Srinagar, June 7 -- At sunrise on Saturday, as the call to prayer echoed over the still waters of Dal Lake, hundreds of families began gathering at Hazratbal, Kashmir's most revered mosque. Among the sea of worshippers, it was the children who stood out.

Dressed in spotless white kurtas, stiff from ironing, and shoes that squeaked with every step, boys clung to their fathers' hands while girls adjusted their sequined scarves with care.

Some looked serious, mimicking the reverence of the adults around them. Others couldn't help but fidget, glance around, or smile shyly at strangers.

Eid al-Azha, the second of Islam's major holidays, is a day of ritual, prayer, and family. Qurbani dominates the day.

Despite slowdown and recent spike in ...