Srinagar, Mar 28: Jumat-ul-Vida, the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan, was observed with great religious reverence and joy across the Kashmir Valley. On this auspicious occasion, the largest congregational prayers were held at the Dargah Hazratbal shrine, where more than one lakh people participated in the Friday prayers.
From early morning, thousands of devotees gathered at Hazratbal shrine for the prayers. Similar scenes were witnessed across the valley as people flocked to mosques, shrines, and other major religious sites to offer their Friday prayers.
Jumat-ul-Vida marks the final Friday of Ramadan, a day observed with deep devotion and fervor. Since the Fajr (morning) prayers, following a night of worship, mosques, shrines, and other religious places echoed with the recitation of the Holy Quran, Durood, and sermons. Religious clerics and scholars delivered Friday sermons at various religious sites across the valley.
To facilitate the devotees, the administration and the J&K Waqf Board, in coordination with the city’s traffic department, made adequate arrangements for the smooth conduct of prayers and religious gatherings.
The city’s traffic department provided transport services at several key locations to ferry devotees to and from Hazratbal shrine and other major religious sites. JKSRTC buses were also deployed at various points, including the city center of Lal Chowk, to assist devotees coming from other districts of the valley.
Authorities made extensive arrangements at Dargah Hazratbal to ease the movement of devotees. The traffic department ensured smooth vehicular flow, designated parking spaces, and additional buses for devotees coming from different parts of the city.
“Additional transport facilities have been arranged for devotees traveling to Hazratbal shrine. Furthermore, parking facilities have been set up for private vehicles,” an official from the traffic department said.
Meanwhile, Friday congregational prayers were also held at other shrines in the city which included Ziarat-e-Makhdoom Sahib (RA) Khanqah-e-Mualla (RA) Ziarat Dastgeer sahib (RA), Asar-e-Sharif Shehri Kalashpora, Masjid Jamiat-e-Ahle Hadith, Gawkadal, Asar-e-Sharif, Janab Sahib Soura and major Imambargahs of the city.
On the occasion of last Friday of Ramadan, religious clerics and scholars delivered sermons and spoke about the sanctity and significance of Jumat Ul Vida and the essence of the holy month of Ramadan.
Clerics at different religious gatherings enlightened the devotees on the teachings of Islam and Prophet Muhammad (SAW) .
While people hailed the administration for ensuring hassle-free movement, many devotees decried the lack of proper transport facilities. “ Proper transport is not available. People are struggling to find transport from Hazratbal towards the city centre. There are no buses available,” a group of devotees revealed.
