As devotees around the country celebrate Dussehra amid the COVID-19 pandemic, locals of Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district have observed festivities in a simple manner, to reduce the risk on COVID-19 infection.
Locals claimed that guidelines prescribed by the health ministry were being strictly followed, including wearing of masks, social distancing and stisation.
"This festival has been celebrated for hundreds of years, and this is the first time we are celebrating it minimally like this. The main event of Dussehra is the Ravan Dahan which took place in an orderly fashion. All people maintained social distancing, wore masks and stised," said a local who attended the program.
"We gathered here early in the morning for the tying of threads and pooja. We prayed to God to take away all evils including the coronavirus. Even though the celebration was smaller than usual this year, it was very beautiful and peaceful," a priest at the sight said.
( With inputs from ANI )
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