Every year, the famous 17thcentury mosque, Jama Masjid, is filled to its capacity on Eid. But thisyear, things turned out to be very different, owing to the coronaviruspandemic.
Delhi's Jama Masjid remained closed for special Eid prayersafter Shahi Imam, Syed Ahmad Bukahri, appealed to Muslims to offer Namaaz insidetheir homes.
Eid al-Fitr, whichmarks the end of the fasting month of Ramzan, and it¡¯s a joyous three-day celebrationhowever, Old Delhi is a containment zone so, on the occasion of Eid, securitywas beefed in most parts.
People who live in Jama Masjid and around Chawri Bazar andChandi Chowk area said they have never seen such a sight during Eidcelebrations.
On the day of Eid, dressed in new clothes, devotees offerprayers at mosques and then hug and greet relatives and friends. After theprayers, people visit each others¡¯ homes with sheer khurma (a traditionaldessert) as a customary ritual of the festival.
This year, the community observed the festival at home, with no public prayers, hugs, and daawats (get-togethers).?
The most striking shot was taken by aphotographer who posted aerial shots of the mosque on Twitter.
¡°Eid Mubarak to all of you. A Historical Moment: This is ashot from 7.30 in the morning today (May 25, 2020) when the Eid prayer wasoffered at Jama Masjid. As seen the mosque is empty. Only the Shahi Imam andhis family offered the prayer at the mosque,¡± wrote Sohaib Ilyas, the Twitteruser who describes himself as a filmmaker and aerial photographer.
Speaking to TheHindustan Times. Mufti Mukarram Ahmed, the Shahi Imam of MasjidFatehpuri, said:
¡°In 1993, when the curfew was imposed post-Babri Masjiddemolition, we did not hold Eid prayers in the Fatehpuri mosque and encouragedpeople to offer prayers in their local mosques (Babri Masjid was demolished inDecember 1992). But this year it¡¯s unprecedented. The mosque is closed sinceMarch due to the pandemic. We are requesting people to not only pray at theirhome but also avoid roaming on the streets and gatherings,¡± he told HT.
ANI
Some people in inner parts and narrow bylanes of the oldcity areas of Matia Mahal, Chandni Chowk, Ballimaran visited shops to buy fooditems and new clothes for their children, to celebrate Eid.
In Shaheen Bagh, which was a protest venue for a section ofpeople opposed to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) earlier this year, a fewshops were open as per the guidelines of the Delhi government in view of thelockdown.
Similarly, in areas such as Jamia Nagar and Batla House,only a few shops were opened and less activity was witnessed in markets on theeve of Eid.