Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Apr 22: Eid-ul-Fitr was celebrated across Kashmir today with traditional fervour and gaiety as the largest congregation of devotees was witnessed at the Hazratbal shrine on the banks of the Dal lake while no prayers were allowed at Jamia Masjid Srinagar.
Authorities didn’t allow people to offer prayers at the 14th-century mosque in the city’s Nowhatta area for the fourth consecutive year.
They had directed the Jamia Masjid management to conduct the Eid prayers at 7.30 am instead of 9 am.
The Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid said the prayers could not be held at 7.30 am as people had to come from far-flung areas in accordance with the schedule announced earlier.
This has led to anger among the general people as Jamia Masjid is one of the oldest Masjids in Kashmir and people have lot of attachment with it.
No prayers were also held at Srinagar’s Eidgah where lakhs of people offer prayers normally but last few years no prayers were allowed in the ground. However, this year there was no official order of disallowing prayers but the ground was wet due to incessant rains.
The Eid celebrations went on smoothly elsewhere with men, women and children, dressed in their best, making a beeline to Masjids, Eidgahs and shrines to offer prayers.
The largest congregational prayers were held at the Hazratbal shrine where former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti were among the notable persons to offer prayers.
Large congregations for Eid prayers were also reported from other district headquarters and towns of the Valley.
There was much hustle bustle in Kashmir as weather improved here after week long rains which had confined people to indoors.
Children dressed in colourful clothes were seen bursting crackers in the streets throughout the day.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
