Srinagar: The holiday of Janamashtami was observed in Kashmir with great religious zeal, as the Kashmiri Pandit community held Janamashtami processions on Thursday.
The festival is one of the most important occasions for Hindus to commemorate Lord Krishna’s birth.
At several holy locations in Kashmir, the Pandit community from all across J&K gathered and staged processions.
Alongside the chariot, the devotees, who included men, women, and children, danced and gave out candy to onlookers.
On the streets of Srinagar, people were celebrating the holiday while wearing clothes and bright costumes for children.
As part of the customary festivities by nearby Kashmiri Pandit believers, temples were decked and ‘Shoba Yatra’ processions were held.
Temples in Srinagar’s Habba Kadal neighbourhood, Ganpatyar, Somyaar, Batyaar, and other locations were illuminated.
“We are glad to enjoy this celebration with our community members since it is a fantastic one. In keeping with Kashmiriyat tradition, Muslims and Sikhs in the area welcomed us and took part in our event since Kashmir is a region of Sufis and saints. We prayed on this occasion for Kashmir’s peace and prosperity, a devotee stated.
A second devotee from the Jammu area who had come to take part in the processions expressed her joy at the event.
“To enjoy the holiday together, we travelled great distances from Jammu. We are thrilled to celebrate it at Lal Chowk since it is one of the most important religious holidays in our society, according to a female devotee.
In the meanwhile, hundreds of devotees participated in the Janaki parade from Habba Kadal to Lal Chowk.
To commemorate the day, the devotees placed public address systems on their cars and played religious music.
“I’m glad that the government and our Sikh and Muslim communities are behind us all. Another devotee said, “We shall continue to live in peace and harmony because of this brotherhood, which will advance Kashmir.
A social worker in Srinagar named Jagdish Bharadwaj said that Janamashmani was a representation of fraternity since Muslims and Sikhs joined in today’s Janki parade in Srinagar.
As members of many faiths celebrated the holiday with us, Bharadwaj added, “It was an emotional moment for me.”
A Janamashtami parade was held by the Kashmiri Pandit community in the Baramulla area of north Kashmir.
Locals and representatives of civic society took part in the parade.
RINA IRFAN from Ganderbal reports
Kashmiri Pandits in Ganderbal celebrated Janmashtami with ardour and joy in Nunner.
Pandit worshippers flocked to the Nunner Krishna Mandir in Ganderbal to celebrate Janmashtami, joined by local Muslims.
After three decades, the temple saw this incident.
The temple was adorned for the occasion, and there was a sizable crowd of worshippers.
Numerous Pandit devotees took part in a Shobha Yatra that was conducted from Shiv Mandir, Chapergund, to Krishna Mandir, Nunner.
Rakesh Pandita, a follower, remarked: “It is wonderful to experience being part of the religious celebration in Kashmir.”
“For Hindus, it is a highly significant holiday. We prayed for peace and fraternity in Kashmir since the event promotes these values. We are quite appreciative to the residents’, civil administration’s, and Police’s cooperation,” a devotee stated.
It’s nice to see the Pandit community enjoy their holiday here, and we gave them our warmest welcome and support, according to a local.
The celebration had been planned by the district administration in Ganderbal.
The Pandit community was welcomed by the Chairman MCG Altaf Ahmad, District Development Council (DDC) Chairperson Nuzhat Ishfaq, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shyambir Singh, SP Nikhil Borkar, and Chairman MCG Altaf Ahmad, who also paid a visit to the temple.
The fact that Janamashtami was observed after 33 years was a positive indicator, according to the DC Ganderbal, and the involvement of people, members of the Panchayat Raj Institution (PRI), and authorities was crucial.
In Nunner, Ganderbal, the festival was restarted after a three-decade hiatus.
While Janamashtami was traditionally celebrated in homes, a Shobha yatra was undertaken, marking the festival’s return to public celebration after a three-decade hiatus.
