Was Prabhat Pheri in Srinagar Held for the First Time in 40 Years?

Puneet Sharma, followed by PM Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Twitter, also shared the video.

A viral video falsely claimed that it was from Prabhat Pheri held in Srinagar.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

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CLAIM

A viral video on social media claims that a custom known as Prabhat Pheri was held for the first time in 40 years in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar. The claim along with the the video reads: ‘श्रीनगर कश्मीरमें प्रभात फेरी 40 वर्षों में पहली बार.. सोचो और आँखे खोलो...कैसे मुमकिन हुआ...मोदी है..... तो मुमकिन है’

(Translated: In Srinagar, Kashmir, Prabhat Pheri for the first time in 40 years, think and open your eyes, how was it possible, if Modi is there, it’s possible)

Several social media users have shared the video on Facebook and Twitter with a similar claim. Puneet Sharma, who is followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Twitter, also shared the same video.

The video is viral on Facebook.

TRUE OR FALSE?

The claim around the video is false. The video is not from Prabhat Pheri but from a Jhanki procession from Ram Navami held this year.

WHAT WE FOUND OUT

Yudhistir Govinda Das, director, national communications, International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) told The Quint that the video is not from Prabhat Pheri.

“As per the reports on social media and elsewhere, a video was brought to our attention which was shot in Srinagar. The video in discussion is from a Shoba Yatra procession on the occasion of Ram Navami and seems have to been reposted recently.”

Yudhistir Govinda Das, Director, National Communications, ISKCON

He further denied the claim that such celebrations were held for the first time in 40 years. He said, “This kind of Shoba Yatra for Ram Navami has been organised since the last 12 years by ISKCON in Srinagar. Though the size has become bigger over the years.”

Ram Navami was celebrated in the valley earlier this year in April, reported Greater Kashmir. Further, The Tribune had reported about Ram Navami celebrations in the Valley in 2013, even before the Modi government came into power.

WHAT IS PRABHAT PHERI?

Das further explained that Prabhat Pheri, which is understood differently in different regions, generally means a spiritual gathering that goes around in a locality or region with kirtan (most of the times) or Katha early morning.

“So if you strictly go by the meaning, we have that program only in Udhampur where we do it daily. In other areas like Srinagar, it is done every now and then depending on the availability of devotees, festivals, holidays, etc. It is done during different times of the day,” he added.

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