‘In the Himalyan valley of Kashmir, located at 5,000 feet above the sea level, Kashmiri Pandits would celebrate this day as ‘Herath’. This day is the most significant day in the traditional Kashmiri Pandit calendar. The day would be invariably marked by a heavy snowfall. This year also, it has snowed in the valley of Kashmir. In the plains of India, the festival is called Shivratri, which will be celebrated tomorrow, but not in the same manner as Kashmiri Pandits would do in Kashmir.
In terms of traditional excitement, preparation during the weeks leading up to this day and the celebrations on this day, and over the next couple of days, Herath may be comparable to other festivals, such as Deepawali (or Diwali) in India and in the Hindu world, Christmas in the western world and Eid in the Islamic world.
In Kashmir, the weeks leading up to this day would witness great excitement in every Pandit household – abuzz with numerous activities – full cleaning of the house; buying new clothes for each member of the family; stock all provisions for this day (due to usually heavy snowfalls and inclement weather during the Kashmir winter); undertake lots of cooking of traditional Pandit food – especially fresh fish from the rivers and lakes of Kashmir; offer traditional ritualistic prayers on this day and through the following night – to celebrate the marriage of Shiva with Shakti; and indulge in full celebrations the next day (called Salaam) – wear new clothes, eat a rich Kashmiri food, play with sea shells, exchange greetings within the community and with Muslim friends and neighbours. The day would help to strengthen the bond between Kashmiri Pandits and Kashmiri Muslims. Kashmir would be alive with positive sentiments on all sides. Elders would give many gifts to younger people, including cash (called Herarth Kharich).
Unfortunately, after their exodus from the valley in 1990, celebrations of this day have dwindled gradually over time. In India, other Indian festivals – Deepawali, Holi, Lori etc. – have gained much more prominence in the Pandit homes. The 1990 exodus also replaced the traditional joint families with small nuclear families, scattered around, which took away the traditional excitement and teamwork between the family members.
In Kashmir, there used be a 2-day public holiday for this festival, but no such holiday exists elsewhere in the world. In the Islamic world, can a Muslim imagine going to work on the Eid day? In the Christian world, can a Christian imagine going to work on the Christmas day? But that is exactly what has happened to Kashmiri Pandits; they have no holiday to celebrate this day outside Kashmir. One can imagine their mental suffering, which is a very heartrending matter for the author. It is heartbreaking to see the traditional Kashmiri Pandit culture and identity gradually disappearing before our very eyes.
An appeal to Pandits: If you can’t do anything to celebrate this day as your ancestors did – because you are busy or you have any other excuse – at least please sit down as a family this evening and narrate the story of this day to your children – about its significance and how it would be celebrated by our ancestors – and refresh your own memories of your childhood. At least, you can do this one thing for your ancestors, you owe it to them; they suffered over centuries to remain Pandits, endured immense hardship to preserve their identity and culture. It is just a story that you need to tell. That is what Pandits will become one day – a story, lost in the history … Hearth Mubarak!’ … Bill K Koul