Shaheen Bagh residents witness muted I’d celebrations

Anti-CAA protester helps riot-affected families; locals greet each other on video calls due to lockdown

The streets of Shaheen Bagh, which were filled with anti-CAA protesters and art until a few months ago, wore a rather silent look on I’d-ul-Fitr. Only a few sweet shops were open and people on the streets, significantly less than the usual, greeted each other ‘Id Mubarak’.

A few kilometres ahead, in Jasola, resides Saima Khan, who was one of the active protesters at Shaheen Bagh. Like everyone else, this I’d was different for her family too. She spend the festival day and the month of Ramzan helping the riot-affected families as much as she could.

Donating income

Sitting with her family at her residence, where they had been cooking dishes since the wee hours, she said, “Every year in the month of Ramzan, we donate 2.5% of our income. This year, we used that and a little more for those who needed ration in riot-affected Shiv Vihar and Mustafabad.”

She said that the family has adopted three-four riot-hit families, who did not have male members. “I had visited the Idgah relief camp, where people were staying for a few weeks, and met many who had my number and contacted me,” said Ms. Saima, who had become active in social work during the anti-CAA protest.

As Ms. Saima shared how she celebrated I’d and spent Ramzan, her daughters Sidra (13) and Sumaiya (16), chided her. “But there was no Idi for us,” they said.

Though Ms. Saima and her family celebrated the day cooking traditional dahi-wade, chick peas, kheer and sheer, the festival was different for the daughters. “Every year, we used to go to our home village in Sambhal where all the cousins gather. It used to be a lot of fun. There used to be a huge amount of Idi from relatives and neighbours there. But there’s nothing this time. Only our paternal aunts and their families have come,” said Ms. Sumaiya. “We can’t invite people home. We can’t meet friends. It’s very boring,” added Ms. Sidra.

Visibly disappointed

Children in Shaheen Bagh were also visibly disappointed. Though they were dressed up, the only highlight of the day was going out with friends and getting ice cream. Little Ayat (9) – wearing a gajra in her head bun — came decked up with her friends Shazia (10) and Raunak (11), to the ice cream stall and bought an orange bar.

“Every year, there used to be a carnival on the grounds here where they used to put swings, but it’s not there this time. We used to eat biryani and then spent hours in the carnival. Today, we went to our friends’ houses, wished their parents but got only little Idi,” said Ayat.

Raunak said that this time, no new clothes were bought. However, they wore the best ones from the wardrobe in the spirit of the festival.

Moreover, locals said there was little hugging this time around. Instead, they mostly shook hands to exchange Id greetings and none could visit the mosque, which is the “most essential” deed for the day.

“Praying together on I’d is the most important of all. This year, this couldn’t happen for obvious reasons. We are wishing our relatives on video calls. I am just praying that COVID-19 leaves the country soon,” said Mohammed Rizwan, a resident of Shaheen Bagh.