The annual fishing-cum-safi festival of Panjath Nag Stream was celebrated on Sunday in Panzath village of Kajigund, which attracts the enthusiastic participation of dozens of residents.
The unique tradition celebrated for decades is generally conducted by the local Oukaf Committee on Sunday, nominating a day for the program.
On this day, the local people awakened the people around the nearby Aergas, who wakes up quickly, is equipped with a wicker basket, and enters the stream from its upper access. They slowly move downwards, catch the fish, while mourning, pollutants, and also removing obstacles that disrupt the flow of water.
Local people said that activity is not only about fishing, it is also seen as a way to clean springs and streams, which local people believe that the whole year helps maintain a smooth water flow throughout the year.
The residents described the day as a celebration, saying that it sounds like Eid because they gather around the water of the famous Panjath Nag.
The name “Panazath” is derived from two words – five and Hath, which means that the 500 springs in five hundred -villages means, although only a few are visible today. Local people should note that the village mentions in many historical texts.
With the rise of social media and short video content, the festival has gained growing popularity in recent years. The number of participants and spectators has increased significantly, as this phenomenon provides a rare opportunity to engage in collective fishing as nothing is allowed on regular days.
This kind of popularity has been that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned the initiative of the villagers in his monthly ‘Maan Ki Baat’ radio program in 2023.