The Festival That Heals Water

Each year, the people of Panzath in South Kashmir wade into their sacred spring. Not just to fish, but to restore their ecosystem, remember their ancestors and pass on centuries-old wisdom.

- Dr. Masoon A. Beig

The sun was already hot by the time the villagers began to gather. It was a Sunday morning in mid-May, and the spring water shimmered under the sky in Panzath, a quiet village tucked into the hills of South Kashmir. But the heat didn't matter. People were here for something that goes far beyond tradition.

Every year, around this time, Panzath comes alive with a rare blend of celebration, community labour and spiritual reflection. It’s called the Panzath Fish-cum-Dredging Festival, and for the locals, it's much more than a day of fishing. It's about caring for the earth and for each other.

They begin at the Panzathnag spring, a freshwater source that has fed the region for centuries. Men, teenagers, even small children, roll up their sleeves and step into the cold water. There are no machines. No loudspeakers. No formal uniforms or rules. Just hands, nets, and baskets.

The fishing is only half the job. With each movement, participants also clear silt, weeds and trash from the water. The effort helps keep the spring flowing smoothly and keeps the aquatic ecosystem alive.

Plastic waste and dead leaves are scooped out, while small fish dart between ankles. There's a rhythm to the activity: a music made of splashes, laughter and the rustle of moving hands.