It is Ashadh Saptmi today. The three days of Ashadh/ Haarh Saptmi, Haarh Ashtami & Haarh Novimi have great significance in Kashmiri culture, as far as the Kashmiri Pandit community is concerned. Saptmi (Haar satam) is dedicated to the Sun God, Baskra/ Ravi. On this day, KPs would draw a boundary line with lime around the borders of their houses. It was believed that this would keep away insects, worms, or harmful pests from entering the house. This line around the base of the house was called Maradh Reekh.
Additionally, the womenfolk of the house would make seven Rangolis/ Haarmunduls at seven different places, symbolizing the positive effects of the Sun with its seven constituent colors of white light. They used homemade colors for this. The seven places for the Rangolis would be the Hearth/ Daan, the surface of the Kitchen/ Chokh, the Verandah/ Brandh, the separate corridors leading to rooms in the three storeys of the house/ Vouzh, the topmost hall of the house/ Kaani, and the small courtyard in front of the house. People would clean and wash their houses with fresh water early in the morning. They would also wash the wooden entrance Daas & Braand with fresh water before drawing Haarmunduls.
The day would be succeeded by Haarh Ashtmi. Those who could not pay their obeisance to the Goddess on Zaasht Ashtami would definitely visit Tulmullal and have Darshnas of Bagwati Govri/ Rageem/ Lalita/ Shama. It used to be as great a festival as Zaasht Ashtmi. Some would stay for days together, while some, after the evening Aarthi, would proceed towards Haari Parvata to participate in the Havan ceremony that would start in the evening and continue until the next day's noon of Haar Novmi.
Haarh Novam used to be celebrated as the birthday of Haeri/ SadhLaxmi/ Ashtadhashboozah/ Tripoorsoundri/ Sharika/ Chakrishore or Sadah Peeth or Predumanpeeth Bagwati. All the Shiellas of the Goddess would be decorated by applying Sendoor with ghee on Shiellas, drawing yantras with flowers on them, wrapping saris on the upper sides of the shiellas, and adjusting Dhwaj along with Mukta at the top of the sheilas. At the end of Ahuti, there would be Samuhik Aarthi, and the Goddess would make Her presence felt among the devotees through the burning diyas and devotional songs sung by Mandlies. Immediately thereafter, Naveed would be served to Yatries.
Ah! Where have those days gone?"
