Jammu: Members of the Kashmiri Pandit community have expressed their intent to celebrate Navreh in the Kashmir Valley from next year, describing the move as a step toward reconnecting with their ancestral homeland.
Navreh, marking the first day of the month of Chaitra in the traditional calendar, holds deep cultural and religious importance and is dedicated to Goddess Sharika. This year, the festival will be observed on March 19, with celebrations taking place across Jammu, other parts of India and among the global diaspora.
Scholar and convenor Kashi Nath Pandita said the festival represents a broader aspiration of return and cultural revival. He noted that displaced families have collectively reaffirmed their commitment to observe the occasion in Kashmir in the coming year.
The celebrations will also include Shaurya Divas on March 20, commemorating the legacy of Lalitaditya Muktapida, along with cultural programmes and discussions highlighting the region’s heritage.
Co-convenor Brij Lal Bhat emphasised that the initiative reflects a desire to preserve traditions while strengthening community identity. Meanwhile, representatives of the organising committee said the festival continues to serve as a platform for cultural expression and collective memory.
Having celebrated Navreh outside the Valley for decades following migration in the early 1990s, the community sees the planned return as both symbolic and aspirational, signalling a renewed connection with its historical roots.