Activists aghast over ‘exclusion’ of Nawroz from Jammu Kashmir public holidays

The exclusion of Nawroz from the record of public holidays just lately issued by the Jammu Kashmir administration has sparked discontent amongst varied segments of society.

Syed Karar Hashmi, a distinguished sociopolitical activist, expressed his disappointment over this choice, emphasizing Nawroz’s cultural significance and its position in fostering unity and camaraderie within the Valley.

In a press assertion, Hashmi highlighted Nawroz as a worthwhile element of the area’s cultural heritage, noting its inclusion within the “Worldwide Day of Nawroz” by the United Nations Basic Meeting in 2010.

He identified that Nawroz was inscribed on the Consultant Listing of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2009 and prolonged in 2016, as acknowledged by the 2003 Conference for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Nawroz, the Iranian or Persian New 12 months celebrated globally, holds specific significance in Jammu and Kashmir, the place it’s noticed with conventional fervor.

The pageant coincides with the spring equinox, sometimes occurring round March 21 on the Gregorian calendar.

The pageant’s cultural and non secular significance, significantly among the many Shia neighborhood in Kashmir, who rejoice it with enthusiasm as a logo of the arrival of the Spring season.

Regardless of the exclusion from the official record of public holidays, Nawroz continues to be a celebrated event within the area.

To mark the pageant, a large plantation drive has been initiated throughout the valley, with authorities planning to plant a considerable variety of saplings in instructional establishments and different areas. The continuing celebration underscores the enduring cultural and communal significance of Nawroz in Jammu and Kashmir.