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Nagpur: With Covid-19 pandemic showing no sign of slowing down across the globe, the Eid revelries are going to be sombre for millions of Muslims in India and Nagpur too is no exception. The people are expected to limit their festive celebrations to small family gatherings within the same house, amid infection scare.
Eid-ul-Fitr marks the end of the month-long dawn-to-sunset fasting Ramadan which brings kith and kin together to offer prayers, share sumptuous food and exchange gifts. However, Eid celebration will not be the same as it remains every year. Usually, the prayers take place in the mosques, massive halls or open places where a community gathering takes place. But this year, amid the threat of spreading coronavirus, people of the city have decided to offer prayers from home instead of going to the mosque.
Rubina Sheikh, a pharmacist, said, ” This year we are celebrating Eid in a very simple manner. All the men are not going to the mosque and will offer prayer at home. Even, we didn’t invite relatives, friends or colleagues at home to maintain the social distancing norms.”
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25 April 2025
“Every year after Eid prayers are offered, families gather and dispense money as gifts to the children before the special Eid meal is served. So, this year due to the lockdown, we can’t buy new things to children so children are relatively sad, ” said Arif Khan, a business person.
Discussing the special meal, Fauzia Sheikh told that in India, dishes like Sheer Khurma and Kimani Sewaiyan, Tangri kebabs and haleem find prominence in celebratory feasts on Eid. Apart from this, special biscuits, bread to cake and puddings also find fixtures on the menu.
Sana Javed Khan said, ” We do heavy shopping on every Eid but this time the situation is critical so we aren’t worried about it, as maintaining social distance is the need of the hour. Also, we have cancelled all the iftar parties to help curb the spread of the coronavirus. We’ll offer prayers for the patients who are in the hospitals fighting against the disease.
Saniya Sheikh, the MBA student said, we won’t be able to meet and greet our relatives and friends this year. Without them, no festival feels like a festival. But obviously it’s Eid so we will celebrate.
Sharing plans for the day, she said, “First, I will offer Eid prayer and then will do fatiya and thereafter, will have some sheer khurma. Though this year, I can’t visit my relatives so I will make phone calls to wish them. Then, I will recite Quraan Sharif and will offer namaz. Later on, I will celebrate this festival with my parents.”
– Kajal Yadav
