Low on merriment, high on faith: Faithfuls celebrate Eid amid strict COVID norms

Low on merriment, high on faith: Faithfuls celebrate Eid amid strict COVID norms

The faithfuls across the country celebrated Eid-ul-Adha with piety and prayer amid the restrictions imposed due to the pandemic.

Spiritual and social leaders of the Islamic faith in Kerala, including Kanthapuram A P Aboobacker Musliyar and Sayed Hyderali Shihab Thangal, had urged their brethren to celebrate Eid within the bounds of COVID-19 protocols. They said the observance and prayer gatherings should in no way contravene the standards set for social gatherings and public assembly.

The prayer meetings will be held under general monitoring of the respective district administrations. Those reaching the mosques had been urged to adhere strictly to the guidelines.

However, thousands of faithfuls were confining the celebrations to their homes. The markets, usually abuzz with Eid sales, wore a deserted look as most of these were in containment zones.

In Kozhikode, the famed Sweetmeat Street was also a containment zone and business and the general merriment appear to have taken a hit.

District Collectors had put forth rules and guidelines for the faithfuls. The key ones are as follows:

• The number of faithfuls in mosques will be limited to 100 and they should observe a six feet distancing norm. If this cannot be followed, the number of people inside will have to be further reduced.

• Those above 65 and below 10 years would not be permitted inside places of worship.

• Masks are must and hands should be sanitised. Temperature should be checked ahead of entry.

• The centres/places of worship should register the phone numbers and contact details of those who turn up for prayers or anything else.

• The faithfuls should carry their worship mats from home to be used in places of congregation.

• More than five people would not be allowed to take part in the animal sacrifice rituals.

• The directive says that whose with a travel history or those with any symptoms should not venture out or take part in any of these.

In India Eid-ul-Adha is being celebrated on July 31. The festival, a per the Islamic faith, celebrates supreme sacrifice and the loyalty and obedience of Abraham to God above everything else.  

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