Khoje Digar offered with religious fervour at Naqashband Sahib (RA) Shrine

Srinagar, Sep 08: Keeping up with Kashmir’s centuries-old tradition, Khoje Digar, thousands of devotees offered special Asar prayers at the shrine of Naqashbandh Sahab (RA) at Khawaja Bazaar area in Downtown on Sunday.

The tradition of offering Khoje Digar has continued for the past four centuries. The day is observed on the 3rd Rabi-ul-Awal every year, marking the commemoration of the annual Urs of Naqashband Sahib (RA).

Downtown witnessed a huge rush of devotees from different areas across Kashmir who had come to offer the Khoje Digar. Devotees from across all age groups offered the special Asar prayers.

“I have been coming here for decades…this place has always been a hub of peace and tranquility. Today I also brought my grandchild with me so that he can connect to this spiritual tradition. Kashmir has been moving towards many anti-social activities, and we need to get guidance from our saints more than ever. We hope that people will carry forward this tradition as this has been going on for centuries,” said Ghulam Mohi-ud-din, an elderly devotee from Nishat.

The roots of the tradition of offering Khoje Digar go back to Bukhara where Hazrat Bahauddin Naqashbandi (RA) used to hold special sermons on Asar prayers.

The Downtown area witnessed hustle and bustle, with special food stalls installed where people were seen making purchases. The whole shrine, including the adjacent roads, was full of devotees who had come in huge numbers to offer prayers. However, the devotees said that the ongoing works and dilapidated roads caused inconvenience to them.

“There are open manholes and dilapidated roads that make it hard to navigate. At many sites in the vicinity of the shrine, the construction work is incomplete and ongoing, which made it difficult for commuters to move,” said Asif Ahmad, a devotee.

Meanwhile, authorities had made special arrangements for the devotees. Officials from Traffic Police, SMC, PDD, and other departments said that men and machinery were put on the ground to ensure the day was observed smoothly.

SSP Traffic Srinagar City, Muzaffar Ahmad Shah said that they had put traffic diversion around the Shrine so that devotees don’t face any inconvenience.

“There was a huge flow of devotees, and everything went on smoothly. We had put diversions in place so that traffic flow would continue and devotees could also offer prayers without any hindrances,” Shah said.