Srinagar/Jammu, March 21 (IANS) Large gatherings were seen on Saturday at the Eid congregational prayers throughout the Kashmir Valley and in the Jammu division as devotees came out in large numbers for the thanksgiving prayer after the completion of the holy month of Ramadan.
The largest gathering of devotees was seen at the Hazratbal shrine on the outskirts of Srinagar city. Over 70,000 devotees offered Eid prayers at the Hazratbal shrine on Saturday.
Former chief minister Dr Farooq Abdullah, his son and the present Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the president of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Mehbooba Mufti, joined the congregational prayers at the Hazratbal shrine.
Eid prayers were not, however, allowed due to reasons of law and order maintenance at the Jama Masjid in the Nowhatta area of Srinagar city.
Chief cleric and Mirwaiz Umar Farooq criticised the authorities for disallowing Eid prayers at Jama Masjid. He said on X, “For the seventh consecutive year, amid restrictions and house arrests, Eid prayers remain barred at Jama Masjid. A day of celebration turned to grief and denial for Muslims.
“It’s an irony of our times that those who lock our mosques and Eidgahs are the first to wish us, Eid Mubarak!”
At all district headquarters, including Srinagar, Budgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Ganderbal, Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam and Anantnag, large crowds of Muslims were seen at different mosques during the Eid prayers.
Children wearing new clothes accompanied their parents to almost all places, while elders greeted and hugged each other after the conclusion of the prayers.
Similar prayers were held in different parts of the Jammu division, and the largest gathering of devotees was seen at the Eidgah grounds adjacent to the Residency Road in Jammu city.
Reports of peaceful Eid prayers have also come in from Poonch, Rajouri, Ramban, Reasi, Doda, Kishtwar, Samba and Kathua districts of Jammu division.
Officials said Eid prayers were held peacefully throughout Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, and no untoward incident was reported from anywhere.
Authorities had made adequate arrangements for security throughout the Union Territory, especially since this is the first Eid after the US-Israeli air strikes on Iran.
–IANS
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