Shankaracharya Jayanti celebrated with fervour in Srinagar

Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir summer capital celebrated Shankaracharya Jayanti with religious fervour on Tuesday with large number of devotees offering prayers at the Shankaracharya Temple here.

The Jayanti marks the birth anniversary of eighth century Vedic scholar Adi Shankara.

Several spiritual leaders, saints and people from different parts of the valley gathered at the Shankaracharya Temple atop Zabarwan hills here to perform a 'puja'.

Mahamandaleshwar Swami Vishwatmanand Saraswati from Sunderbani Ashram of Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district offered his prayers at the temple along with other saints from across the country.

Rohit Raina, a Kashmiri Pandit who visited the temple from north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, said he was delighted to attend the 'havan' performed by Kanchi Mutt members in honour of Adi Shankara.

Raina said he appreciated that despite the tension in the valley, such religious events went smoothly.

Swami Saraswati told PTI that special prayers were aimed at fostering a sense of brotherhood and love among the people in the valley.

“Many programmes have been organised to mark Shankaracharya Jayanti. A rally will be held from Lal Chowk to Tagore Bhawan,” he added.