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Thousands offer Friday prayers at Hazratbal shrine

YUSRA HUSSAIN. Dated: 6/15/2013 1:40:53 AM

SRINAGAR, June 14: Thousands of people today offered prayers at Hazratbal shrine here on Friday following Shab-e-Meraj.
The devotees had the glimpse of holy relic of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) after the prayers. The devotees including men, women, elderly persons, youth and children had come from different parts of Kashmir.
Shab-e-Meraj was observed during the intervening night of June 6 and 7. Thousands of people had offered special prayers during the night. With that huge congregation, the week long religious activities began, which culminated late this evening.
During last seven days, lakhs of devotees reached the Hazrtabal shrine and offered prayers besides having the glimpse of holy relic. Devotees also converged at some other shrines of Valley including Jenab Sahab Soura, Kailaspora, Pinjoora-Shopian, Khiram Sirhama and Kaba Marg.
Since this morning, devotees started arriving at Hazratbal shrine here in large number of buses from almost all the districts-Pulwama, Shopian, Kulgam, Anantnag, Bandipora, Kupwara, Baramulla, and Budgam. Before the Friday prayers thousands of devotees had reached there. They offered Friday prayers and had the glimpse of holy relic.
After Friday prayers, most of them started leaving for their respective places. Even as the traffic police had made arrangements for smooth movement of the vehicles, huge rush of vehicles some times led to traffic jamming at several places.
Like last Friday, one way traffic was allowed today also from Lal Chowk to Hazratbal and back. The vehicles going from Lal Chowk to Hazratbal had to move via Lal Bazar area. However, those moving from Hazratbal to Lal Chowk had to take the Saidakadal route.
Vendors had set up stalls outside the shrine complex, where food items were on sale. The devotees were happy over offering the prayers at the shrine and having the glimpse of holy relic.
“It is a matter of great satisfaction for me and my mother because we offered prayers in the shrine. We visit the shrine every year, “ said Abdul Hamid of Tral. He added that they left their home in the morning and reached the shrine before Friday prayers.
Mohammad Abdullah of Kupwara had reached Srinagar along with his other family members yesterday. “We stayed at our relatives’ house and moved towards shrine this morning,” he said.
Riffat Peerzada, a doctor, said she and her other family members, also offered Friday prayers at the shrine. “It is a great feeling offering prayers in the shrine,” she said.