Srinagar- With the break of dawn on Thursday tens of thousands of emotionally charged devout marched from all corners towards Gurubazar locality in central Srinagar to join the traditional Alam Sharief procession on the occasion of 8th Muharram allowed after a hiatus of 34 years.
Reciting elegies for the noble family of Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) slain mercilessly in the plains of Karbala in 680 (CE), mourners marched on traditional routes from Gurubazar towards Imambargah in Dalgate.
Authorities had granted a two-hour window — from 6 to 8 AM — for the procession on the route that passes through the Budshah Bridge and then to Maulana Azad Road and TRC Crossing for culmination at Dalgate. However such was the mass outpouring that the procession reached Dalgate at around 10 AM while its tail end was still at Poloview.
Related Story: In Photos | 8th Muharram Procession Taken Out On Traditional Route In Srinagar After 34 Years
Procession with mourners waving flags symbolising various aspects of Imam Hussain’s struggle and chanting Labayk Ya Hussain, finally concluded at around 2 PM at Imambargah Dalgate.
In a rare display of unity all prominent Shia leaders, including Aga Syed Hassan Mosavi Al-Safavi, his son Aga Syed Mujtaba al-Mosavi, Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari, Molvi Imran Reza Ansari joined the procession.
The decision by the LG administration to lift the ban is described as ‘historic’ by Shia leadership cutting across political affiliations.
“For the last 34 years, we tried to take out 8th Muharram procession through the traditional routes but we were stopped. The successive regimes made lame excuses of security and law and order issues to prevent us from taking out 8th Muharram and Ashura processions. However, today’s peaceful procession is an answer to all their excuses and baseless claims,” Ittihadul Muslimeen president Maulana Masroor Abbas Ansari said.
Masroor also praised the LG administration for lifting what he described as an unjustified ban and sought an end to the ban imposed on Ashura procession from Abi Guzar to Zadibal and Friday prayers at Jamia Masjid, Srinagar.
He also expressed gratitude to the members of the majority community for setting up refreshment stalls and offering eatables to the mourners on the routes through which the procession passed.
“There was a demand from the Shia community for the past few years that this procession be allowed. After the government took a decision, we made adequate security arrangements for it,” Additional Director General of Police, Kashmir, Vijay Kumar told reporters adding a three-tier security arrangement was provided for the procession.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah welcomed the government’s decision to allow the Muharram procession.
“We welcome this decision. At the same time, we hope that the government takes other steps as well. Mirwaiz Umar Farooq is a religious leader and he should be released. Prayers should be allowed at Jamia Masjid without any curbs and Eid prayer should be allowed at Eidgah,” Abdullah told PTI.
Abdullah had to walk from his residence on Gupkar Road to his office at Nawa-i-Subah due to massive traffic snarls in the city caused by the early morning Muharram procession.
Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad also welcomed the allowing of 8th Muharram procession on Srinagar streets and asked administration to continue the practice on Ashura.
In a statement, Azad said that allowing the 8th Muharram procession in Srinagar after a pause of three decades is a welcome step.
“I welcome allowing this procession today and urge administration to continue the practice on Ashura,” Azad said. “I urge people to maintain the centuries-old brotherhood and communal harmony,” he added.
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