Herath Mubarakh! Shivratri and other festivals!

Prosperity and career at a  heavy price!

Activity to celebrate Shivratri would start a fortnight in advance.  In absence of washing machines and cooking gas, sawdust stoves were made operative to make chill cold water lukewarm. I used to get cow dung from Gashea-Guri Bahie. My elder brother Girdhari Lal and I used to give clay mixed with cow dung wash to the whole building including the two staircases. One corner of one of the three rooms was apportioned for the pooja.  It was separated from the rest by a carpet to curtain the rest. Fresh grass mat (Vaguvie) was spread to maintain sanctity of the apportioned area. Fisherman, vagvie walie and other hawkers had a brisk business. I still remember the shape of the fisherman with a fish tub with live fish in the tub calling “Gadea ma bi heive”. The fisherman was called upstairs and live fish @Rs.1 and two annas/seer was purchased with a small fish extra to oblige the youngest one in the family. Know not why his sincerity was doubted. His weights were checked and all around would keep a vigilant eye on lest he weighed falsely.
Knife was sharpened afresh to clean the fish. Ladies used to be busy in making veg and non-veg dishes. Despite heavy work schedule each member of the family used to be excited.
Two days before Shivratri, married women in the family would return neat and clean from their parental home after a bath.
 One day before Shivratri, the lady potter called ‘krejie’ would arrive with all the paraphernalia in a big basket on her head.  The senior most lady in the family would welcome the ‘krejie’ with ‘alueath’ (rotate a glass of water over head of the ‘krejie’. Besides price for the pottery the ‘krejie’ was paid in cash and some rice in kind as ‘zangh’ (Good omen)
Next day, on the day of Shivratri around sunset womenfolk with their earthen pitchers filled with walnuts used to go to their respective Ghats on the River Jhelum to fill Vaguer. 
Pooja would continue until late in the night. Sumptuous dinner followed the conclusion of pooja.

Wishing Shivratri Greetings has almost become a ritual. Gone are the days when in our childhood, we used to enjoy SHIVRATRI right from the day the schools would close for winter vacations for a period of two and a half month. We used to call these holidays as Herath holidays. Summer vacations of one month used to be named as Amarnath vacations. It was probably because the KP students were in majority.

The day was a long awaited day. In each family, the family members, irrespective of age eighty to eight used to play with sea shells. At times the atmosphere would reach the flashpoint followed by a hot atmosphere.

The next day after the Shivratri, on Salam, elders from immediate relations and family friends would pour in to convey greetings & pay @ Half a rupee as Heratch Kherch to each child waiting with expectations. The amount of the Kherch used to be paid to new brides and others not exceeding Rs. 5 each.

Thereafter, would start the picnic session. We used to accompany our mother to her mother's place wherefrom we used to accompany our grand mother to her elder sister’s place for a picnic to the nearby mandir garden or Shiwalun or Badamwari. This function is known as Zang-trai. It was a get-together for both children and elders. At the picnic we were served with shiri-chai & kehwa with a telwore and kulchwore respectively. Children used to get 50% of the size the elders would get. This was probably because that time there was not hum Dho & Hemarey Dho. The number being the large, the size had to be reduced.

Nawreh used to assure new clothes to children, picnic to Badamwari, and so was welcome with open arms.

Today's children, the careerist can't dream the enjoyment that we have relished. Prosperity and career have been at a heavy price.