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Navreh is the lunar New Year celebrated in Kashmir. The festival falls on the first day of the Chaitra Navratras which is the first day of the bright fortnight of the month of Chaitra. This day is also the first day of the Sapath Rishi Samvat.
The word 'Navreh' is derived from the Sanskrit word "Nav Varsha" meaning New Year. This year the festival is on 10th April.
On the previous day of the festival, the Kashmiri Pandits visit the sacred spring of Vichar Nag to take the holy dip to wash off all the impurities. After the dip, they take prasad. The prasad consists of round pieces of herb called Wye with homemade rice powder cakes. In Kashmir, people on 'Navreh' look at a bowl full of rice early in the morning as it symbolises riches and fertility and to have a plentiful future.
The pandit family's Kulguru gives a new Kashmiri almanac which is known as Nechi (Nakshatra) Patri. This almanac contains information like auspicious dates and times, other festival dates and other important religious information. A scroll called 'Creel pach' which has a photo of Goddess Sharika is also given.
In the evening, the housewife of the family prepares a big "Thali" (plate). The thali is filled and properly arranged with rice or paddy. On top are arranged the new almanac, kreel pach, dry flowers, fresh flowers, mirror, shelled & unshelled walnut, Wye herb, spouted grass, curds, pen, inkpot, cooked rice, roti, salt, gold and silver coins. This thali is covered by another plate and is kept aside till next morning. All the family members get new clothes to be worn on the New Year's day. This festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm by the Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir.
Navreh -- Celebrations
Navreh is a festival of gaiety and colour. It is celebrated with great enthusiasm by the Kashmiri Pandits. After the basic preparations on the eve of the New Year day, the next morning (on the New Year day), a boy or girl from a family takes the lid off the prepared thali. Then that person takes the thali first to the head of the family and then to others so that everyone can get a glimpse of all the things kept in the thali. The items in the thali signify a prayer for food, wealth and knowledge. In return, the person who is carrying the thali gets money as a gift from all the members who have seen the thali.
Then, every family member picks up a few walnuts from the thali and puts the coconut in the river. After bath, people wear new clothes and a new thread for the festive occasion. The Hindu Pandits then go to the temple. Offering of yellow rice is made to Goddess Sharika by the head of the family and then the remaining rice is distributed as prasad to all the other members of the family.
On this day, delicious Kashmiri dishes are prepared in all the houses. Relatives and friends are called for feast. People wish each other by saying "Navreh Mubarak". Youngsters receive gifts from elders. Newly wed brides are invited by their parents. They carry with them auspicious things like curd and sweets. In the evening, people go out for picnics.
Nav Durga Pooja also commences in Kashmir from this day. The 9th day of Navratras is known as Ramnavmi. During these days, thousands of people visit Vaishno Devi and other Devi shrines in Jammu and Kashmir. Some people keep a fast for nine days and sow barley and worship Durga and Dash Mahavidhya.
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