Long queues of devotees at the Shankaracharya Temple in Srinagar pray on ‘Herath’, the local name for Maha Shivratri, on Sunday, February 15, 2026. | Photo credit: Imran Nissar
Displaced Kashmiri Pandits fervently celebrated Herath on Sunday (Feb 15, 2026) as Muslims in Kashmir recalled fading memories of brotherhood and shared Hindu-Muslim practices that the 36-year-old conflict has engulfed in its aftermath.
Herath is the local lexicon for Maha Shivratri where, unlike the rest of the country, Pandits prepare mutton and fish dishes. For ages, the festival has fostered a bond between Muslims and Hindus, many of whom migrated to different parts of the country after militancy broke out in Kashmir in the 1990s.
“I remember at Herath our Pandit neighbors would give us dried walnuts instead of soaked ones and at Nowruz we would return the gesture with a nadra (lotus stalk). Such exchanges were more than tradition, they were silent symbols of shared culture and coexistence across religious boundaries,” said Masroor Ansari, a prominent Shia cleric and political leader.
The practice of sharing walnuts with Muslim neighbors on ‘Herath’ is rare in today’s Kashmir. However, older generations revere the practice, which saw a rare connection between the two faiths. Many have taken to social media platforms to share stories from the past.
“Herath Mubarak! Yesterday was Pooza. Today is Salam. Tomorrow ‘Vatuk Doen’ will be distributed. All Pandits, ask for what is needed. Since last year, I have started sharing it (soaked walnuts) with non-Kashmiris to showcase the distinctiveness of Kashmiri Pandits in a nutshell, literally and verbatim on J&K social media platform,” J&K Minister for Social Media J&K wrote.
There are many who are rejoicing and reliving the fast dying practice in Kashmir. “Today I had Pandit Herath’s Kashmiri feast after 32 years. Thank you Mohit Bhan for the wonderful hospitality and delicious food. It made me remember my friend Lalit Kumar Raina, Dimple to us, who invited me to this festival 35 years ago,” said Javed Dar, a noted photojournalist.
Another view of devotees in prayer queues at Shankaracharya Temple in Srinagar during Maha Shivratri celebrations on Sunday, February 15, 2026. | Photo credit: Imran Nissar
Meanwhile, Pandits who did not leave Kashmir thronged temples in Srinagar, including Hanuman Temple, Sharika Devi Temple and Shankaracharya Temple, to offer special prayers on the occasion.
J&K leaders including Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Peoples Democratic Party leader Mehboob Mufti and Chief Cleric of Kashmir Mirwaiz Umar Farooq among others greeted the community on the occasion.
“May this sacred festival bring peace, prosperity and strengthen the bonds of harmony and brotherhood across J&K,” Mr. Abdullah said.
Mirwaiz said such occasions remind us of the “shared values of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect and brotherhood that have long been an integral part of the religious and cultural ethos of Kashmir”.
Inam Un Nabi, Spokesperson of Awami Ittehad Party visited the Kashmiri Pandit Colonies in North Kashmir on the occasion. “Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims are each other’s heart and soul, bound by a shared culture, language and history. ‘Herath’ reflects the Kashmiri tradition of coexistence and mutual respect that persists despite hardships,” Mr Nabi said.
Published – 15 Feb 2026 19:19 IST