NEW DELHI: The festive spirit of Eid al- Adha was subdued in the national capital on Saturday with the coronavirus pandemic badly hitting livestock sale for the festival of sacrifice and restricting many people to their homes. Despite easing of lockdown restrictions, many preferred offering ‘namaz’ at their homes than visiting mosques.
Those who offered prayers at mosques said fewer people had turned up than usual, and the mood was not as ebullient as previous years. Outside the Jama Masjid, police put up signboards requesting people to wear masks and ensure physical distancing while offering namaz. Imtiaz Ahmad, who offered prayers at the mosque, said the turnout was way less than before when the crowd would spill on the streets too.
People wore masks, carried their own mats and avoided hugging each other, he said. Yameen Ansari, a resident of Jamia Nagar who offered prayers at Jamaat e-Islami Hind Markaz in Azu Fazal Enclave, said though some people stepped out of their homes, unlike Eid Ul Fitr in May, the festive spirit was dim. “People could step out as things are under control in Delhi.
Still, they were not as cheerful as before,” he said, adding friends and family have been avoiding gatherings on the festival. Umar Sheikh Mohammad, president of the Nizamuddin West Resident Welfare Association, said he offered prayers in a nearby mosque but the crowd was thin.