After 30 years, the customary path for the 8th of Muharram procession has been reopened. Seniors become sentimental, kids are really into it.
July 27: In Srinagar On Thursday morning, as the sun rose over Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, hundreds of Shia mourners began making their way from Guru Bazar to Dal Gate. After more than three decades, the Muharram procession along this customary path was finally permitted today.
In 1989, this path was closed off to Muharram processions because of the unsafe environment. Since then, security officers and Shia mourners have engaged in a moderate and sometimes serious clash every 8th of Muharram in an attempt to defy the limitations.
Women, children, and men of varying ages were all observed walking and lamenting while sometimes resting along the road, in stark contrast to the sights witnessed before.
A few elders and strongmen supervised the throng of people while keeping discipline and organising their own groupings as the first procession began to move at approximately 5:40 am, followed by sanitising vans of the SMC, ambulances, and police vehicles.
The SMC sanitising van uses antibacterial scents to deter germs and keep the workplace clean. The agency reportedly put two of these vehicles to use, as officials claimed.
As the crowd grew larger and the procession reached Budshah Bridge, organisers worked quickly to separate the crowd so that mourners walked on one side of the road while military vehicles and journalists walked on the other.
Police, SOG commandos, and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were seen in large numbers as the government promised to ensure the safety of the mourners and maintain peace and order.
ADGP Vijay Kumar, the top officer in Kashmir, arrived at Lal Chowk at approximately 6:00 a.m. to assess the situation and convey his satisfaction with the preparations his men had made and the cooperation of the mourners.
Shia mourners from all around assemble at Shaheed Gunj and then make their way to the Guru Bazaar nearby to begin the march. Greater Kashmir under Haseeb ibn Hameed
Kumar said it was too soon to determine how many people will be in the parade, so they are “using drones to count the mourners.”
“The total number will be shared later in the day,” Kumar remarked with a grin, referring to the total attendees.
The sun’s moderate heat forced mourners to sit and rest on the sidewalks next to the road where they could receive care from medical professionals, law enforcement officers, and other commuters who had brought water since the sky had cleared after the night’s showers.
High-ranking police officers led the processions. Workers from Haseeb Ibn Hameed for Greater Kashmir SMC swept up trash, while groups of young boys who had accompanied the parade picked up empty water bottles, ensuring that the area was clean after the event.
Police officers who began their shifts at 5:00 a.m. said that, despite being in continual radio contact with their colleagues and aggressively advising them on the best routes and instructions, they had yet to see any traffic.
Over half a dozen young boys, perched on a hilltop next to Takhtesulaiman, were captivated as Shia mourners continued arriving in bunches, reaching M.A. Bridge at Dalgate at intervals.After thirty years, the tempo of grief at Jehangir Chowk quickened. Greater Kashmir under Haseeb ibn Hameed
Shahnawaz, who is 25 years old, said, “It feels like people are walking in Karbala; I have never seen this in my entire life.” Shahnawaz and his pals, all locals of the HMT neighbourhood on the outskirts of Srinagar, had to leave their homes at 4:00 a.m. to make it to the parade in time.
27-year-old Imran Abbas exclaimed, “Yeha chu wariya boad (This is too big)” in awe of the crowds.
July 27: In Srinagar On Thursday morning, as the sun rose over Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, hundreds of Shia mourners began making their way from Guru Bazar to Dal Gate. After more than three decades, the Muharram procession along this customary path was finally permitted today.
In 1989, this path was closed off to Muharram processions because of the unsafe environment. Since then, security officers and Shia mourners have engaged in a moderate and sometimes serious clash every 8th of Muharram in an attempt to defy the limitations. Almost endless streams of mourning make their way over the M.A. bridge to Dal Gate’s Imam Bara.
The seemingly endless streams of mourning make their way over the M.A. bridge to Dal Gate’s Imam Bara. Haseeb Ibn Hameed, writing for Greater Kashmir Abbas, remembered how he and other mourners would form a circle in the Dalgate chowk to express their grief before escaping and avoiding the security officials who enforced the ban.
Medical personnel are exploring these exercises as a means of ensuring that those in need of assistance at a funeral will get it.
They share their stories and their joy at the government’s decision to finally permit this religious procession after 34 years.
However, the senior members of the parade were overcome with emotion, while the younger members were just perplexed.
Mohammad Abdullah Khan, who is 76 years old, said, “Waariya Kaeyl patte haez wuch yi maahol (we witnessed this atmosphere after a very long period).
On Budshah Bridge, a queue of security personnel and bulletproof vehicles advanced a few yards in front of the marchers. Greater Kashmir under Haseeb ibn Hameed
Khan, a resident of the Budgam neighbourhood in central Kashmir, claims that he left his home at 5:45 a.m. after praying Fajr, wearing a black Kurta and a white-striped waistcoat.
The septuagenarian praised the collaboration of his fellow Shias and remarked, “Thanks to the administration for all the facilities they are providing.”Children seemed to be enjoying themselves, even though they sometimes shouted out slogans. Greater Kashmir under Haseeb ibn Hameed
He added that he would have made it to the capital city of Srinagar sooner if the major highways heading there weren’t blocked off.
Security guards concealed behind concertina wires stood watch over the roads leading to Lal Chowk to prevent any unwanted traffic from entering the city’s hub.
Another middle-aged guy from Khanabal in south Kashmir corroborated his story, again refusing to provide his name, by saying that the authorities had shut the main route near Pohar, forcing him and his fellow mourners to use interior roads to get to Srinagar.
Pulwama resident and 59-year-old Wali Mohammad sat on a road divider near Dalgate’s main market and couldn’t believe his eyes.
Mohammad said, “It’s like the clock is reversed and I have travelled in a time machine,” as he shut his eyes “to feel the moment.”
The bulk of the ladies that travelled to participate in the parade are now residing in Guru Bazar. Greater Kashmir under Haseeb ibn Hameed
He claims that for years they had tried in vain to convince authorities to let them have this march, but that he is now overjoyed since the “forgotten dream has now been fulfilled.”
Mohammad, looking back 34 years, recalls that back then, processions were often held in the afternoon and lasted until late in the evening. He gets back to his feet after taking a drink of water and remarks that, despite being very brief, the admin’s time slot is a lot after so many years.
Water, juice, tea, and other refreshments were available to those in attendance. Greater Kashmir under Haseeb ibn Hameed
Many people came to pay their respects over those days, but not everyone knew what was going on, so many stayed behind, he says.
A guy waits patiently behind a table where a supply of water bottles is maintained.
The authorities only allowed the procession to take place from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.; however, the final mourners crossed the Moulana Azad Road at almost 10:00 a.m.
Dal Gate marks the end of the journey for Shia mourners. After clearing the major junctions along the Jehangir Chowk-Dal Gate route, the Greater Kashmir Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Traffic (City), Muzaffar Ahmad Shah, told Haseeb Ibn Hameed that they had begun releasing traffic.
