New Delhi: For Kashmiri pandits, the much-awaited festival of Pann is celebrated on Ganesh Chaturthi, also known as Vinayak Tchoram (Vinakaya Chaturthi) in Kashmiri. This year it is marked on August 27 and that’s when most of the devotees bring Bappa idols home, worshipping him for all good things in life. In most Kashmir Pandit families, on this day, offer prayers to the Goddess, who is revered by the name of Beeb Garab Maej (maej stands for mother) and Ganpati ( Vinayaka) respectively.
Most Kashmiri Pandit household smells of desi ghee, fresh flowers, and delicious looking Roth prasad. Pann Puja or Pann Pooza 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.
Pann Pooza Prasad: Roth
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.
Lord Ganesha, Goddess Beeb Garab Maej: Rituals Of Pann
Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi are revered in the puja as well. Beeb Garabh Maej, the goddess who is the prime deity 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.
Legend Behind Pann Pooza
On this day, after the fruits and Roth prasad is offered to the Beeb Garab Maej, a legendary story (Katha) of the goddess Beeb Garab Maej is read by one person while others attentively listen to the tale. The story is quite similar to the Satyanarayana Katha read during the Vrat.
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After the 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 celebrates it on Vinayak Chaturthi. It signifies prosperity, auspiciousness and holds greater significance in Kashmiri households.
Pann sath dates for 2025 are 27th August, 28th August, 29th August, 30th August and 31st August. This is based on Kashmiri panchang calculations.
Here’s wishing everyone a very Happy Ganesh Chaturthi and Pann Poshte Sareney!