SRINAGAR: In the scenic village of Panzath in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district, a centuries-old tradition continues to unite communities for environmental conservation to clean a natural spring named Panzath.
Every May, villagers from 45 surrounding communities gather at Panzath Nag, a vital spring that provides drinking water and irrigates paddy fields around 45 villages across south Kashmir’s Qazigund area, for a day-long cleaning and fish-catching festival.
According to some local residents, Panzath Nag has derived its name from the Kashmiri term “Paanch Hath” or “five hundred”; the spring once fed numerous smaller water sources in the region. Spread over 1.5 kilometres, it is not only a lifeline for agriculture but it also provides drinking water to many villages.
On Sunday, more than a thousand villagers waded into the muddy waters armed with wicker baskets and plastic containers to remove silt, weeds, and waste material that hinders water flow.
The activity, popularly known as the “fish festival”, also permits villagers to catch fish, though strictly within designated areas and using traditional methods such as wicker baskets and mosquito nets rather than modern fishing gear.
Catching fish is seen as an incentive for those cleaning the spring. “This tradition has survived for centuries. Our elders taught us about it, and we continue it with pride,” said Khurshid Ahmad Pandith, 55, who has participated since he was in Class Six.
“The main aim is to safeguard our natural water resources. Panzath Nag irrigates the fields of our village and about 45 adjoining villages. Cleaning it ensures water for all of us,” he said. Held on a Sunday to maximise participation, the annual fish festival is a rare occasion that blends ecological stewardship with social cohesion.
Villagers report that the effects of their labour are immediate: once the silt and weeds are removed, water levels rise and the spring regains its clarity and vitality. Mohammad Afzal, another local resident, emphasised the dual purpose of the festival. “This is not just fishing. By cleaning the spring, we improve water flow, restore its natural beauty, and maintain the health of this vital water body.”
“It also gives new life to aquatic life,” he said. Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has mentioned Panzath spring in his Mann Ki Baat.
An annual festival of cleaning water & catching fish
Every May, villagers from 45 surrounding communities gather at Panzath Nag, a vital spring that provides drinking water and irrigates paddy fields around 45 villages across south Kashmir’s Qazigund area, for a day-long cleaning and fish-catching festival.