COVID-19 lockdown: Usual celebration missing, mosques closed for public on Eid-ul-Fitr

As mosques across the country remain closed following Centre's COVID-19 guidelines, the usual Eid-Ul-Fitr fervour and celebration were missing on Monday. However, people across the country offered 'namaaz' with their loved ones at home and prayed for the well being of their fellow countrymen.

As mosques across the country remain closed following Centre's COVID-19 guidelines, the usual Eid-Ul-Fitr fervour and celebration were missing on Monday. However, people across the country offered 'namaaz' with their loved ones at home and prayed for the well being of their fellow countrymen.

Eid-ul-Fitr marks the conclusion of the holy month of Ramzan, which is a month of fasting and prayer for the Muslim community.

This year, Eid is being celebrated amid a nationwide lockdown imposed as a precautionary measure to contain the spread of COVID-19. Markets in Lucknow, Delhi and Kolkata were bereft of any festive buzz as people remained indoors.

All places of worship are closed for public amid lockdown as per government guidelines. "All religious places or places of worship shall be closed for public. Religious congregations are strictly prohibited," the MHA guidelines state.

Crowds were missing in Delhi's Jama Masjid and Fatehpuri Masjid, which are host to thousands of people offering namaaz on Eid.

People in Chandni Chowk offered Eid namaz at their residence and greet each other on the occasion.

Sanjay Bhatia, DCP Central Delhi, said that strict security arrangements have been made in the national capital to ensure that no religious gathering takes place in the mosques on Eid festival.

"We have appealed to people to offer prayers and celebrate Eid at their homes. Imams of all mosques have also made the same appeal to their community. Patrolling is being done in all areas. All gates of the mosque are locked. People are paying heed to our requests and everything is peaceful. Our force is deployed near Jama Masjid as the area is under the red zone," he said.

Walajah Big mosque in Chennai's Triplicane area and Mahim Dargah in Mumbai also remained closed for devotees on the occasion.

People in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad and Karnataka's Hubli offered Eid namaaz and celebrated the festival at their residence, keeping in mind the guidelines and norms amid the fourth phase of the lockdown.

In an act of kindness on Eid-ul-Fitr, people from all religions of Vattayal in Alappuzha district united to collect money for the surgery of 36-year-old Mohammed Rafi, whose both kidneys failed, thereby sending a message of communal harmony.Instead of celebrating Eid, Muslims in the area chose to pass on the hat for the noble cause in which their Hindu and Christian neighbours joined, which was fully supported by Valiyakulam Juma Masjid.

As celebrations don not take place at Hyderabad's Mecca Masjid as well, Khadeer Siddiqui, Superintendent of the Mecca Masjid, told over the phone that "This was the first time in decades that the festival was not being celebrated in the mosque premises."

( With inputs from ANI )