Srinagar: Diwali, the festival of lights, was celebrated with religious fervor across Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday.
The celebrations were more visible in the evening when devotees thronged temples in Srinagar and elsewhere to offer special prayers and light up lamps.
Temples and houses of Hindu and Sikh community in Kashmir were illuminated with colourful lights.
The sweet shops in Srinagar witnessed a good rush, even as Muslims exchanged sweets with their Hindu and Sikh friends and acquaintances while greeting them on this occasion.
“We have prepared special varieties of sweets today. Many of our customers ordered special bakery,” said a salesman at a bakery shop in Srinagar.
Social networking sites were abuzz with Diwali greetings. Muslims in Kashmir posted animations of burning diya (oil lamp) on social networking sites to greet their Hindu and Sikh friends.
A large number of devotees thronged Hanuman temple at Amira Kadal here for special prayers.
The devotees at temples said they prayed for peace, prosperity and progress of J&K.
“May every diya that we light on Diwali infuse new life in those suffering from life threatening diseases. On this day, we pray for the entire humanity” said Ashok Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit.
Bhat said that his Muslim friends in Srinagar never forget to greet him and his family on the occasion of Diwali. “Their warm greetings are always part of our celebrations. We exchange sweets today; I have received a large number of greetings on phone from Muslim friends across J&K while many visited my home to greet us,” he said.
The security personnel also celebrated Diwali events at Badamibagh, Awantipora and other camps in Kashmir, reports said.
Officers and their family members were dressed up for the occasion and attended Diwali parties while adhering to COVID19 safety guidelines.
Reports said that different units of security forces organised special Diwali get-togethers in which members of civil society were invited.
At many places, the security forces distributed Diwali gifts among children and organised competitive games for them.
In Jammu, various social and religious bodies had organised Diwali celebration events.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration had asked people to burst only “green crackers” on Diwali from 8 pm to 10 pm.
An order by the State Executive Committee of the Department of Disaster Management, Relief, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction said that the decision on “green crackers” had been taken for Jammu and Srinagar in line with a National Green Tribunal ruling that restricted the sale and use of crackers in cities and towns where air quality is moderate or low.
Green crackers are so named because they do not contain harmful chemicals.
The order also listed all safety precautions for people while using fireworks which include using open spaces like playgrounds and fields for fire cracking, not burning crackers in a crowded or congested place or inside the house.
The advisory has also asked people to be watchful of their children and not let them burst crackers without the supervision of elders.