There will be no congregational celebrations on the 655 Urs of Hazrat Mir Sayyed Ali Hamdani, popularly known as Shah-i-Hamdan in the Kashmir on Tuesday, 6th day of Zilhaj month of Islamic calendar Dhu al Hijjah due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The gates of the main shrine of the Shah-i-Haman on the bank of river Jehlum in the old town Srinagar remained locked since March when the government announced lock down in the Kashmir valley to prevent spread of Coronavirus. However, despite lock down and strict restrictions, the deadly invisible virus has claimed 312 lives and about 18000 wee infected in the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir. Valley witnessed 277 deaths till July 26 evening.
The management of the shrine Shah-i-Hamdan announced that there will be no congregation on the occasion of Urs this year due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Similar announcements were made by the management of Shah-i-Hamdan in other parts of the valley.
Thousands of people, including women and children from different parts of the Kashmir, used to visit shrines associated with Shah-i-Haman in the valley, particularly in the old city Srinagar on this day every year.
This the second successive year that no celebrations were organized on the occasion of Urs on August 6 due to strict curfew restrictions imposed by the authorities on August 5 when centre scrapped Article 370 and divided the state into two Union Territories (UTs), detained all mainstream and separate leaders besides suspended all communication network, including landline and mobile service in the Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Shah-i-Haman is the central figure who spread Islam in Kashmir. The preacher arrived here alongwith 700 disciples came to Kashmir from the city of Hamadan in Persia in the 14th century. He is credited for the spread of Islam in Kashmir in 1480 AD. He visited the Kashmir valley three times.