KPs Take Out Shobha Yatra Amid Tight Security
Suhail Khan
SRINAGAR, Mar 30: The Kashmiri Pandit community took out a religious procession, ”Shobha Yatra, to celebrate the Hindu festival of Ram Navami in the summer capital city of Srinagar on Thursday.
Reports reaching Kashmir Despatch said that J&K Police and CRPF provided tight security cover for the Shobha Yatra, which started from Zaindar Mohalla in the old city of Srinagar and after passing through the city’s commercial hubs Lal Chowk, Habbakadal, Barbarshah, Hari Singh High Street, and Jehangir Chowk, the Yatra culminated at Tankipora area of Srinagar.
For the past 16 years, the Kashmiri Pandit community has taken out this yatra; however, due to law and order situations followed by turmoil in the valley, we stopped Pawan Chetanyadas, the organizer of the Shobha Yatra.
He said on this auspicious occasion, “We pray for peace and prosperity for all people in Kashmir.” “We want everyone to live in harmony, as bloodshed will yield nothing,” he said.
“This occasion symbolizes friendship, and on this occasion, we have a message of peace and friendship,” he added.
The organizers expressed happiness and gratitude to both Kashmiri Pandits and Muslims for their support in carrying out the procession in Srinagar. Kashmiri Pandits living abroad also came to be a part of the procession.
They said the locals always supported us a lot while we were on the yatra. The decorations are done by Muslims.
Pertinently, the number of participants from Kashmiri Pandits in the procession went down this year due to the fear of targeted killings.
Suhail Khan is a filmmaker, content writer, and freelance journalist.
