For the first time, a grand Diwali celebration took place near the historic clock tower at Lal Chowk on Thursday, where hundreds of locals and tourists gathered to light diyas in honor of the festival of lights.
As evening set in, the city center, bustling with tourists during the day, transformed into a vibrant scene, with the entire market illuminated and Diwali celebrated with joy and festive spirit.
Officials noted that this was the first time such a grand Diwali celebration was held at the city center. Rashmi, a tourist from Rajkot, Gujarat, shared her excitement, saying, “I am feeling very happy to be here. The atmosphere here is very great. I have not witnessed such a festive atmosphere anywhere.”
Another tourist, Manish, expressed his gratitude, saying, “We are thankful to the people of Kashmir who supported us and joined in our celebrations.”
A heavy security ring was established around the area to ensure smooth celebrations.
“This is really Naya Kashmir. We had never thought that we could celebrate Diwali in such a grand manner here. The atmosphere is electric. It is much better than what we see in Gujarat. I want to tell everyone that there is no threat here, everything is peaceful and locals are supportive,” remarked another tourist from Gujarat.
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