New Delhi: This year the country celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayak Chaturthi today (August 31). It is a major festival in Maharashtra and is also celebrated with much gusto and fervour across the globe by NRI's settled abroad. On this day, Kashmiri Pandits also perform the Pann Pooza or (Pann Puja) where delicious sweet Roth (prasad) is made and distributed. 

WHAT IS PANN POOZA?

Every Kashmiri Pandit household smells of desi ghee, fresh flowers, and delicious-looking Roth prasad on this special day. On Vinayak Chaturthi (Ganesh Chaturthi) every year, Kashmiris celebrate the day, known as Pann Pooza by praying to Goddess Beeb Garab Maej (Maej, stands for Mother in Kashmiri) and Lord Vinayaka (Ganesha) respectively.

On this day, Beeb Garab Maej is prayed to and the day is dedicated to her. No matter in which part of the world you are, the Kashmiri Pandit community celebrates Pann Pooza with utmost gusto and reverence to the Lord. 

SIGNIFICANCE OF PANN POOZA ON VINAYAK CHATURTHI

Pann Puja or Pann Pooza as Kashmiris call it falls on the Vinayak Chaturthi (Vinayak Tchoram in Kashmiri) or Ganesh Chaturthi. It is originally associated with the spinning of newly produced cotton and worshipping the twin agricultural local goddesses, Vibha and Garbha to whom the devotees offer Prasad known as Roths.

A Roth is a sweet bread kind of a preparation which is first offered to the Goddess and then distributed amongst each other. It is also believed that two local goddesses transformed into one, known as Beeb Garab Maej—the mother goddess who is prayed to on this day.

Also, Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi are revered in the puja as well. 

Beeb Garabh Maej, the goddess who is worshipped on this day is seen carrying lota or a water pot which is placed at the Puja area. Then, most importantly, a single long cotton thread is tied to the pot's neck with a handful of dramun or runner grass kept inside it, pointing again to its agricultural origin.

Some of the rice, flowers and dramun grass is then distributed amongst the family members who sit in the puja and the Roth preparations are kept in front of the goddess and earthen pot to signify the prasad offering to the goddess. Also, some fruits are offered to the mother goddess besides Roth.

PANN POOZA RITUAL AND LEGEND:

On this day, after the fruits and Roth prasad is offered to the Beeb Garab Maej, a legendary story of the goddess Beeb Garab Maej is read by one person while others attentively pay heed to it. The story is quite similar to the Satyanarayana Katha read during the Vrat.

After the story (Katha) has been read, the people present at Pann Puja offer the dramun grass, rice and flowers to the pot and pray with folded hands to the goddess for prosperity and good health.

The prasad of Roth and fruits is consumed by the devotees and the rest of the Roths are distributed amongst friends and family. There is also a tradition that goes - you distribute the exact number of Roths to particular families respectively and the practice of sharing the Roth prasad should continue year-after-year without a fail.

In the same month, there are different dates when the Roth Prasad can be made and Pann Pooza conducted. But the majority celebrate it on Vinayak Chaturthi.

It signifies prosperity, and auspiciousness and holds greater significance in Kashmiri households.

Pann Pooza Poshte Sareney, and a Happy Vinayak Chaturthi to all!