LUCKNOW: The Friday prayer at Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, the first after the May 16 court order sealing the wuzu khana (pond), passed off peacefully amid tight security arrangements by the district administration and alternative arrangement of water for wuzu (ritual washing before prayers) by the mosque management committee.
Despite an advisory by the Anjuman Intizamia Masajid (AIM) to Muslims to offer namaz at local mosques, there was a sudden rise in the number of attendees for the Friday prayer. As many as 1,200 devotees reached the mosque which has capacity to accommodate 2,000. The masjid used to witness barely 350-400 people on earlier Fridays.
Amid heavy police presence, Muslim devotees entered the mosque through gate number 4 of the Kashi Vishwanath Dham area to offer the prayers. The entrance to the mosque and surrounding areas were under the careful watch of district police and CRPF.
The AIM had urged the namazis to come for prayers after performing wuzu at home. However, the mosque authorities had arranged two drums containing 1,000 litres water each for wuzu after receiving permission from the district administration.
District Magistrate Kaushal Raj Sharma said the namaz passed off peacefully with the active cooperation and support of the Anjuman Intizamia Masajid. “Taking proactive initiative, the mosque committee had arranged volunteers for the smooth handling of namazis,” said the DM, adding that a meeting was held with the mosque authorities on Thursday in this regard.