Gudi Padwa and Navreh: A Celebration of India’s Cultural Pluralism
The Maratha New Year Festival, Gudi Padwa, which is observed in Maharashtra and Goa, and the Kashmiri Pandits' New Year festival, Navreh, both demonstrate, honor, and symbolize India's rich cultural diversity and serve as a litmus test for the idea of India's unity and diversity. It was on Chaitra Shuklapaksha, Kashmiri Pandit community and Marathas of Maharashtra both celebrate the day with pomp and show. These communities both celebrate the new year day with zeal and jubilation, and it also shows how the Indian ethnicity or communities diversity on their New Year day celebrations in multiple ways which says volume about the significant and rich cultural diversity of India. That the Marahtas and Kashmiri Pandits celebrate their new year on the first day of Chaitra month of the Hindu Calendar is no accident. Gudi Padwa and Nevrah are spring festivals, and both communities will celebrate them joyously, flaring the gaiety of their spring. We should be proud of our manifold cultural diversity which sees many different communities celebrate their festivals including their new year occasion differently, and in accordance to their custom and tradition. In addition to the ceremonial mudra, we also have the ceremonial gathering in the street, the dance, and eating part.
One New Year, Many Traditions Across India
In Maharashtra, the first day of the waxing phase of the moon is called gudi paadwaa. The Konkani Hindus see this as sausara padavo or saurara padyo. The same day, is Ugadi for the Telugu Hindus, and from the Karnataka in Karnataka, it is Yugadi. The Sindhi celebrate the day as Cheti Chand, and is thought to be the day of Jhulelal. Offerings go out to Jhulelal and it is celebrated with foods like Tahiri-sweet rice, and with various preparations like sai bhaji. However, this is not the case for all of the Hindus and for much of the Hindu tradition practitioners in and near Gujarat, the new year coincides with the five day celebration festival of Diwali. For much of the rest of religions, the new year falls between the 13th and 15th of April in the Vaisakhi celebrations based on the Sun cycle in part of the Hindu lunisolar calendar, and is far and away most popular for not only Hindus visiting the Indian subcontinent but even for many Buddhists, and the Hindus of the south east Asia. The Gudi_Padwa, is the arrival of spring, and the time of the harvest of rabi crops.
Navreh: Preserving the Cultural Legacy of Kashmiri Pandits
However, the Hindu new year day is celebrated differently by various Hindu communities and in many ways this reflects the diversity and richness of the Indian culture. Kashmiri Pandits have culturally owned history of 5000 years secured and they too celebrate their festivals in their own ways following their tradition and custom. The Kashmiri Pandits celebrates their new year as Navrah and there is a way they observe and celebrate which reflects their cultural diversity and cultural ethos. On the evening of Amavasha of the first fortnight, the Kashmiri Pandits fill the rice in a plate called Thal and they keep some cooked rice, curd, milk, flowers, pen, KP Almanac called Janthri and some coins and walnuts in the thal and it is called Thal Barun and on the morning of first day of second fortnight of Chaitra the KP's have a glimpse of thal and start the days chorus. Kashmiri Pandits made yellow rice on this day and is served to all family members, keeping the tradition alive.
Navreh in Exile: Heritage Sustained Through Generations
In what is their 35th year of exile from the valley, the Kashmiri Pandits have celebrated their new year day Navreh with typical glee and enthusiasm and the Kashmiri Pandits are proud of their heritage and diversity of practices around celebrating their festivals despite their exile. The KP's are passing down their cultural heritage and pooled legacy for consumption by generations to come and they should be admired and respected for preserving and protecting their culture in the transitional time and situation they find them self in. Thus, the celebration of Gudi Padwa by the Maharashtrains and Navreh by the KPs, and also the celebration of the Hindu new year day on the same day by different Hindu communities also in different places in the country, and in different ways, represents the cultural diversity of India and also indicates the unity in diversity of India. Let us maintain the pristine and glory richness of our vibrant and rich culture.
Zangtre: A Cherished Kashmiri Pandit Spring Tradition
A very important and significant annual event for Kashmiri Pandits occurs on the occasion of Navreh when they visit gardens and enjoy the beauty of spring season. Even here in Jammu like we do on the third day of the second fortnight of the Hindu calendar month of Chaitra called Zanghtrey the housewives visit their ancestors maternal home and given a pack of salt, which is considered to be auspicious. The KPs also visit some gardens and parks and enjoyed the spring season here in jammu, the Bagwan Shri Gopinath Ashram Udhaywala observed and celebrates Zangtre, and the ladies were given the Athuroo and a packet of salt.
(Vivek Koul)
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