Faith Beyond Time: Elderly Keep Five-Decade Tradition alive at Hazratbal Shrine
Senior devotees from across Kashmir throng shrine for glimpse of holy relic
By: Our Special Correspondent
Srinagar: For Kashmir’s elderly, the annual pilgrimage to Hazratbal shrine on Eid-e-Meelad-un-Nabi (SAW) and the following Friday is more than ritual—it is a tradition spanning lifetimes. Many have been making this journey for over five decades, braving frailty, distance, and weather, their devotion undimmed.
Thousands of worshippers filled Hazratbal’s courtyards as the holy relic of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was displayed, and among them were elderly men and women who have never allowed age to stand between them and the shrine.
“I have been coming here for more than fifty years, first with my parents and now with my grandchildren. Hazratbal has been part of my life’s rhythm,” said Abdul Gani Dar, 78, from Ganderbal.
Zeenat Begum, 72, from downtown Srinagar, recalled her childhood memories: “When I was a young girl, my mother would hold my hand and bring me here. Today, I come with my daughters. I cannot imagine an Eid-e-Meelad without Hazratbal.”
From South Kashmir, Mehmooda, 76, from Anantnag, remembered travelling with her late husband in the 1970s: “We would board crowded buses to reach Hazratbal. Now I come with my sons and grandchildren. Generations may change, but the Prophet’s blessings bind us.”
Ghulam Hassan Shah, 81, from Kupwara, who walked slowly with the help of a stick, smiled through fatigue: “Even though my legs don’t support me, my heart insists. For over fifty years, Hazratbal has been my destination on this day.”
From North Kashmir, Abdul Ahad Lone, 83, from Baramulla, said he has not missed the occasion since his youth. “Even during curfews or snowstorms, we somehow made it here. Nothing could stop us from seeking the relic’s blessing.”
Equally determined was Hajra Bano, 69, from Kulgam, whispering prayers with tears in her eyes: “Hazratbal has been my refuge since childhood. Every glimpse of the holy relic renews my soul.”
And from Shopian, Ghulam Nabi Mir, 77, expressed his gratitude: “I have seen my father and grandfather making this journey. Today I continue it with my children. This is our unbroken chain of faith.”
As the relic was displayed, Hazratbal echoed with Durood and Salaam, its lawns filled with generations standing shoulder to shoulder, but it was the elderly—weathered by age yet anchored in devotion—who embodied the shrine’s timeless bond with Kashmir.
