In the recently released movie Baramulla, set in Kashmir's winters, the caretaker Iqbal takes a plate of rice and fish to a room on the topmost floor of the house every night.
"Who is this plate for?" asks an agitated Gulnaar, the new resident of the house, played by actor Bhasha Sumbli, addressing the speech-disabled Iqbal.
When Iqbal points above and around the house, Gulnaar somehow decodes that it is all part of "a tradition."
At the end of Baramulla, it is revealed that the house where the Sayyed family lives belonged to a Kashmiri Pandit family, the Saprus, who were killed by terrorists during the militancy in the early 1990s.
This ritual of serving fish and rice on a plate is called Gaad Batt.
Gaad Batt
In the Kashmiri language, Gaad Batt translates to "fish" and "rice," respectively. Observed by the Kashmiri Pandit community, Gaad Batt is a ritual performed at the end of the year, invariably during the December winters.
The ritual honours the ghar devta, the household guardian deity. Kashmiri Pandits believe their house is protected by a faceless and nameless god called the ghar devta, and Gaad Batt is the offering to this deity, asking for protection of the house and its residents.
The ghar devta is believed to be a spirit who can appear in the form of a cat, a crow, or any living being.
The plate with rice and fish is placed on the rooftops, called kaainie in Kashmiri. Kashmiri Pandits who do not have access to a roof and live in apartments often keep the plate on the balcony.
Along with the plate of rice and fish, a glass of water and a diya covered by a sieve are also placed.
You may call it superstition, but Kashmiri Pandits believe that failing to perform Gaad Batt offends the ghar devta and can invite trouble for the residents.
Things To Be Kept In Mind While Preparing For Gaad Batt
Preparations for Gaad Batt begin in the afternoon. The entire kitchen area must be clean before residents begin cooking the rice and fish. The place where the offering will be placed for the ghar devta must also be immaculate. Every resident of the house must bathe before performing Gaad Batt.
The type of fish used for Gaad Batt is Rohu, a freshwater fish easily available in the Kashmir Valley.
After the food is prepared, a clean sheet is spread in the house, and a plate for each resident is served with fish and rice. An additional plate is served for the ghar devta. Then, a puja is performed to invoke the ghar devta to accept the offering.
At the rooftop, an aasan is placed with the plate of rice and fish, a glass of water, and a diya covered by a sieve. The residents bow before the plate and perform a namaskar, then leave the room to eat their own food.
The next day, the plate is picked up from the rooftop. If the food appears scattered, it is believed that the ghar devta came and accepted the offering. The remainder of the food on the plate is then offered to the birds.
The food prepared for Gaad Batt is only to be eaten by the residents of the house, including pets, not by outsiders.
When Is Gaad Batt Celebrated?
Gaad Batt cannot be celebrated on any day or date in December. There are specific muhurats that must be adhered to, as mentioned in the zanthri, the Kashmiri panchang, the yearly calendar of Kashmiri Pandit rituals.
The ritual is also a way for the family to come together on a cold, gloomy winter day and break bread together, thanking the ghar devta for protection.
With a fleeting glimpse in Baramulla, social media is buzzing with conversation around Gaad Batt, which is more about the faith of the Kashmiri Pandit community.
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