JAMMU: Kashmiri Pandits have renewed their resolve to celebrate Navreh, the first day of the New Year according to the Kashmiri Hindu calendar, in the Valley from next year, terming it a symbolic step towards reconnecting with their ancestral homeland, community members said.

Navreh, which is celebrated by Kashmiri Pandits on the first day of the month of Chaitra, is traditionally dedicated to Goddess Sharika and marks the beginning of a new year in the Saptarshi calendar. The festival, which will be celebrated on March 19 this year, holds immense religious and cultural significance for the community.

“The Navreh Mahotsav is a poignant homecoming movement. The festival would be observed not only in Jammu, but in several cities across the country and abroad, reflecting widespread participation of the community,” Kashi Nath Pandita, scholar and convenor of the Navreh Mahotsav Aayojan Samiti-2026, told reporters here.