Panzath festival – a centuries-old tradition keeps 500 springs pristine and flourishing

Anantnag, June 01: An annual traditional festival was celebrated in Panzath village, located in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, with the aim of keeping the renowned 500 springs free of weeds and pollution.
Panzath Nag, a lesser-known tourist spot near the entrance of Kashmir, is just a five-minute drive from Qazigund on the national highway. The name “Panzath Nag” is derived from the combination of two words: “Panzath” meaning five hundred and “Nag” meaning spring.
The festival takes place each year on the day of “Rohan Posh” during which flower petals are sprinkled over graves. On the same day, residents from several villages gather together with wooden baskets to clean the springs in Panzath, removing weeds and other impurities from the water bodies.
Umaisar Gull, a local, explained that the event serves the dual purpose of maintaining the cleanliness of the water bodies while also providing people with the opportunity to fish in the same water bodies.
“This centuries-old custom in this hamlet serves as a source of irrigation and drinking water for around 20 settlements located downstream from Panzath Nag. People from far-off areas join the villagers in this festival on the scheduled date set by the local Auqaf,” he said.
The festival has garnered significant attention, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi acknowledging the efforts of the Panzath residents in preserving their water bodies during an episode in January of this year.
“On a festival day, residents of Kashmir’s Panzath devote an entire day to cleaning the area’s water bodies,” PM Modi said.
According to a local Auqaf member, Panzath Nag comprises a series of 500 springs that converge into a single river, flowing through the hamlet and irrigating hundreds of Kanals of land.
“The festival benefits us in multiple ways. Firstly, the water flows more smoothly as weeds and pollutants that accumulate throughout the year are removed. Secondly, people can engage in fishing, and with the springs cleaned, the areas that depend on these water sources receive clean drinking water throughout the year,” he explained.