10 lakh visitors at Haji Ali in two days

Devotees gathering at the Haji Ali Dargah on Tuesday and Wednesday crossed 10 lakh, which usually is around two to three lakh every year during Eid-al-Fitr and Basi Eid before the pandemic. The rush has been attributed to lifting of pandemic restrictions. As crowds thronged the dargah, volunteers had to close the gates in the morning.

The managing trustee of Mahim Dargah and Haji Ali Dargah, Suhail Khandwani said, “This year, we were taken aback with the huge response after a gap of two years.” He said that on Eid, the footfall crossed 4.5 lakh and on the second day it was over six lakh. “Normally, the day after Eid, we expect around two lakh people, but this year it was four to five times more,” added Khandwani. He said people started coming in right from 3 am, and as soon as the morning prayers were over, there was a huge crowd from 4.30 am to 7.30 am.

Mohd Ahmed Taher, the administrative officer at the Haji Ali Dargah Trust, said that they were prepared as people were in their homes for the last two years during Eid and they were the first ones to close the place of worship on March 18, 2020, owing to the first Covid wave.

A devotee who visited Haji Ali, Sayed Mohammad Hasan said, “I used to visit Haji Ali every year before the lockdown, but couldn’t do it during the pandemic. Finally, I got the opportunity to visit the dargah, which was such an amazing experience and the management of the crowd was really good. There was a huge crowd this year; more than I have ever seen at Haji Ali, but even an elderly person or a small kid could walk and reach the place of worship systematically and safely.”