In what locals described as one of the largest religious gatherings in recent years, tens of thousands of people thronged Anantnag town on Saturday to mark Eid Milad-un-Nabi ﷺ, the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
The rally began at 9:30 a.m. from the Khanqah of Hazrat Baba Hyder Reshi and wound its way through the old bazaars and the KP Road before concluding at Jamia Masjid Anantnag, where a sea of people assembled for prayers.
Eyewitnesses estimated that more than 35,000 people participated, including women, children, and the elderly. The historic procession, first initiated by Qazi Ghulam Mohammed in the early 1950s, has since become a tradition and continues to draw people from across Kashmir.
Religious organizations including Idara Tehqiqat-e-Islami, Sout-ul-Awliya, Minhaj-ul-Quran, and Dawat-e-Islami took part in the rally, with clerics delivering sermons on the life and message of the Prophet ﷺ.
“Today, materialism is eating away at our society. The Prophet ﷺ showed us that real wealth is not in possessions but in contentment and good character,” said Maulana Rameez Hyderi, one of the leading clerics addressing the gathering. “He warned us against greed and extravagance and taught us to live with simplicity and humility. His message is the only answer to the crises we face today.”
Another speaker, told the gathering that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ’s teachings remain relevant in combating modern ills. “From drug addiction to corruption, from domestic violence to the neglect of the poor, all these evils stem from abandoning the Prophet’s path. If we return to his guidance, we can heal our society,” he said.
For many participants, the rally was not just a religious ritual but a deeply personal journey.
Abdul Gani Lone, who had traveled more than 120 kilometers from Kupwara, said he left home at Fajr to reach Anantnag in time. “I have not slept properly, but the love of the Prophet ﷺ gives me strength. This is not an ordinary day, it is the day when the heart insists on being close to those who remember him. The world teaches us to chase money, but the Prophet ﷺ teaches us to chase goodness,” Lone said, standing among thousands of men holding banners and chanting praises.
From Daksum Kokernag, about 35 kilometers away, came 38-year-old Sara Banoo, cradling her infant in her arms. “I carried my little child all the way here because I want her to grow up seeing this love. Children should not only read about the Prophet ﷺ in books, they must feel the devotion in our lives. For me, every step of this journey was a prayer for her future,” she said, her voice quivering as she adjusted her child’s blanket against the autumn breeze.
Others linked their presence at the rally with their personal struggles. Aziza Begum from Harnag said her farmland had been destroyed in the recent floods, but she joined the gathering for courage. “I have nothing left from my harvest this year, but I did not want to miss this day. I came here to tell myself that patience is stronger than despair. The Prophet ﷺ faced loss, hunger, and grief, yet he stood firm. That is why I am here, I want to find the same strength,” she said.
The younger generation also found meaning in the sea of people. “When I saw the crowd stretching as far as I could see, I realized we are not as lost as it sometimes feels,” said Bilal Ahmad, a college student from Anantnag. “We are surrounded by greed, by distractions, by drugs, but this gathering reminds us that the Prophet’s ﷺ message still beats in our hearts.”
Women, too, were vocal in expressing their concerns. Shakeela, a homemaker from Bijbehara, said she joined the rally to pray for her sons. “As mothers we are worried—our children are being pulled into drugs, materialism, and so much that weakens them. I came here to ask Allah to guide them back. If they take the Prophet ﷺ as their role model, they will never be lost,” she said.
Locals in Anantnag town had set up sabeels of water and milk along the route, and many shopkeepers and residents distributed food to the devotees who had come from far-off districts. The town wore a festive look, with streets and marketplaces adorned with green banners, buntings, and decorative lights. “It felt as if the entire town turned into one big family welcoming the Prophet’s ﷺ day,” said a group of youths who had decorated Qazi Mohallah with garlands and flags.
Several clerics also used the occasion to highlight pressing issues. Referring to the recent recovery of thousands of kilograms of rotten meat in Kashmir, they urged for a collective campaign against such malpractices. “If Prophet Muhammad ﷺ were among us, he would remind us that cheating in trade is among the gravest sins. We must ensure honesty in our markets and purity in our food,” one cleric said.
The Jammu Kashmir government, local administration and Police had made elaborate arrangements earning appreciation from the devotees who had thronged the event.
The day-long gathering concluded with prayers and renewed pledges to fight social evils, uphold justice, and live by the principles of simplicity, compassion, and service to humanity as taught by the Prophet ﷺ.
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
- News Deskhttps://thekashmiriyat.co.uk/author/kashmiriyat/
