Dussehra celebrated with religious fervour in Srinagar

Srinagar: The Dussehra festival was celebrated with religious fervour in Srinagar on Tuesday.

Scores of devotees across Kashmir and other parts of J&K participated in the festival.

Dussehra is a major Hindu festival celebrated every year at the end of Navaratri.

It is observed on the tenth day of the month of Ashvin, the seventh in the Hindu Luni-Solar Calendar. The festival commemorates god Rama’s victory over Ravana.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, priest and senior member of Dussera Samiti, Jagdish Bhardwaj said that the festival was celebrated with religious fervour and enthusiasm.

He said that the devotees set ablaze multiple effigies of Meghanaad, Kumbhakaran, and Ravan.

“People including Kashmiri Pandits, Hindus from Jammu, and other parts of the country participated in the festival. All the politicians across political parties wished us on the occasion. I want to thank our Muslim and Sikh brothers who always support us on such occasions and keep the brotherhood alive. It is because of them that we can celebrate these festivals with enthusiasm and they are keeping the tradition of brotherhood alive in Kashmir. This festival marks the victory of truth over falsehood and gives us a great message which we should follow,” Bhardwaj said.

He said that senior officials of the district administration, LG’s administration, and Police participated in the festival and wished them on the occasion.

“The CRPF personnel also participated and offered refreshments at the event. The administration and Police had kept all the arrangements intact, and we are thankful for that,” Bhardwaj said.

DC Srinagar, Aijaz Asad, who also participated on the occasion at Sher-e-Kashmir Cricket Stadium, extended his well wishes to the people on the occasion.

“This festival teaches us that truth will prevail over falsehood, and I congratulate everyone on this festival. You can see a large number of people participated in the event and a procession was also taken out from Indira Nagar to the cricket stadium,” Asad said.

Many politicians from the National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and other political outfits wished the Hindu community on the occasion.

PDP’s Iltija Mufti also participated in the festival and said that all the communities in Kashmir should live together with unity and co-existence.