J&K Lt. Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha on Saturday joined mourners during the 10th Muharram procession in Srinagar's Bota Kadal area.
This is the first time in the last 34 years that a head of administration has joined a Muharram procession.
Accompanied by Kashmir Divisional Commissioner Vijay Bidhuri , the L-G paid glowing tributes to Imam Hussain, the grandson of Prophet of Islam.
The 10th Muharram marks the martyrdom of Imam Hussain and his followers at the hands of Yazid's army in Karbala area of present day Iraq.
Scores of mourners were present duringthe Muharram procession for which special arrangements of security, healthcare and refreshments had been made by the authorities.
Sinha also distributed refreshments among the mourners.
The procession will end at Imambada in Zadibal locality of Srinagar.
Muharram in J&K: A historic milestone
In a historic decision, the J&K government took a crucial step towards fostering religious harmony by allowing the 8th Muharram procession to proceed along its traditional route. The Muharram procession on the traditional Gurubazaar-Dalgate route was banned in 1989 after the eruption of terrorism in Kashmir Valley. On Wednesday, J&K government granted permission to take out the procession from the traditional route after a gap of over three decades.
Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday termed the 8th Muharram procession as another historic landmark in the continued march toward peace and stability. An official spokesman of the police said that it shows the situation is at par with the days when normalcy was prevailing in the Kashmir Valley. Similary, the 10th Muharram procession was carried out with peace. J&K LG's participation marked yet another milestone.
