Thousands offer Eid prayers at Srinagar’s Hazratbal shrine

While thousands of people offered prayers at the Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar, the authorities barred people from offering Eid prayers at Jamia Masjid in old city.

Across the Valley, congregational prayers were held at mosques and Eidgahs despite overcast weather conditions. However, no untoward incident or protest was reported from anywhere across Kashmir during the Eid prayers unlike past years.

After abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, there has been a huge decline in protests and stone-pelting incidents across Kashmir.

The authorities had also disallowed prayers on the last Friday, Jumatul Vida or last Friday of Ramzan, triggering outrage across the Valley. After intense criticism, the Jammu and Kashmir administration permitted people to offer Shab-e-Qadr prayers on Monday night for the first time after the abrogation of Article 370.

Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid in a statement said that it’s for the fourth consecutive year when Eid prayers were not allowed at the grand mosque.

“The police and civil authorities informed us late Friday evening that Eid prayers would only be allowed if held before 7.30 am which was not possible for the Anjuman as it had already given the programme of offering Eid prayer at 9am as people from far-flung areas come to offer prayer at Jamia Masjid, Srinagar. This is a central place of congregational prayers in the Valley. The purpose of such central places of worship is to provide a space and opportunity to Muslims so that they can pray together in large numbers on Fridays and other religious occasions. To facilitate people from across the Valley to reach these central places, prayers timings are decided accordingly and like in dargah Hazratbal prayers timings by the Waqf board have been set at 10.30 am. Anjuman Auqaf had also announced prayers at 9 am. It is strange that if congregational prayers can be allowed at other places at 10.30 am, why not at Jamia Masjid,” the statement said.

The Jamia Masjid or grand mosque is one of the biggest mosques in Kashmir and has been central to many important developments throughout the history of the Valley.

Meanwhile, former J&K chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti offered Eid prayers at dargah Hazratbal in Srinagar. Farooq expressed regret that people were not allowed to offer prayers at Jamia Masjid... “It’s a historical mosque and has big importance in Kashmir. People should be allowed to offer at every mosque,” he told reporters after offering Eid prayers.

JK’s lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha greeted people on Eid festival.

“Eid-ul-Fitr marks the culmination of the holy month of Ramzan and symbolises the spirit of austerity, brotherhood, compassion and the joy of sharing,” Sinha said in a message.