*J&K Admin allows 8th Muharram procession for 3rd consecutive year*
_Thousands of mourners march from Guru Bazar to Dalgate; Traffic diverted, volunteers deployed, water sprinkled to ease devotees under intense heat_
Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Jul 04: For the third consecutive year, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Friday allowed the 8th Muharram procession along its traditional route—from Guru Bazar to Dalgate, in which thousands of mourners participated amid heightened security and volunteer support.
The pre-dawn procession began at 5:00 AM from Guru Bazar and passed through Budshah Kadal and Maulana Azad Road before culminating at Dalgate.
Earlier, barred for over 35 years due to security concerns in the late 1980s, the traditional mourning route was restored in 2023, a move welcomed across religious and civil society circles.
The administration had made elaborate security and logistical arrangements. The Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, and senior police officials had earlier chaired high-level meetings with representatives of Shia organisations ahead of Muharram to coordinate efforts.
Also, traffic police Srinagar city issued an advisory in advance, announcing that vehicular movement along the route from Guru Bazar to Dalgate would be restricted from early morning. Additionally, traffic was diverted via Residency Road, Hari Singh High Street, Jehangir Chowk, and other inner routes, with designated parking provided at Gindun Park and SP College.
Moreover, water sprinklers were also being deployed at various locations along the procession route to provide relief from the rising temperatures, and hundreds of community volunteers were stationed for crowd management and emergency assistance.
Eyewitnesses and participants told News Agencies that Aazadar-e-Hussain are now marching peacefully, beating their chests and chanting elegies in memory of Imam Hussain (AS), the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
“It is reassuring that for the third consecutive year, we have been able to take out the 8th Muharram procession peacefully,” said Syed Murtaza Rizvi, a mourner from Srinagar. “For decades, this route remained off-limits. Seeing mourners walk it again reflects a positive shift, one we hope continues,” he said.
“Seeing mourners commemorating the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS) is indeed a good step,” said Naqib Abbas Baba from Srinagar. “We are thankful to the administration for allowing us to take the 8th Muharram procession this year too,” added a group of mourners near Jehangir Chowk.
It may be recalled that Muharram processions along this route were banned since the late 1980s due to the political and security situation in the Valley. For over three decades, the 8th Muharram procession was only permitted in selected areas under tight restrictions, and it is ongoing. The lifting of the ban in 2023 marked a major shift in policy and was hailed as a step towards religious inclusivity and reconciliation.
Moreover, the 8th of Muharram is part of the broader commemoration leading up to Ashura, the 10th of Muharram, which marks the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (AS)—the grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), along with 72 of his companions in the Battle of Karbala in present-day Iraq
