How Republic Day Became Kashmir’s Own Festival of Peace

Suhail Khan

 

Srinagar, Jan 26: The biting cold of ‘Chillai Kalan’—Kashmir’s harshest winter period—did little to deter the crowds that thronged Republic Day venues across the Valley on Monday. In what local observers describe as a shift in public sentiment, the 77th Republic Day witnessed what many are calling the most inclusive and publicly celebrated observance in recent memory.

Gone are the shuttered shops, empty streets, and palpable tension that once characterized January 26 in Kashmir. In their place were bustling markets, packed grandstands, streets lined with waving tricolours, and a sense of collective participation that residents say feels both novel and natural.

“I not only participated, I did so with pride,” said Saman, an NCC cadet whose parents watched her march in the parade. “The most beautiful part was my parents seeing me participate with dignity,” she told Kashmir Convener.

The change was not merely official. From Baramulla to Srinagar, celebrations moved beyond protocol to become public festivals. In the summer capital, the streets painted a vibrant picture of normalcy—locals mixed with tourists, traffic flowed freely, and markets remained open.

“This is the peaceful Kashmir we had hoped to see,” said a tourist from Mumbai celebrating in Pattan. “Shops are open, and you can feel the sheer joy in the crowd—it speaks more than any words can.”

Amir, an entrepreneur from north Kashmir, kept his shop open as his personal celebration. “Peace is good for the soul and for business,” he told Kashmir Convener. “The overwhelming participation shows people are embracing this new dawn.”

Asma, an educationalist felicitated at today’s function, framed the celebrations as a rebuke. “It’s a moment where we can send a message to those who are enemies of peace,” she told Kashmir Convener. “People are now wholeheartedly joining hands with the rest of the country.”

Social activist Shabir Ahmad said, “The days when people were afraid to participate in national events are gone. Now, Kashmir celebrates together, just like the rest of the country.”

Eyewitness accounts from Kashmir Convener’s ground team describe scenes dramatically different from past years. Grandstands were packed with families, students, and elders without any apparent coercion. Businesses remained open across major towns—a stark contrast to the formerly characteristic shuttered look. Students participated in cultural activities, receiving appreciation from officials and parents alike. The unrestricted movement on all major routes symbolized, for many, the breakdown of old barriers.

Sopore-based activist Arshid Badroo captured the mood: “Today wasn’t just observed; it was lived, celebrated, and owned by the people.”

While the immediate visuals tell one story—flags, crowds, smiles—the underlying narrative speaks to what authorities have long hoped for: that sustained peace would naturally evolve into public participation. “The day has proven that when peace takes root,” Badroo added, “it naturally blossoms into participation, prosperity, and patriotic fervor.”

Touseef Raina, a social activist based in Baramulla, told Kashmir Convener that there was once again massive public participation in India’s 77th Republic Day celebrations.

He pointed to the changing scenario, observing that while internet and phone services were frequently suspended in the past, such restrictions have now eased. “What is new,” he said, “is that official events have transformed into public festivals—that is the change in Kashmir today.”

Raina said in the past, there were often curbs and public restrictions, but these are now scarcely seen. “From the border areas to city and main towns, people everywhere are wholeheartedly enjoying every national event,” he said.

Earlier on Monday, Apni Party President Altaf Bukhari stated, “We are witnessing normalcy today. Those who once held weapons now hold the national flag—what greater normalcy can there be?”

He described the on-ground situation as peaceful, noting that people are participating willingly and wholeheartedly in public events, whether recruitment drives, Republic Day, or Independence Day celebrations.

In the crisp cold of a Kashmir winter, the Valley’s celebration felt less like an obligation and more like a choice—a collective embrace of a national occasion that many here now call their own.