Hyderabad, July 7 -- By Numan Bhat

Every year, Shia Muslims from across the valley participate in a Muharram procession held on the serene waters of Dal Lake. The event takes place on the 9th of Muharram-this year falling on July 5, 2025-as mourners move from Rainawari to Kaenkech. When the month of Muharram arrives, a unique scene unfolds in Srinagar's iconic lake.

Dozens of wooden boats-mostly shikaras-drift slowly through the lake's narrow channels, carrying mourners dressed in black. Known as the Floating Muharram, this waterborne procession has quietly moved across the lake for nearly two centuries, preserving one of Kashmir's most distinctive cultural traditions.

The boats, decorated with black flags and sacred banners, carry the...