Srinagar, Jul 15: For the second year in a row, the Muharram procession was taken out on a traditional route in Srinagar.
This is the second consecutive year that Lieutenant Government Manoj Sinha-led administration allowed the Muharram procession to be taken out on the traditional route.
Muharram processions had been banned in Srinagar since the 1990s, a measure lifted by the LG administration in 2023. This decision was met with praise from the Kashmiri Shia community, who have long advocated for the right to hold these religious observances.
Amid tight security, the Shia community took out a Muharram procession on the traditional Guru Bazar-Dalgate route here to mark the eighth day of mourning.
The procession began at Guru Bazar locality in the city and passed through Jehangir Chowk and Maulana Azad Road before culminating at Dalgate.
Thousands of mourners assembled at Guru Bazar at 5.30 am as the authorities had granted a limited time window for the procession so that normal life would not be affected.
The procession was banned after terrorism erupted in Kashmir as authorities were apprehensive that separatists might misuse the large gathering for ulterior motives.
IGP Kashmir V.K. Birdi said foolproof measures have been taken to ensure a peaceful Muharram procession.
“Personnel have been deployed along the route to ensure no unfortunate incidents take place. Police have also set up stalls for the refreshment of the mourners,” he said.
In a similar vein, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Vijay Kumar Bidhuri claimed that this time the arrangements have been made much better than before. “It happened all because of the synergy between security forces, the administration, other departments, and the public,” he said.
Traffic police had issued an advisory to ensure the smooth flow of vehicles and ease of movement for the general public and motorists during the Muharram procession. According to the advisory, traffic will be restricted from Karan Nagar towards Jehangir Chowk via Shaheed Gunj/Tankipora from 5:00 AM to 8:00 AM.
Additionally, the advisory said that there will be no traffic movement from Jahangir Chowk-MA Road up to the Dalgate-Badyari stretch from 5:00 AM until the procession concludes. Traffic coming from Batamaloo, Secretariat, and Rambagh towards MA Road will be diverted to Residency Road via Hari Singh High Street from 5:00 AM until the end of the procession.
Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar, is a period of mourning for Shia Muslims, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 AD. The observance is marked by processions, prayers, and acts of charity, reflecting themes of sacrifice, justice, and resistance against tyranny.
