In Kashmir, each year an entire village unites to clean a historic water spring

Villagers catch fish with willow wicker baskets during a festival in Panzath Nag, a spring near Qazigund, district Kulgam, some 75 km south of Srinagar | Photo Credit: Umaisar Gull

In the quaint village of Panzath in Qazigund, about 75 km south of Srinagar, residents on Sunday waded through the glossy waters of Panzath Nag — a sprawling spring from which the village derives its name — to keep alive a centuries-old tradition of cleaning the water body.

The age-old practice drew national attention in 2023 after Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned it in his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat.

Every May, villagers gather at the spring to clean the water body and catch fish as part of a community festival passed down through generations. Uniquely, the festival blends environmental conservation, community fishing, ancestral remembrance and cultural celebration into a single collective tradition centred around the spring.

Blossom tribute

The event coincides with the season’s first blossoms, which residents collect from orchards and place on the graves of those who recently died. Locals believe the fresh flowers bring peace and comfort to departed souls.

“The tradition traces its roots to the Mughal era,” said a local resident.

Since early morning on Sunday, men, women and children carrying wicker baskets stepped into the shallow waters, removing weeds and waste while trying to catch fish by hand. Laughter, prayers and even folk songs echoed around the spring as families participated in the annual ritual.

“It is a unique practice of cleaning the water body in this area. You will see almost every community member participating in it,” said Bilal Ahmad, another resident. “People wait for this day every year as it brings the entire community together to clean the spring and celebrate our traditions,” he added.

The spring is formed by nearly 500 smaller springs and supplies water to more than 45 villages besides irrigating vast stretches of paddy fields in Anantnag district.

Locals say the festival is not only about preserving tradition, but also about protecting a vital source of water for the region.

Published on May 17, 2026