Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 18: Hundreds of men from Panzath and nearby villages in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district gathered today for the annual Panzath Fishing Festival, an event that merges traditional practices with environmental conservation efforts.
Held every spring, the festival involves manually cleaning the Panzath Nag, a cluster of around 500 freshwater springs spread over 1.5 kilometers. These springs provide drinking and irrigation water to more than 25 villages, including Vessu, Nussu, Bonigam, Babapora, Newa, Wanpora, and Panzath itself.
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Participants use wicker baskets and plastic containers instead of fishing rods, scooping out both fish and garbage. The collected waste is then disposed of on the banks. “We have observed this festival for decades. Our forefathers practiced it for centuries. The aim is not only to catch fish but to clean the springs,” a local said.
The festival also includes weeding and desilting of the springs to ensure uninterrupted water flow throughout the year. The locals said the springs are historically significant and are referenced in ancient texts such as the Nilamata Purana and Rajatarangini.
The locals urged the administration to declare Panzath a tourist destination, citing its proximity to the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway and the Nav Yug tunnel. “This place has potential. Tourism development could generate livelihoods and reduce unemployment,” another local said.
The locals hope that official recognition and promotion of the festival will not only preserve their cultural heritage but also improve the local economy through tourism.
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