Saturday, November 9News and updates from Kashmir

Lockdown Mars Eid Celebrations in the Kashmir Valley

Authorities imposed strict restrictions across Kashmir on Sunday to prevent any gatherings on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr that was celebrated here after sighting of new moon on Saturday evening. And despite lockdown small Eid prayers gathering took place across Kashmir.

All the main roads were closed with concertina wires and iron barricades to prevent movement of the people but by the time strict restrictions were in place people had already offered prayers but the gatherings were very small and localised.

There were small gatherings held across Kashmir at various local Masjids and lawns of houses.The Eid prayers were normally held around 9 am. but today they were held as early as 6 am to 7 am when administration was yet to deploy security forces for enforcing the lockdown.

People mostly stayed indoors as Government forces were deployed in strength across Kashmir, they were patrolling streets to prevent any movement of people.
No movement of the people was allowed since morning in Srinagar and other major towns of Kashmir by authorities and security forces were patrolling the streets to enforce the lockdown.

There were no major gatherings in any part of Kashmir today as Jamia Masjid Srinagar, Hazratbal shrine, Chrar-e-Sharief and other grand masjids and shrines across Kashmir were shut by the authorities, The major Masjids and shrines including Hazratbal shrine and historic Jamia Masjid in old City area of Srinagar remained locked for the devotees as precautionary measure in wake of the Coronavirus since last week of March to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Both the government and Mutahida Majlis-e-Ulema Jammu and Kashmir, the amalgam of various religious organizationS in Kashmir, headed by Mirwaiz Omar Farooq had asked people to stay away from religious gatherings on the auspicious occasions of Eid-ul-Fitr, due to COVID-19.

In a statement issued here earlier this week, they said that all religious gatherings on the auspicious occasions of Shab-e-Qadr, Jummat-ul-Vida and Eid-ul-Fitr, will remain suspended.

The MMU appealed people to continue to carry on with prayers and other faith related activities in their homes in view of the rising graph of COVID-19 cases in Kashmir and asked people to take precautionary measures.

 

The Streets in Kashmir wore a deserted look, most of the streets were fenced with concertina wires, troops manned the streets/ Photo- Sajad Hameed~ The Kashmiriyat

 

Kashmir Eid
Amid the pandemic lock-down, just a few kids were seen on the streets, celebrating the festival/ Photo- Sajad Hameed~ The Kashmiriyat

 

Kashmir Eid
The Himalayan valley has been under a lockdown since August 05 last year when the Indian Government at the centre abrogated the special status of Jammu Kashmir/ Photo- Sajad Hameed~ The Kashmiriyat

 

Kashmir Eid
Congregations which see tens of thousands of people offering namaz on Eid and then embracing each other, remained mostly empty as the government has prohibited all kinds of religious gatherings to prevent the spread of the coronavirus/ Photo- Sajad Hameed ~The Kashmiriyat

 

Eid Kashmir
People preferred to offer Eid prayers at home, either individually or in small groups comprising family members, on Sunday/ Photo- Sajad Hameed~ The Kashmiriyat

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