Srinagar, Janmashtmi, marking the birth of Lord Krishna, was celebrated in a low key manner in the Kashmir valley for the second straight year on Wednesday.This year Jhanki procession and other festivity was missing due to COVID-19 pandemic though puja was held last night in temples, where only small number of devotees participated after maintaining social distance other Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), a Pujara told UNI at Hanuman Mandir at Hari Singh High Street (HSHS) near here. However, last year Jhanki procession and other programmes could not be held due to restrictions imposed by the authorities after August 5, when centre abrogated Article 370 and 35 A besides divided the state into two Union Territories (UTs), he said.
They said no big congregation was organized because of lockdown in view of the coronaviurs threat.
They said in the past, including during militancy after 1996 we were taking out jhanki processions from old city and after marching through different areas, including historic Lal Chowk, and other civil line areas and culminate in a temple at Zaindar Mohalla in the city.Reports of celebrating of Janmashtmi were also received from other parts of the Kashmir valley, where small functions were held since last evening.
Lt Governor of Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, his advisors and Chief secretary greeted people on the occasion.