Basit Zargar/Srinagar

Carrying shallow wicker baskets in their hands, hundreds of villagers from Panzath village got into action as part of the annual village festival that promotes community's inviolvement in environmental protection in the Panzath village in Qazigund, south Kashmir.

They removed the silt, solid waste and also caught fish in the process to make it a fun exercise. By the end of the day, the spring Panzath Naag, that locals believe is fed by 500 springs, was clean and ready to accomodate more water from streams and aquifiers in the summer. 

Every year, villagers, along with residents from adjoining areas, step into the waters of Panzath Nag to clean the stream of weeds and other pollutants. The festival is also marked by traditional community fishing.

Villagers cleaning Panzath Naag

Bashir Ahmad, a resident, said the event aims to promote environmental conservation and maintain the cleanliness of the water body.

On Sunday, since morning, hundreds of men, women and children converged at the Nag. Soon they were wading through the spring, cleaning its waters, catching fish and sprucing up the surroundings.

After several hours of de-weeding and de-silting, the crystal-clear waters of the spring began flowing freely once again.

An aerial view of the cleaning and fishing festival

“At least 500 to 600 residents participated in the cleaning and fishing festival,” said Farooq Ahmad, another resident.

He added that the tradition, which has continued for centuries, brings the community together every year to preserve the spring and celebrate their cultural heritage.

“I have been taking part in this festival since childhood. I have heard from our elders that this practice has existed for generations,” said 70-year-old Ghulam Nabi of Panzath village.

The festival is usually held during the first week of May, but this year it was delayed due to inclement weather. “Frequent rains and the drop in temperature postponed the carnival,” another resident said.

The spring serves as a vital source of drinking water for more than two dozen villages and irrigates vast stretches of agricultural land in the region. According to officials, the spring discharges nearly 6,448 million litres of water per day and feeds at least eight water supply schemes.

A local showing his catch

“The spring is also an important source of trout fish. Last year, the water body produced fish worth Rs 18.50 lakh,” an official said. During the festival, villagers are allowed to fish within a designated area, while fishing remains prohibited for the rest of the year.

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The hamlet has been declared a tourist village and, a few years ago, the unique festival received a special mention in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s monthly radio programme, Mann Ki Baat.

Villagers catch fish using traditional willow wicker baskets during the annual fishing and spring-cleaning festival at Panzath Nag in South Kashmir’s Qazigund pic.twitter.com/uAhoUz9rFA

— Basit Zargar (باسط) (@basiitzargar) May 17, 2026