Mosques, shrines wear deserted look; no Friday prayers held

Tribune News Service

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Srinagar, March 27

Most of the mosques and shrines in Kashmir valley wore a deserted look this afternoon as no congregational Friday prayers were held amid the Covid scare. Locals were found saying this was for the first time that Friday prayers were not held on such a large scale.

“For the first time in my life, I have experienced this. There have been instances when Friday prayers were not allowed at mosques like Jama Masjid in old city due to security concerns but prayers were always held in mohalla mosques. Usually, on Friday afternoons, the entire Valley used to reverberate with azaans (call to prayer) from all over….but today I could hardly hear any. I feel sad that I could not offer prayers….I cannot even remember the last time when I did not offer Friday prayers….we hope this pandemic gets over soon,” said Mohammad Iqbal, a 70-year-old local.

While the administration had shut all main mosques and shrines on Thursday, most of the local mohalla mosques too gave Friday prayers a miss. However, at a few mosques in the interiors, prayers were held where attendance remained very thin, eye witnesses said.

Several religious heads had on Thursday urged people not to offer Friday prayers and instead pray ‘Zuhar’ at their respective homes.

Earlier in the morning, government spokesman Rohit Kansal had passed orders against holding of religious gatherings. “DCs and SPs advised to strictly caution all religious leaders NOT to call any gatherings. Public gatherings a major source of social contact and spread of the virus,” Kansal had tweeted.