SSK observes ‘Shaurya Diwas’ with traditional gaiety
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 10: Maintaining that there is a sea change in the ground situation in Kashmir from last around a decade, Sah Sarkaryavah Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Dr Krishan Gopal today said the time is now ripe to celebrate religious festivals in the Valley.
Addressing Kashmiri Pandits across the globe while celebrating ‘Shaurya Diwas/ Vijay Diwas’ as part of three-day Navreh celebrations, organised by Sanjeevani Sharda Kendra Bohri, Jammu virtually this evening, Dr Gopal said various exoduses were faced by Kashmiri Pandits from time to time during last 700 years and the last one was in 1989-90. He said that there was discernible change in the ground situation of Kashmir and the time was ripe now for Kashmiri Pandits to celebrate religious festivals in the Valley.
The said despite facing atrocities inflicted by the brutal rulers from time to time and last one due to result of Pakistan sponsored terrorism , Kashmiri Pandits have always emerged winners by preserving language, art, rituals, culture, customs and what not, besides showing perseverance and patience.
Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp
“Now, the KPs are visiting the Valley freely and some have settled there again. It brings one ecstatic feeling to see religious festivals being celebrated across almost all the religious places in the Valley,” the RSS leader maintained.
He said that the damaged temples, shrines and other allied religious places by the separatists, have now been renovated and the celebration of this year’s Navreh across every nook and corner of the Valley was a testament to the change in situation.
While deliberating on the spirituality and sanctity of ‘Navreh Thali’ Dr Krishan Gopal said that Thali Ka Prashad was like Paramatama Ka Prashad for all the Kashmiri Pandits. He further said today’s Navreh was more significant because it was the first day of Sapatrishi Samvat 5100.
Earlier, Chairman Sanjeevani Sharda Kendra, MK Bharat presented a welcome address and spoke on the significance of the Navreh festival celebrated by Kashmiri Pandits in unique way. He gave a detailed presentation over the philosophy behind the three-day celebration of Navreh Festival.
It may be recalled that on the first Navratra which is called Navreh in Kashmiri Parlance, the first day of Sapatrishi Samvat as per Sapatrishi calendar the oldest Hindu calendar, yesterday on the Sankalap Divas, a solemn pledge was taken by the, members of the community early in the morning to celebrate the next Navreh in Kashmir, the land of Kashyap.
Hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits celebrated the festival at various religious places in Kashmir, Jammu, Delhi, Pune, Mumbai, Bengaluru, besides other parts of the country and abroad too.
While Navreh is celebrated as first day of new calendar, one day prior to it was observed as a day in the honour of Shriya Bhat, an Ayurvedic doctor in medieval Kashmir who with his intelligence and courage motivated the then King of Kashmir Budsah to bring all Pandits back who were forced to leave the Valley due to the atrocities of his tyrant father Sikander Butshikan.
The second Navratra is observed in memory of great King and warrior of Kashmir Lalataditya who defeated Turks and had extended his Kingdom up to the Central Asia.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
