Kashmir seeks divine help to improve weather conditions

Our Correspondent

Srinagar, April 3

As intermittent rain continued in Kashmir since last evening, residents today organised special prayers at many places in the city to call upon the mercy of the Almighty for improvement in the weather conditions to avoid floods.

People in the Valley, after the Friday prayers, sought intervention of the God for the rain to stop which has created panic among residents.

“We have organised special prayers for rain to stop,” said Ghulam Muhammad, an elderly resident of Srinagar.

Propitiation prayers were held at various places in the commercial hub of Srinagar as well as by shopkeepers and other traders.

“We organised ‘sasrus’ (special prayers) to pray for the rain to stop. We prayed to the God to save us from floods,” said another local who participated in the propitiation prayers.

Traders in the city suffered huge losses when the city was flooded in September last and the prayers were organised to stop rain and save Srinagar from floods.

“We cannot afford another flood. We have nothing to lose now. I hope after the prayers the God will save Kashmir from floods in future and rains will also stop,” said Ghulam Nabi, a trader.

The locals in many parts of Srinagar like Nowgam and Natipora prepared ‘Tehri’ (a mix of rice and mutton) as an offering and distributed it among people.

Special prayers were performed in mosques and shrines of Kashmir for improvement in weather conditions today.

Meanwhile, the water level in the Jhelum river continued to recede for the second consecutive day, but it is expected to rise again in view of fresh rain since last night in the Valley, giving rise to fears of floods among the residents.