Valley mosques open doors to devotees

KASHMIR’S BIGGEST MOSQUE, JAMIA MASJID IN NOWHATTA, IS STILL CLOSED AND WILL OPEN ON AUGUST 18 AFTER A CLEANLINESS DRIVE

SRINAGAR : Some prominent religious places including shrines reopened in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday for prayers after remaining closed for over five months to thwart the spread of novel coronavirus.

People offered daily prayers in some shrines and mosques in Kashmir Valley but took precautions like maintaining social distancing and wearing masks.

Small mosques in interior areas had already opened up in the last few weeks. On Sunday, for the first time in five months, people offered prayers in congregation in prominent shrines like Dastigeer Sahib in the Old City. People also said that they visited Khanqah-e-moula shrine on the banks of Jhelum. “We offered congregation prayer for the first time since mid-march in the afternoon today. All SOPS were followed. There was a good response from the people and they took all necessary precautions,” said Syed Khalid Geelani, one of the caretakers of Dastigeer Sahib shrine. Some mosques remained closed. Kashmir’s biggest mosque Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta

was still closed and will open on August 18. “In a couple of days the mosque will be opened after a cleanliness drive,” said a caretaker of the mosque.

Some urged fellow citizens not to indulge in ‘blind fatalism’. “Blessed are we that these places have opened. But at the same time, people should continue to take precautions. Their opening does not mean that the pandemic is over. People should continue to wear masks, take their own prayer rugs to the mosques, avoid handshakes, use sanitisers, and maintain social distancing. Only then they should leave it to God,” said Yaqoob Ahmad, an Imam of a local mosque in Srinagar.

Officials also urged people not to lower their guard. “Community response holds the key to fighting the pandemic,” said Srinagar deputy commissioner, Shahid Chaudhary in a tweet.