It is not Maharashtra but Kashmir where a historic revival of tradition was witnessed on Ganesh Chaturthi, as Kashmiri Pandits gathered on the banks of the Jhelum River in Srinagar, traditionally known as Vyeth or Vyethasath, for Ganesh Visarjan.
“Today is a very important day. Today is the immersion for two of those places — Vesu Kulgam and Indranagar, while Ganpatyar’s is on Sunday,” Bhan said. “Today, after five days, worship and a havan took place here, and thousands of people have visited over the past five days. “Today, we have the visarjan (immersion) of Ganpati Bappa. Today, we pass this on to our children to ensure its continuity, telling them, ‘This is what you must do, just as I do, and after me, you must take this forward and keep it going’. “The same sense of brotherhood is visible here today, standing shoulder-to-shoulder.
Despite several terror threats, devotees thronged the streets with hymns and devotional songs, celebrating the occasion with spiritual fervour and reconnecting with their cultural roots. The ceremony was held after five days of prayers and puja at the Shri Siddheshwar Mahadev Temple. A procession was organised from the temple to the Jhelum River, creating a scene of brotherhood as Kashmiri Pandits from across the country took part in the Ganesh Visarjan. Hundreds of Kashmiri Muslims also joined the procession and accompanied the devotees to the riverbank, where the immersion ceremony was performed. Five days ago, we installed idols of Lord Ganesha at three places in Ganpatyar, Indranagar and Vesu in South Kashmir. “I believe that over the last three years, this has transformed into a joyful environment. Bhan added that the festival had received support particularly from people in the Hindu and Kashmiri Pandit communities. “With that same prayer, we performed the immersion here. We prayed that the brotherhood we have here in Jammu and Kashmir continues to remain intact,” Bhan added. He also extended wishes for Ganesh Chaturthi and expressed hope that difficulties faced by people would ease in the coming days. “This is our tradition, passed down for centuries by our ancestors who showed and taught it to us. Nana Ji also spoke about the participation of people from different communities.
He said another Ganpati Visarjan ceremony would be held at Ganpatyar on September 20.
Mohit Bhan, one of the organisers, said the festival had brought people from different communities together. He said the three management committees organised the festival with the cooperation of the historical Bhau Saheb Ranga Reddy Trust and Shri Puneet Balan. People from all walks of brotherhood, whether they are Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs or Christians, everyone comes here and contributes in their own way, meets one another,” he said. They prayed that whatever troubles exist in Jammu and Kashmir for people of any class, whether Hindu, Muslim, Sikh or Christian, whatever difficulties are in their lives, Lord Ganesha removes them,” he said. He said the participation of people from different communities reflected the sense of togetherness in Jammu and Kashmir. “The attempts that are being made somewhere to create rifts, and the way Hindus, Muslims and all people have stepped forward and stood together with each other, shows that Jammu and Kashmir has always been a state that lives in and follows a secular environment, and the people here strongly believe in it,” Bhan said. Nana Ji, a devotee who took part in the ceremony, said the immersion was part of a tradition passed down through generations. The residents of Indranagar have organised it, and those who are part of the PM package are here,” he said. He said the tradition was being passed on to younger generations. This tradition must continue,” Nana Ji said. As I have said before, a Kashmiri Pandit is incomplete without a Kashmiri Muslim, and a Kashmiri Muslim is incomplete without a Kashmiri Pandit, and this tradition will continue, Inshallah,” he said.
“Today, as we go to perform the visarjan, Kashmiri Muslims also accompany us. A similar atmosphere was witnessed in Kashmir today, with chants of Lord Ganesha echoing through the streets from Sonwar to the Jhelum in Srinagar. This demonstrates that everything is completely normal here and there is no threat. There is nothing to fear until our dying breath,” he added. He also expressed hope that Kashmiri Pandits would return to their homeland. “I only pray to Lord Ganesh that Kashmiri Pandits return as soon as possible to their birthplace, to their homeland. The ceremony was attended mostly by Kashmiri Pandits who had migrated from Kashmir three decades ago. Their children, who had grown up hearing about the traditions and conditions of Kashmir, also witnessed the ceremony and expressed delight at seeing the atmosphere. The Ganesh Visarjan ceremony thus brought back memories of a shared cultural tradition and Hindu-Muslim participation on the banks of the Jhelum, as devotees celebrated Ganesh Chaturthi and performed the immersion after five days of worship. Available next action: Create a downloadable DOCX file here in this chat containing the editable prose above
The gathering evoked memories of the period around 35 years ago, when thousands of Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims would participate in Ganesh Visarjan on the banks of the Jhelum River in keeping with Hindu tradition.
“Many try to sow discord, but they cannot succeed because we are one; we are united here, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian; this is our brotherhood, what else is it?” he said. This is my only prayer,” Nana Ji said.
