Srinagar: Thousands of Shia Muslim mourners on Monday took out a Muharram procession to mark the eighth day of mourning on the traditional Guru Bazar-Dalgate route in Srinagar.
Since the insurgency broke out in Kashmir 1989, for 34 years till 2023, the permission for the processions was banned as the government saw processionists as being soft towards the separatist movement.
Despite the ban, people from the Shia Muslim community used to take out processions on 8th and 10 Muharram on these routes, which the police used to respond to with force.
However, in 2023 Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha led J&K administration revoked the ban and Muharram processions were taken out through the traditional route.
This time also the 8th Muharram procession was taken out through the traditional route and it passed off peacefully as authorities had made adequate security arrangements. The administration had, however, asked processionists not to “indulge in any anti-national/anti-establishment speeches/sloganeering or propaganda.”
The procession began from Guru Bazar locality in the city early Monday and passed through the designated route via 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 does not get affected.
Inspector General Police (IGP) Kashmir, V. K. Birdi and officers of the civil administration monitored the Muharram procession.
Asked whether they will allow the 10th Muharram procession, the IGP said it will be decided by the district administration and once the permission is granted, “we will ensure peaceful conduct of the procession.”
The Muharram, which is the first month of Islamic calendar, marks the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). Hussain was martyred along with 72 companions in the battle of Karbala, Iraq some 1350 years ago on 10th of Muharram as per Islamic calendar.
On this day, Shias across the world mourn, hold public processions, organize religious gatherings, beat their chests and in some cases self-flagellate.