Srinagar, Aug 17 (JKNS): Thousands of devotees gathered at the historic Naqshband Sahib (RA) Shrine in Khawaja Bazar, downtown Srinagar, to participate in the centuries-old religious tradition of ‘Khoja Digar’, with a large congregation offering prayers and reciting Awraad-e-Asriya.
The annual religious observance, regarded as a nearly 400-year-old tradition, witnessed participation of devotees from various parts of the Kashmir Valley.
A large congregation offered Asr prayers along the road stretch from Nowhatta to Khanyar, while the shrine management committee and authorities made arrangements for the convenience and safety of devotees, as per news agency JKNS.
On the occasion, Awraad-e-Asriya, a booklet comprising verses related to repentance and faith, was recited by the devotees.
Special prayers for the peace, prosperity and well-being of Jammu and Kashmir also reverberated across the shrine, with devotees praying for harmony, brotherhood and the overall welfare of the people of the region.
“Mirwaiz Remains Confined to Home”
Meanwhile, Mirwaiz-e-Kashmir Molvi Muhammad Umar Farooq, who annually leads the ‘Khoja Digar’ prayers, claimed that he was placed under house arrest.
The tradition is associated with Hazrat Khwaja Naqshband Sahib (RA) and the Naqshbandi spiritual order. Historical accounts associate the recitation with the saint and his disciples in Bukhara, Uzbekistan.
Hazrat Khwaja Naqshband Sahib (RA) was born in 718 AH at Qasr-i-Arifan, a village in Bukhara. The Naqshband Sahib Shrine in Srinagar is regarded as an important spiritual centre of the Naqshbandi order.
Authorities also undertook special arrangements around the shrine, including sanitation measures in the shrine premises and adjoining areas.
Massive Traffic Jams Hit Downtown Srinagar
The large gathering also affected traffic movement across several parts of downtown Srinagar, with long queues of vehicles reported in Rainawari, Khanyar, Nowpora, Bohri Kadal, Hawal and adjoining areas.
Traffic officials attributed the congestion to the closure of the Khawaja Bazar road for the ‘Khoja Digar’ congregation, along with a large gathering at Hazratbal Shrine on account of Friday prayers and Rabi-ul-Awwal observances.
A traffic police official said the simultaneous religious gatherings contributed to the traffic congestion.
“The road at Khawaja Bazar was closed due to ‘Khoja Digar’; people also thronged Hazratbal Shrine in large numbers because of Friday and Rabi-ul-Awwal, which led to traffic jams,” the official said.
He added that the closure of schools around prayer time further increased the volume of vehicles on city roads.
The traffic authorities assured commuters that normal traffic movement would resume after the religious gatherings and that the congestion was temporary. (JKNS)