Residents in Kashmir took to leech therapy to celebrate Nowruz, Persian New Year, on March 21.

Besides planting trees on the eve of March 21 every year, some people in Kashmir pay early morning visits to the makeshift clinics, barbers and some practitioners for the traditional treatment, leech therapy.

There are six hospitals in Kashmir that have started using leeches on patients suffering from skin diseases, arthritis, chronic headaches and sinusitis.

Leech Therapy On Nawroz day becomes Kashmir’s much-sought after healing method in Northern India.


March 21 is celebrated as Navroz in many parts of the world as the beginning of the new year.

Besides planting trees on the eve of 21 March every year, some people in Kashmir pay early morning visits to the makeshift clinics of Hakeems, barbers and some Unani practitioners for the traditional treatment—leech therapy—of some of their chronic/seasonal diseases.

The day is celebrated as Nawroz-e-Aalam, which marks the beginning of Persian calendar. People wait for this date to undergo this therapy as the severe cold in Kashmir leaves their bodies with scars of Shuh—chilblain—that causes severe pain and itching.

Many people think attaching live leeches to the human body can cure chronic diseases.

Leeches, widely used by medical professionals to promote bloodletting in the past, are making a comeback in Jammu and Kashmir to heal a number of diseases, attracting patients from all over India.

There are six hospitals in Kashmir that have started using leeches on patients suffering from skin diseases, arthritis, chronic headaches and sinusitis.