Vijayadashami celebrated with fervour in J&K
Religious fervour and festive spirit marked the celebrations of Vijayadashami (Dasehra), a festival that marks the triumph of good over evil, in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday.
People thronged sites of Dasehra celebrations as the effigies of Ravana, Meghnath, and Kumbhkaran were burnt in several places of Jammu.
However, the event held to mark Vijayadashmi at the Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium, Church Lane, Srinagar — the lone Dasehra event in the Valley — deserves a special mention as the event marks a celebration of communal harmony and cultural heritage.
The event, which was organised by the Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Smriti, brought together diverse communities from across the region. This one-of-a-kind event in the entire Kashmir valley drew large crowds as people from all walks of life, including dignitaries, government officials and officers from the local administration, came to witness the symbolic burning of effigies.
The event, being the only Vijayadashmi celebration in the Valley, has become a beacon of Kashmir’s centuries-old tradition of bonhomie, said a statement by the organisers.
The Kashmiri Pandit Sangarsh Smriti, the organising body of the festival, also extended gratitude to Puneet Balan Group for their generous support in making this event a grand success for the second consecutive year.
“Building on the resounding success of last year’s Dasehra-2023 celebration, this year’s festival further strengthened the message of communal harmony. Last year, the event saw a similar turnout, with people from all communities gathering to celebrate the age-old traditions that bind Kashmir’s social fabric,” the statement said, adding that “the burning of effigies at Sher-e-Kashmir Stadium has now become a symbol of the shared cultural heritage between Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims, reinforcing the idea of unity in diversity.”
“The organising body extends its heartfelt thanks to the local administration, the police force and the sports association for their diligent efforts in ensuring the smooth and secure execution of the event,” it said.
The Kashmiri Pandit Sangat Smriti is committed to continuing the celebration of Dasehra in Srinagar, keeping alive the spirit of togetherness and cultural reverence in the Valley.
Meanwhile, devotees queued up at the Mata Vaishno Devi temple in Katra as they offered prayers and were heard chanting ‘Jai Mata Di.’
Veena Sharma, a devotee who had come to Katra to offer prayers said it was her long-awaited wish to come here. “I have come here from Faridabad and it was my long-awaited wish to come here and offer prayers at the Mata Vaishno Devi temple. I am very happy I came here and can’t wait to go inside the temple,” she said.
Kaushal Gupta, another devotee said: “We had started climbing last night and offered prayers in the morning. We are very lucky that we could offer our prayers here.”
(With ANI inputs)
