Janmashtami procession taken out in Srinagar after 32 years, Kashmiri Pandits rejoiced as jhanki yatra crossed Lal Chowk

New Delhi: After a gap of 32 years, the Kashmiri Pandits organised a Janmashtami procession to celebrate the birthday of Lord Krishna in Srinagar on Monday amid tight security arrangements.

The group began the ‘jhanki’ procession from the Ganpatyar temple in the Habba Kadal area of the city. The yatra covered major spots in the city including Kralkhud, Barbarshah, Amirakadal bridge and Jehangir chowk, a PTI report quoted officials as saying.

The devotees, including people from all age groups, danced alongside the chariot and distributed sweets among people and chanted prayers of "Hare Krishna Hare Ram".

"This Jhanki Yatra is a beautiful way of celebrating Janmashtami because through this we can show our devotion towards Lord Krishna," a local told ANI.

"An act of brotherhood has been shown today as all the other communities of Kashmir, cooperated during the Yatra and it was smoothly conducted", said another local.

There was no procession in 2020 due to COVID-19 while the lockdown imposed in the wake of abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status in August 2019 had led to the cancellation of the event.

Additionally, a BJP functionary, Shaurya Doval in a tweet said that the celebrations took place in the same place where hoisting India’s national flag was a life-threatening act in 1992.

“And today, people of the Hindu community are able to conduct their religious proceedings at the same location. It has only been possible under the able leadership of PM Narendra Modi ji," he said.

(With Agency inputs)