Freed of curbs, Eid festivities in old Delhi return after 2 yrs
NEW DELHI: Two years after the Covid-19 pandemic upended Delhi’s traditional Eid festivities, celebrations returned to its full grandeur on Tuesday with the capital’s major mosques, including the Jama Masjid and Fatehpuri Masjid in the Walled City, witnessing large-scale participation in the early morning Eid namaz. Festivities continued through the day with families thronging marketplaces and partaking in iftars and community feasts.
Covid restrictions in the city have remained relaxed on account of a low daily count of Covid cases and on Tuesday, several mosques held the namaz early, keeping the heat in mind. Several mosques held prayers in shifts to accommodate the rush.
Jama Masjid held the Eid namaz around 6am.
Shamse Alam, 28-year-old resident of Madhu Vihar travelled to Jama Masjid to offer Eid prayers with his family.
“It has been a family tradition to offer Eid namaz at Jama Masjid and I am grateful we are able to resume it and everyone has stayed safe during this period,” he said.
Syed Ahmed Bukhari, the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid said for over two years, most mosques had not allowed masses to perform Eid namaz due to the Covidinduced restrictions.
“I have rarely seen the mosque overflowing with such a massive gathering,” he said on Tuesday.
In another part of the Walled City, near Chandni Chowk, the 17th century Fatehpuri Masjid also saw a huge crowd for the Eid namaz. Mufti Mukarram Ahmed, khateeb of Shahi Masjid Fatehpuri, said,
“We asked people to offer namaz in their own localities, but we saw a gathering larger than the ones seen during the pre-pandemic days,” he said.