Muslims
in India prepare for Id amidst tight security
by Maya Singh/Sushil
Pareek
New
Delhi/Mumbai: Muslims across India are gearing up to celebrate
the festival of Id-ul-Fitr, which falls on Friday, signalling
the end of the month-long Ramadan ( Ramzan ) fast. In anticipation
of the festival, which will see large crowds congregating
outside various mosques and localities, police in various
cities, especially the communally sensitive ones like Delhi,
Lucknow, Hyderabad and Mumbai, have beefed up security to
prevent untoward incidents of violence. The security in the
Indian capital has taken on a new hew in view of the October
29 serial bomb blasts that claimed 62 lives and maimed over
200 injured. Security has been beefed up in and around the
17th century Jama Masjid, which once served as the main mosque
where the Mughal emperor and members of his family offered
their prayers.
Hundreds
of armed policemen have been deployed in individual lanes
and bylanes and additional forces are patrolling the narrow
lanes around the mosque. "Besides the Delhi Police, the Border
Security Force (BSF) personnel also have been deployed in
large numbers. We are checking the bags with metal detectors
as well as manually to avoid any unwanted substance in the
area, " said a police officer. Thousands of Muslims every
year break their Ramadan fast at the Jama Masjid, which is
the largest mosque in the country. "Thousands of people will
gather at about 5.30 p.m. this evening here to have a look
of moon at the eve of Eid, and offer prayers," said Mohammad
Abdulla, a staff member at the Jama Masjid. All the emergency
services like the fire brigade and the hospitals, besides
the police have been put on a state of high alert to ensure
a peaceful Eid-al-Fitr, "My sweet shop is 80 years old. Earlier
my grand papa, then my father and now I am running this shop.
However, security tightens up every year at the time of festival
here, but this time it has been increased more with respect
to other years," said Mohammad Aslam, adding ," Many people
are scared to come out for shopping, but my business was not
very much affected due to it." The three coordinated blasts
that ripped through crowded markets last Saturday, had triggered
fears of communal riots as they came just days before Eid
and Diwali, but " there have been no signs of tensions so
far," said a police officer. Meanwhile, in Mumbai, there is
a heavy rush for sweets ahead of Id. Sweet shop owners say
that demand for their items has doubled in the last few days.
This view is also endorsed by owners of clothes and toy shops.
Eid-ul-Fitr - 'Festival of breaking the fast', is a time for
family gatherings as relatives and friends go to each others
homes for meals. The sweets, which are preparing during Eid
are very special as they are made up of special ingredients.
The taste of the festive sweets really makes you feel to have
more and more. As lot of people are buying festive sweets,
however the price of the sweets are on the ground. The shopkeepers
are preparing sweets by keeping in mind the likings of both
the communities. "
This
year as Diwali and Eid had fallen together, there is demand
of mixed sweets and aflatoon(name of sweet) sweets. It's getting
overcrowded because both the festivals have fallen together,"
said Zakaria, the owner of a sweet shop. Ramzan is an occasion
for a general expression of goodwill and friendship. The tradition
is that everyone bathe eatly morning, wears new clothes or
have some sweets before walking to the mosque for Eid prayer
Fajr. Community prayer, generally held in an open space
is the most important part in Ramzan Eid celebrations. Every
Muslim is commanded by Koran to offer Eid prayer with his
breathern in full faith. " We pray today for the well being
of every one and wish that every thing keep going well," said
Nizamudin, a customer. After, the people spend the day in
feasting, visiting friends and relatives and going to the
fairs, which are held in open spaces for the sale of toys
and trinkets. Children also enjoy themselves to their hearts
content in these fairs. Greeting cards printed with 'Eid Mubarak',
which is also the greetings for this Eid festival, are sent
to friends and relatives also when friends meet they greet
each other saying 'Eid Mubarak'. The special food is cooked,
the most famous of which is the succulent traditional " Biraini".
And in sweet, which is a must and is prepared in every Muslim
house is Sheerkurma.