists is a betrayal of
KP cause! Our
community needs justice
with dignity. We need an
unambiguous
recognition of genocide
of the Kashmiri Hindu
community; We need a
definitive
acknowledgement by
the Indian State and
accountability for all the
sins of previous govts in
marginalizing this
miniscule community!
By building a narrative of
‘near normalcy’ in
Kashmir, this
‘sponsored’ visit and
Conclave have only
rubbed salt into the
wounds of Kashmiri
Hindus! Our community
has a rich history of
producing ‘quislings’!
Suha Bhatt, during
Shahmir’s time was
followed by Som Chandra Raina (during Shams-u-din Arraki’s time in Kashmir) – between
the two, they wreaked havoc on Kashmiri Pandits! Post-Independence, we saw how thenascent Parmeshwari Agitation (1967) was sabotaged by some KP politicians – the real
cause was never allowed to come forth, misleading an obtuse Home Minister of India. I
once had a chance to visit No1 Akbar Road Delhi where Mrs Indira Gandhi would hold a
Janata Darbar. Her Man Friday (ML Fotedar) would ensure that no application from a KP
would be forwarded to the right department. An IAS officer working in the petitions office ( of PMO)told me this first hand, in 1981! So, to expect some of our own would be going
against the community interests is only to be expected! Tragedy is that even the Seventh
Exodus has failed to create a community out of the highly selfish and individualistic, highly
divided KPs. Reminds me of the character of Dathan in the 1956 epic Ten Commandments.
Dathan is a treacherous Hebrew overseer who spies on his own people, betrays the true
identity of Moses to become the ruthless Governor of Goshen in exchange for his freedom,
wealth, and the water-girl Lilia. Post departure from Egypt, Dathan constantly sows doubt
and dissention amongst a vulnerable group of people escaping slavery! He even proclaims
a rebellion against Moses while he has gone up the Mount Sinai to get the 10 Laws from
God! Most of the KP political animal show these characteristics.
Our KP ‘leadership’ has, as always, let the community down, constantly bickering for
prominence. There are almost 100 KP organizations around, all with pious sounding
names, mostly working at cross purposes. The failure of KP organizations to work in
cohesion is probably the biggest curse we KPs carry. Two of the oldest Delhi based
‘organizations’ function like private clubs, without any voice of the community at large!
The last ‘election’ of the self-proclaimed ‘All India’ organization involved less than 300
voters; the other one has not had an election for over 6 yrs! Individual egos come in the
way of extending cooperation to each other even as the cause is common!
One question many of us fail to ask ourselves is,” Is the Muslim Community of Kashmir
willing to have KPs back? If yes, then at what cost? They want us back as tourists who
come to spend their hard earned money out of emotion and nostalgia to enrich them?
They wish to allow us back as second class citizens in an Islamized Society? In a recent
family function at Bangalore I got a chance to interact with a relative who belongs to Vill
Tahab in Pulwama Distt. He has been doing some business in Kashmir though his family
still lives in Muthi, Jammu. I questioned him about ‘normalcy’ in Kashmir – his reply was
quite candid,” I cannot, at this stage, think of carrying my family to my village. No matter
what the politicians say, common man on the street is not ready to share benefits of
‘liberalization’ and massive infrastructure development courtesy Govt of India!” Kashmiri
Muslims never had it this good since 1947! Their children are studying at virtually every
college/ facility across India. Look at the number of KM ‘students’ studying medical
sciences in Bangladesh (even Pakistan) and Iran. Where from does this massive money to
finance such education come from? As on date, there are eight institutions in Kashmir
valley (Jammu has only five) teaching medical sciences and the students mostly are
Muslim (95%?). Compare this with the situation till The atmosphere in all educational
institutions is Islamic – from the dress code for women to offering namaz ‘on campus’! So
is the atmosphere in offices and other institutions! Let us not forget that every political
rally in Kashmir starts with the Islamic rallying cry,” Nara-e-Takbeer..”!
Therefore, return to the valley that has been Islamised and radicalized needs caution;
socio-political atmosphere in 2026 is vastly different from the atmosphere of 1960s. The
era of peaceful co-existence in mixed community lanes and clusters is dead and gone; the
area where I was born in downtown Srinagar(Alikadal-Kawdor) had approximately 95%
Muslim population with a sprinkling of Hindu homes, yet we lived in relative peace with
our neighbours. Living in such mixed population areas is no longer a possibility, given the
extensive radicalization of Kashmiri Muslim society. Several KP organizations have been
demanding creation of a ‘safe zone’ in South Kashmir where KPs can be resettled – the
local Muslim populace, obviously is ‘suspicious’ of any such move!
World geopolitics is seeing a major churn currently and the global reset is likely over next
5 years! Pakistan, the fountainhead of Islamist Jihad in the subcontinent could face a real
threat of dismemberment in the 2027-2032 period – portents are ominous, given the
uprising in Baluchistan and the restive Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions. The Pakistan
controlled POJK and Gilgit Baltistan too appear to be brimming with discontent. Pakistan is likely to face balkanization and dismemberment. Indian establishment is currently more
interested in reclaiming Gilgit Baltistan which has immense strategic value and has low
population, mostly Shia. Muzaffarabad – Rawlakot – and other parts of Poonch, Mirpur
areas of POJK have a 100% Sunni population who, unfortunately, are radicalized and
armed. Adding another 45L radicalized people to our J&K appears to be a daunting
prospect.
Kashmir, I feel is likely to face a serious meltdown once Pakistan disintegrates. Those of
us old enough to remember post 1971 Kashmir, shall recall that even the tallest KM leader,
Sheikh Abdullah, was forced to moderate his demand for plebiscite and start negotiations
with Govt of India, finally accepting the post of Chief Minister against his previous
designation of Prime Minister! Pakistan has been the fountainhead of mischief in Kashmir,
an ideological inspiration, a sanctuary, a source of arms and financial help for Kashmiri
Muslim organizations. Once the root starts rotting, the branches shall wither away.
Financial help from the Gulf, Iran and KSA too is being monitored and controlled. That
shall be the time for KPs to make their return to the blessed valley! KPs should therefore
not be in a hurry. God willing, we shall go back but only after the snake has been defanged.
With the dismemberment of Pakistan, our radicalized KM population shall find itself
orphaned.
Over the last 36 years, the number of KP organizations has multiplied, each one claiming
to be the ‘real representative’ of this unfortunate, leaderless community. Certain
organizations have suffered multiple splits like political parties of India, each faction
claiming to be the ‘real’ one! The latest divisions in our ranks include the Jammu vs Delhi/
abroad based KPs, Rural vs city based KPs, Jagti vs elsewhere based KPs. The day might
not be far away when KPs from different tehsils and districts of Kashmir shall demand their
own separate identity! I recall the immortal words attributed to Lal Dyed: सअरिय वोथ हयन्,
अक्सयय िाय़ि लम्हन , आध्क्याय़ि िाव्हें दहन् गाव ! Loosely translated: “How desirable it would be if
all concerned would get together, pull the rope in one direction! Had that happened, the
cow would not have gone missing despite ten persons claiming to guard it”!
Be that as it may, KP community has survived 7 exoduses since the 14 th century, mostly
without decisive leaders like Pt Birbal Dhar and more recently, Pt AN Vaishnavi. The way
we marginalized and ignored Pt Tara Chand (Kashyap Bandhu, March 1899 – December
1985), the only revolutionary Hindu social reformer Kashmir produced in last 150 years,
speaks volumes about our penchant for dissent, inability to tame our individual egos and
ambitions and failure to accept a person as our leader! So, it appears it is only the ‘Hand
of God’, (as claimed by Moses before the Red Sea crossing, not Diego Maradona’s infamous
comment) that is guiding our KP community! That Hand of God alone shall see us return
to our homeland – the Jews waited for 440 years before God led them into their Land of
Milk and Honey –Palestine! We too can wait a little longer!
Sanjeev Munshi 9099188501
sanjeevmunshi@hotmail.com Bangalore, June 2
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
For a long time, I was thinking of going to Shirdi for Sai Baba Temple Darshan, and after 4 years of yes and no, we were ready to head towards this most-awaited journey in our Bolero B6 Optional model.
Our journey started from Kokapet, Hyderabad, and we headed towards the ORR road in Hyderabad, which was taking us towards the Mumbai Highway. Although not sure which exit I took, it was way before the Nagpur exit, so around 25 km we traveled on the ORR road.
The road was good, but when we exited Telangana, we observed some bad patches in between. Although this route has a good number of dhabas and restaurants, unlike the Hyderabad to Nagpur route, which seems to have somewhat limited options.
Having said that, we took our breakfast stop at Gurdeep Dhaba, which was just amazing in terms of food. We had Aloo-Pyaz Paranthas and Tea. Food was tasty, and this dhaba also had some area where children could spend some time exploring nature. Not any play areas, but a small ground which one can use to engage small kids, as I was traveling with my 1.7-year-old daughter.
While traveling on this route, we got to know that Tuljapur is also nearby and Tulja Bhawani Temple is just 4 km from the highway, so we thought of visiting there. Although we were able to do darshan, I would not recommend anyone to do this because it takes time at Tulja Bhawani Temple, and you need one full day for darshan.
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
Today marks the 7th anniversary of the abrogation of Article 370—a historic decision that paved the way for the full constitutional integration of Jammu & Kashmir with the rest of India. It has accelerated infrastructure development, strengthened governance, and extended constitutional rights and safeguards to all sections of society.
However, for the displaced Kashmiri Hindus, one cherished promise still remains unfulfilled. Even after seven years, they continue to wait for their dignified and permanent rehabilitation in the Kashmir Valley, as envisioned in the 2014 election manifesto of the present dispensation.
The true success of this historic decision will be complete only when the indigenous displaced Kashmiri Hindu community is able to return to its homeland with dignity, security, and honour. We hope that this long-pending national commitment will now receive the priority it deserves.
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
Shishir Sankrant (Makar Sankranti )is one of the rare festivals of India that transcends region, language, and sect. Rooted in astronomy and the solar calendar, it marks a cosmic turning point—the moment when the Sun (Surya) leaves the southern celestial hemisphere (Dakshinayan) and begins its northward journey (Uttarayan).
This transition symbolizes light over darkness, warmth over cold, and hope over inertia. Unlike most Hindu festivals, it is not governed by the lunar calendar and therefore retains a fixed solar significance across centuries.
Many Names, One Spirit Across India, Makar Sankranti is celebrated under diverse names, reflecting local cultures while sharing a common spiritual core:
North India (Jammu, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana): Lohri
Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, parts of Jharkhand: Khichdi Parv or Sankrant (marked by holy dips and charity)
West Bengal: Poush Sankranti
Assam: Magh Bihu Odisha: Makara Sankranti (with special Makara Chaula)
Gujarat: Uttarayan (world-famous kite festival)
Maharashtra: Makar Sankrant (til-gul and social harmony)
Andhra Pradesh & Telangana: Pedda Panduga
Tamil Nadu: Thai Pongal
Karnataka: Suggi or Makara Sankranti
Kerala: Makara Vilakku (associated with Sabarimala)
Each region interprets the Sun’s transition through its own ecological, agrarian, and cultural lens.
The Journey of the Sun At the heart of Makar Sankranti lies the Sun’s ingress into the zodiac sign of Makara (Capricorn).
Symbolically, Surya Dev begins his ascent toward the northern hemisphere—Uttarayan—considered auspicious in Hindu philosophy. This shift is associated with longer days, agricultural renewal, and spiritual awakening. Scriptures regard this period as especially meritorious for daan (charity), snan (holy bathing), and remembrance of ancestors.
A Distinct Sacred Identity In the Kashmir Valley, this sacred solar transition is known as Shishir Sankrant—a name that beautifully reflects the deep winter (Shishir Ritu) of the Himalayan land. While the outer climate is harsh and frozen, the inner spiritual life of Kashmiri Hindus becomes profoundly reflective and ancestral.
Holy Dip in Vitasta (Jhelum) Just as the Ganga holds sanctity in the plains, Vitasta (Jhelum) is the lifeline and sacred river of Kashmir. On Shishir Sankrant, Kashmiri Pandits traditionally performed ritual ablutions, often at riverbanks, tirthas, and sangams, seeking purification and spiritual merit—echoing the practices of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, yet deeply localized in Kashmiri geography. Ancestor Remembrance and Sacred Pilgrimage
A defining feature of Shishir Sankrant in Kashmiri Hindu culture is its strong Pitru-centric (ancestor-oriented) dimension. Kashmiri Pandits remembered their mortal ancestors, offering tarpan and prayers for the peace of departed souls.
Sacred sites such as Martand (Mattan)—the ancient Sun Temple complex—and other river confluences (sangams) were traditionally visited for these rites. This observance reinforced the unbroken bond between the living and the ancestral lineage, a cornerstone of Kashmiri Pandit spiritual ethos.
On this day, a new Kangri (the traditional earthen fire pot) was respectfully offered to one's Brahmin along with essential provisions.
The offering was also imbued with the deeper meaning of honouring “left-out souls, those departed ancestors who may not have received due rites earlier. This custom, found only in Kashmir, reflects the valley’s refined synthesis of ritual, climate, and philosophy—where even survival tools become sacred symbols. Cultural Memory and Collective Identity Shishir Sankrant was not merely a date on the calendar; it was a civilizational pause—a moment of remembrance, humility, and renewal.
Families gathered, elders narrated ancestral histories, and children absorbed traditions that linked them to land, river, temple, and lineage. For the Kashmiri Pandit community, especially in the context of displacement and exile, Shishir Sankrant stands today as a powerful cultural memory—a reminder of rootedness in Vitasta, Martand, Sharda, and the timeless rhythm of the Sun over Kashmir.
Shishir Sankrant—When the Sun Turns North, and Memory Turns Home While Makar Sankranti unites India under the Sun’s northward march, Shishir Sankrant gives this cosmic event a uniquely Kashmiri soul. It blends astronomy with ancestry, winter with warmth, and ritual with remembrance.
In celebrating Shishir Sankrant, Kashmiri Pandits affirm not just a festival, but an identity—resilient, ancient, and luminous, like the Sun itself returning northward over the snow-clad valley. Orzoo te Dorkoth.
by Author: Yekjah • 5
by Author: Suniel Kumar Dhar • 5
by Author: Mithlesh Dhar • 5
Shravan Poornamashi — A Festival of Faith, Memory and a Lost Way of Life
Today, on the sacred occasion of Shravan Poornamashi, the hearts of Kashmiri Hindus inevitably turn towards the Valley and towards those cherished traditions that once formed an inseparable part of our lives. This day has a profound religious and cultural significance for our community. It is the day when the holy Chhari (छड़ी) Yatra reaches the sacred cave of Amarnath, bringing the annual pilgrimage and darshan of the holy Amarnath Shivlingam to its traditional conclusion. It is also celebrated as Raksha Bandhan, symbolising the sacred bond of love and protection between a sister and her brother.
For Kashmiri Hindus, however, Shravan Poornamashi carried a much deeper significance.
Rooted in our ancient Kashmiri Shaiva traditions, it was observed with devotion, elaborate rituals and a spiritual atmosphere that is difficult to recreate today. I still remember those days of my childhood when Shravan Poornamashi was eagerly awaited, just as we looked forward to Janmashtami, Diwali and, above all, Maha Shivratri, which occupies a place of unparalleled importance in Kashmiri Hindu tradition.
On Shravan Poornamashi, we would visit the ancient temple of Lord Shiva on Shankaracharya Hill, overlooking the beautiful Dal Lake, to participate in the festivities.
On our way back, we would carefully bring home the sacred mitti (soil) of the hill. That holy earth was then used to prepare Partheshwar(पार्थिव श्रोर), representing the Shivlingam of Lord Shiva. For us as children, these were not merely rituals; they were moments of wonder, devotion and belonging—memories that remain etched in the heart even after decades.
Another important part of the day was the traditional puja-archana performed by our Kulguru in our homes. The rituals, conducted according to our reeti and riwaj, would often continue for two or three hours. The entire family participated with deep devotion. A similar elaborate puja was performed on Janmashtami as well, again with the guidance and presence of our Kulguru. These were not simply religious ceremonies; they were the living threads that connected one generation to another and preserved our identity, faith and cultural continuity.
Then came 1990, and everything changed.
Displacement did not merely take away our homes, land, temples and possessions. It uprooted a way of life. We left the Valley with whatever we could carry, leaving behind our movable and immovable property and, in many cases, generations of memories. We had to begin our lives all over again, almost from zero. In those difficult years of uncertainty, survival itself became the priority. Naturally, many of the elaborate traditions and rituals that had once been an integral part of our homes gradually disappeared.
Today, when Shravan Poornamashi comes, we remember those days with a strange mixture of devotion, nostalgia and pain. How many of our families are still able to celebrate this sacred day in their homes in the same manner as our parents and grandparents did in Kashmir? Perhaps only a small number. There are still some families who, despite all odds, have preserved these traditions within closely knit family circles. But their numbers are sadly diminishing.
This is perhaps the most painful dimension of our displacement. We did not lose only our houses; we lost the living environment in which our culture breathed. We did not merely leave behind places—we left behind a civilisational way of life, rituals, festivals, temples, neighbourhoods and countless traditions that had been transmitted from generation to generation.
On this Shravan Poornamashi, therefore, our memories return to that Kashmir which once nurtured us. We remember the temples, the sacred soil of Shankaracharya Hill, the Shivlingams made by our own hands, the long pujas performed by our Kulgurus, the fragrance of incense, the prayers of our elders and the innocent excitement of childhood.
We yearn for those days—not merely as memories of a beautiful past, but as a reminder of what was taken away from us and what we still wish to preserve and reclaim.
As the holy Chhari reaches Amarnath today, may Lord Shiva bless our community with strength, wisdom and unity. May He protect our traditions from disappearing into the pages of history and, above all, may He illuminate the path for the dignified return and permanent rehabilitation of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit Community in its ancestral homeland.
Om Namah Shivaya.
Har Har Mahadev.
May our faith survive, may our traditions live, and may the sacred bond with our homeland never be broken.
by Author: Yekjah • 5
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