SRINAGAR, October 16.2010

No Dussehra celebrations in Kashmir

SRINAGAR, October 16:

The topsy-turvy situation in Kashmir valley has
again led to the cancellation of Dussehra celebrations, symbolizing
victory of good over evil, in Kashmir valley and this time round, the
reason stands—unrest.
Kashmiri Pandit Sangharsh Samiti, an organisation representing
Kashmiri Pandits in the valley, has rescinded its programme of burning
the effigy of demon king Ravana to mark one of the biggest festivals
of Hindu religion.
It was after a gap of 20 years in 2007 that Pandits burnt the effigies
of Ravana on the eve of Dussehra in Srinagar with a fanfare and the
tradition was repeated in 2009 but it remained a low key affair.
“The main aim to revive the age old tradition and religious function
was to give all the pandits putting up in the valley a reason to meet
at a single place besides marking our presence here. But the
contemporary situation we are in today is not feasible enough for the
function,” Sanjay Tickoo, president of Kashmir Pandit Sangharash
Samiti told this news paper.
“Today alone, only few members of the community could participate in
the Puja at Hariparbat temple on the eve of Navratra compared to a
relatively large number last year,” he said, adding, "the members of
the community living in villages prefer to stay in their respective
towns in view of the unpredictable and volatile present-day
situation.”
Tickoo said that KPSS had planned a big function this year and
intended to burn all the three effigies of Ravana, Kumkaran and
Megnath.
“The preparation had to be done in advance for the function as
material and artists for effigies are to be brought from Delhi. In
2007, when we burnt effigy of Ravana only but this year we had planned
that we will burn all the three effigies. But due to the situation, we
have decided to cancel the function,”he said.
According to the government figures more than 250,000 Pandits fled
Kashmir since the outbreak of militancy in the state in 1989, one of
the biggest migrations of any community from the state.
The decision of KPSS not to hold the function has disappointed many
Muslims in the valley.
“I don't think the situation is too explosive for any community to bar
its religious activities,” said Bashir Ahmad, a local.
He said last year it was Muslims who stood besides the Pandits when
effigy of Ravana was burnt to ashes at sher-i- Kashmir stadium in
Sonwar to mark the occasion of Dussehra.
"It was delightful for everyone here when the revival of the festival
was made after so many years. It has been age old tradition of people
to celebrate Dussehra, Eid or any other festival together. Pandits are
part and parcel of this culture," he asserted.
Meanwhile, Mahavawmi was celebrated with religious ferver in Kashmir.
“Special Puja was done and wish was made to lord to normalize the
situation in Kashmir,” Manhat Madhav Das of Hanuman Mandir said.



Kashmir see normal day, 5 held for stone-pelting

Srinagar, Oct 16: Kashmir Valley on Monday witnessed a rare normal day
as there was no strike by separatists nor did authorities clamped
curfew restrictions anywhere across the state.
The markets in Srinagar and other major towns were abuzz with activity
as shopkeepers opened their outlets ahead of their usual schedule on
Saturday morning.
While government offices remained closed on account of a public
holiday—Mahanawmi—, private offices and other commercial
establishments opened as per their normal schedule, officials said.
Lal Chowk, this summer capital’s commercial hub, was choked with
bumper-to-bumper traffic.
Many private schools were also open — despite it being a holiday — to
conduct exam for various classes excluding those conducted by State
Board of School education.
The state administration did not impose curfew anywhere while the
separatist Hurriyat Conference led by hardliner Syed Ali Shah Geelani
had kept the day outside the purview of its already announced
strike-protest calendar.
A police spokesman said the situation across the Kashmir Valley
remained peaceful as no untoward incident occurred anywhere.
“The situation remained normal and under control throughout the
Valley,” the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, in fresh raids, police arrested five youth on charges of
stone-pelting from Baramulla and Habba Kadal locality in civil lines
here.
Three youths—Abdul Hameed Hajam, Hilal Ahmad Rather and Showkat Ahmad
Mir were arrested from Pattan Baramulla, a police official said.
However, he refused to identify the youths arrested from Habba Kadal.