Suhail Bhat
Srinagar, Jan 12: Amid persistent dry weather conditions in Kashmir, special prayers were held today at the historic Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, where devotees gathered to seek divine intervention to end the worrying dry winter spell.
Hundreds of devotees gathered for the congregational special prayers, known as “Salatul Istisqa,” organised by the Anjuman Auqaf Jamia Masjid Srinagar. The call to converge at the grand Masjid was made in response to the ongoing drought-like weather conditions, believed to be the driest in the past two decades. During the prayers, emotions ran high, with people shedding tears as they prayed for rain or snow to bring relief to the drought-hit Kashmir.
According to Mufti Ghulam Rasool Shah, who led the prayers, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had decided to hold special prayers for the prevailing dry weather conditions in the valley, considering their harmful effects on the people, especially agriculture. “We initially planned to conduct separate prayers for the dry spell on a day other than Friday, but the Ulemas decided to schedule it on Friday in the hope that the rains would fall,” he said.
With almost half of the challenging forty-day winter period, called Chilai Kalan, passing without any snow or rain, people are getting worried. The lack of precipitation is raising concerns about its impact on agriculture and horticulture, which are vital for the local economy. People are now hoping for some divine help to avoid a worsening crisis.
Among the devotees, 70-year-old Ghulam Mohammad Shah attributed the situation to people disrespecting nature and polluting their surroundings. “We have destroyed our forests, and there is garbage everywhere. Pollution has increased. This is a punishment from Allah, and today we prayed to seek relief from this harsh climate,” he remarked.
Shah believes that their prayers will bring an end to the current dry weather spell and urges people to take care of the environment. “We have seen dry spells before, and when people pray for it, they get a breather,” he added.
Another devotee, Shabir Ahmad, emphasised the tradition of holding such prayers during crises. “Our ancestors used to come here when such a situation arose, and continuing the tradition, we held these prayers so that the heavens shower snowfall and rain upon this beautiful land,” he said. Ahmad highlighted the historical practice of holding prayers during droughts, drawing parallels to the actions of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).
Expressing concern about the current weather trend, Ahmad noted, “Every winter, the valley used to be bestowed with plenty of snowfall and rains, providing irrigation to crops throughout the year and sustaining our agriculture sector.”
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