Over 550 people from Salt Lake, New Town and other areas of Kolkata congregated on Saturday morning to offer Id ul Fitr prayers at Nazrul Park. With the threat of Covid on the downswing, the faithful turned out in bigger numbers than last year despite the heat and humidity.
“I feel this year the turnout is bigger than the year before, despite another congregation being started this year at New Town,” said Maulana Khursheed Alam from Baruipur Khairumisha Mission, who conducted the prayers.
The reason for that would be people like Faiz Ali Mondol, a cost accountant from New Town, who chose to come to Salt Lake, “I am coming here for about 10 years now and there is a feeling of attachment with this place of congregation,” he said, explaining why he did not go to the New Town congregation closer home.
Kashif Kamran, who resides in New Town, also came to offer prayers to Nazrul Park. “I was with my football team till yesterday. I arrived here this morning and came over here straightway instead of going to New Town. So many people have relocated from Salt Lake to New Town in recent times. Still they have come here to offer prayers. That is something special this year at this venue,” said the All India Football Federation team manager.
He did not make much of being in the open, forsaking the air-conditioned comfort at the New Town facility. “Today the heat is much less, which was quite unexpected. That must be the effect of last evening's drizzle in some areas. It is as if the Almighty did the needful for this occasion today,” Kamran smiled.
The prayer commenced at 8.30am. As in other years, there were separate arrangements for women to offer namaaz in a partitioned space. The prayer was conducted in a shaded area under trees. A few of those seated in the last row were protecting themselves from the sun with umbrellas.
Once the prayer got over, everyone greeted and hugged each other and some were seen offering alms to the poor gathered outside.
Eight-year-old Jakira Ahmed, who came here for the first time with mother Tabassun, was delighted to wear her new red dress which, she proudly informed, her mother had bought from Topsia, where they stay.
Lamiatun Noor from BB Block, a student of Class VIII, Salt Lake School, was holding the hand of her three-year-old sister Falak who drew everybody's attention in a beautiful pink dress. Though Falak was not fasting, Lamiatun was. “I did not have much problem in continuing the fast since school was closed for some days,” she said.
Saminah Khan, an English teacher at Julien Day School, had come with her elderly parents and children from Tangra. “My parents were residents of Salt Lake for 38 years. They have shifted to Tangra only recently. My father A.R.Khan, a retired principal of Bangabasi College, is one of the initiators of the congregation here,” said Saminah.
Syed Abul Kalam, 80, a former employee of Reserve Bank of India and resident of GD Block, came to offer prayer with his son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter. “I offered prayer but could not keep fast since I am a diabetic.”
Muztarab Hussain, a member of the organising committee of Harmony Association, thanked the Bidhannagar north police station for administrative support. The thana inspector-in-charge also felicitated Maulana Khursheed Alam with a flower bouquet and sweets.
After exchanging greetings, people went back home where a home-cooked feast awaited most of them and their guests of Semui, Pulao, Biryani, Papri Chat, Korma, Kabab etc. to savour after a month of keeping fast.
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