In south Kashmir village, a century-old ritual keeps dying springs alive

Panzath (Qazigund), May 17: Residents of Panzath village in south Kashmir’s Qazigund area in Anantnag district gathered on Sunday around a cluster of freshwater springs carrying wicker baskets, mosquito nets, and sacks to clear weeds and garbage from the water as part of a centuries-old community ritual held every May.

For generations, villagers have followed the tradition that blends celebration with conservation – cleaning the famed Panzath Nag springs while catching fish from its waters on the only day fishing is allowed there.

Locals say the practice is more than a century old.

The annual event coincides with Rohan Posh or Roshan Posh, a traditional Kashmiri fruit blossom festival associated with remembrance of the dead.

The event draws participants not only from Panzath but also from multiple villages across the Qazigund belt in Anantnag district, many of which depend on the springs for drinking water and irrigation.

As part of the observance, children visit graveyards before dusk carrying flowers mixed with rice to scatter over relatives’ graves – a practice believed to bring peace to departed souls.

Elders offer prayers and distribute home-baked chapatis among the children.

By the next morning, attention shifts to the springs.

“I vividly remember waking up early carrying a wicker basket and heading to the spring when I was in my teens,” said Abdul Salam, 68, a Panzath native who has participated in the annual ritual since childhood. “I grew up watching this tradition, and it continues even today.”

Known locally as Panzath Nag, the spring is believed to have given the village its name.

Residents say the term derives from Paanch Hath – Kashmiri for “five hundred” – because the spring once fed hundreds of smaller water sources, totalling nearly 500 springs in the area.

According to residents, nearly 45 villages in the Qazigund belt depend on the springs for drinking water, while its rivulet irrigates paddy fields downstream.

A government-run trout hatchery and fish sales centre nearby also rely on the spring’s perennial flow.

Residents say the springs have deteriorated over the years because of pollution, encroachments and unchecked weed growth.

During late summer, when water levels decline, aquatic weeds spread rapidly across the spring, restricting water flow.

“The fishing is secondary. The main purpose is to clean the spring so people continue to get water for drinking and irrigation,” Salam said.

Fishing is permitted only during the festival and within a 1-km radius of the spring.

For the rest of the year, the area remains out of bounds.

Participants do not use fishing rods or commercial nets.

Instead, men and children wade through the muddy water using wicker baskets and pieces of mosquito netting to scoop fish from shallow pools.

People unwilling to enter the water gather along the banks, cheering participants and waiting for a share of the catch.

Khurshid Chopan, 35, a resident of nearby Sonsu village who has participated in the ritual for more than a decade, said the springs have visibly shrunk during his lifetime.

“Earlier the water was crystal clear and the springs looked breathtaking,” Chopan said. “Now they have lost their sheen and shrunk considerably. Pollution and encroachments have made things worse.”

He said the effects of the annual cleanup become visible soon after weeds are removed.

“The water level starts improving once the cleaning is done,” he said.

Gul Muhamad Wani, a Political science Professor and a native of Panzath, said the tradition likely predates the Dogra era and may trace its origins to Mughal times.

“The Mughal rulers left their footprints on almost every major spring in Kashmir-whether at Verinag, Achabal garden or Lukbhawan springs,” Wani said. “Panzath somehow may have escaped their attention, but the structure of these interconnected springs suggests the tradition is centuries old and dates back to the Mughal era.”

Wani said the annual exercise has evolved into a community-led conservation effort at a time when many springs and other water bodies across Kashmir are under stress.

“Earlier people saw it only as a festival, but now they realise it is much more than that,” he said. “In times of pollution, climate change and shrinking resources, the government alone cannot reach everywhere. This has become a collective initiative of several villages to preserve a shared water source.”

He said villagers are now planning to make the cleanup a twice-a-year exercise to better protect the springs that supply drinking water and irrigate agricultural land across the area.

Wani also attributed excessive algae and weed growth to exposed water pipes laid across sections of the springs.

“Besides giving a shabby appearance, these pipes contribute to algal bloom and weed growth,” he said, urging authorities to shift the pipes underground.

Although the Verinag Development Authority (VDA) took over Panzath three years ago, residents report little infrastructure development to attract tourists.

“So far only a park has been created along the banks of the spring,” the villagers said.

Wani said the springs had the potential to emerge as a tourist destination comparable to Kashmir’s better-known spring resorts if conservation efforts and infrastructure were improved.

“The government should construct a few huts here for visitors,” he said. “This place can easily be brought onto Kashmir’s tourism map.”

Locals are also seeking support for private trout farming units to revive livelihoods linked to the village’s traditional fishing community.

“We hope the Fisheries Department supports private trout farming to strengthen the local economy,” said Ali Muhamad Shah, 61, a resident of the village.

The Fisheries Department already operates a trout hatchery in Panzath, which is among the region’s largest in seed production.