| Amid COVID scare, ‘Raksha Bandhan’ celebrations remain low key affair, sans festivity | | |  Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 3: Amid the scare of COVID-19, ‘Raksha Bandhan’, the festival of bond and faith between sisters and brothers, was celebrated on Monday with religious fervour but without festivity.
The markets in various areas of Jammu city were missing the buzz without customers, especially women.
Despite the markets opening after more than two days of weekend lockdown, they did not witness any heavy rush of customers as corona cases have been rising in the winter capital.
The major markets in the city also did not see heavy rush of customers.
Most of the people celebrated the festival online through video calls on various social apps, while a few dared to visit their loved ones to celebrate the festival.
“Let us follow the COVID pandemic guidelines this year so that we happily celebrate the festival with much enthusiasm next year,” said Rohini—a housewife.
She said that she made a video call to her brother who stays out of the town and with all the rituals, celebrated the festival.
Ruchie, another housewife said, “let us be safe first. Following SOPs and guidelines like social distancing are in the interest of everyone.”
“We have to be very cautious and must stay away from big gatherings to protect ourselves and everyone around us,” she said adding that as quickly the people start living under the new normal, quicker will we be able to win the fight against the corona pandemic.
“I am happy that my cousin visited to us with my aunt and uncle to celebrate the Rakhi,” Arya, 7 year old said adding that she missed sweets and celebrations but followed all SOPs by wearing masks while tying ‘Rakhi’.
Meanwhile, kite flying competitions like in other parts of the country, which are popular in Jammu city to mark the festival, also remained a low key affair.
Kites with slogans like ‘Go Corona Go’, ‘Corona ko Harana Hai’, also hit the stands and were seen flying high at some locations of Jammu city.
Meanwhile, police have also appealed to the people not to use, manufacture and sell Manja/Gattu (Chinese string) as the government has imposed a ban on it.
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