Srinagar: The 597th Urs of Hazrat Sheikh Noor-uddin Wali, popularly known as Nund Reshi, was celebrated today throughout the Kashmir valley, where life remained crippled due to strike for the 112th day today.
Though urs celebrations were organized at several places, including those where Hazrat Nund Reshi had visited, the main congregation was held at Charar-e-Sharief in the central Kashmir district of Badgam, where night-long prayers were organized despite cold.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, president National Conference (NC) Dr Farooq Abdullah and other religious leaders besides chairman of moderate Hurriyat Conference (HC) Mirwaiz Moulvi Omar Farooq have greeted people on the occasion.
However, due to unrest for the past 112 days during which 86 persons, mostly youths, were killed and thousands injured in security force and police action in the Kashmir valley, the Urs was celebrated in a simple way.
Shops and business establishments remained closed in the Charar-e-Sharief and vendors, who were putting up their stalls during Urs days, were also missing this time due to unrest.
However, night-long prayers were organized at the shrine of Hazrat Sheikh ul Alam, a famous Kashmiri saint who belonged to the Rishi order. He was born in 1377 CE, corresponding to 779 Hijri and he died at the age of 63 years in the year of 1440 CE or 842 Hijri.
He is also called Alamdar-e-Kashmir and is the patron saint of Kashmiris, highly revered by both Muslims and Hindus.
Abdul Salam, a local resident told UNI over phone that night long prayers were held in the shrine though the number of devotees was very less as compared to last year.
He said several hundred devotees had managed to arrive at the shrine in their private vehicles early yesterday and in the vening. However, majority could not make it due to strike and non availability of passenger transport.
But, he said, large number of people, living in surrounding villages had covered the distance on foot and joined the prayers in the shrine.
Last year thousands of devotees from different parts of the valley and Jammu joined the Urs celebrations and hundreds of vendors had put up their stalls.
Former Prime minister Indira Gandhi and top national and state politicians had paid their obeisance at the shrine.
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