Basit Zargar/Srinagar
Herath, most important religious festival for Hindus of Kashmir, started today with people queuing up in large numbers for darshan of Lord Shiva at the iconic Shankaracharya temple in Srinagar since early morning.
A Kashmiri Hindu praying on Herath
Herath is a three-day festival for KashmiriPandits in which the families come together for elaborate prayers and celebrations.
People waiting for their turn to enter another Shiva temple in Srinagar
Every family has its specific traditions and rituals associated with Herath. Majority of them cook fish and mutton as against fasting on the day by Hindus across the world, and only a small section follow norms of strict vegetarian tradition.
Muslims of Kashmir have greeted the Kashmiri Pandits on the day evoking memories of the shared celebrations.
Former Chief Minister and Chief of National Conferene greeted the Kashmiri Pandits on Twitter:
For Kashmiri Pandits, the festival symbolises the unity of the Divinity and complementing nature of the Consciousness and feminine energy that together lead to creation. They soak walnuts as part of the Prayers and distribute the same as Prasada,
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