Daijiworld Magazine, Vol.12, Issue 4, September 2020

DAIJIWORLD Magazine | September 2020 23
the world is fundamentally unpredictable
— that life feels more
fragile than it once did. This kind
of threat has invariably forced
us into making many changes in
the way we eat, dress, communicate,
change our chores or even to
change our priorities.
Let’s agree, once celebrations
were our priorities but
with COVID 19 around we have
changed the way we do it. We still
celebrate our success, we share
our happiness, we celebrate our
programs and functions, our festivals,
but with a raider.
In this article let us look at the
scenario how the pandemic and
social distancing norms changed
the way the people in Mumbai
celebrate our four big festivals of
the season.
RAMADHAN OR EID WITHOUT
USUAL POMP OR FASHION
Ask any Muslim how he
would feel about Ramadan and
Eid, and irrespective of their level
of piety, his/her face will light
up and he/she would give you
details of all their Ramadan and
Eid memories with the excitement
of a child. But not in this
year.
In this year, the official Standard
Operating Procedure for
Eid celebrations by the government
were announced ahead of
Ramadhan naturally buried the
excitement of the people. The
SOPs issued by the BMC barred
Cattle markets whether in Deonar
or elsewhere. People were
encouraged to buy goats online.
Mosques remained shut so that
people could offer Namaz from
their homes. Goat sacrifice was
allowed, but not in red or containment
zones.
In all the past years, it was
a common scene to see people
walking around all the way from
Mohammed Ali Road to Colaba
which is over an hour’s walk and
buy what you like or you don’t.
Come Iftar time, all would rush
home to eat snacks, drink cold
drinks and offer Iftar prayers.
Politicians and businessmen arranged
huge Iftar parties to host
their friends or customers and
show their largesse, all of which
came to a standstill in this year.
In this year, no songs we
played to wake up family members
for Azaan prayer in Mumbai,
no food was sent over to anybody
to maintain safety, no prayers on
the terrace and all charity was
done from a distance.
Ever since government announced
lockdowns all over the
world and in India on account of
the pandemic, people were advised
to stay indoors, and this has
had quite an effect on the spiritual
and social aspect of Ramadan
and Eid Ul Fitr. It was for the
first time in many years, that the
streets were desolate. There were
no cattle markets ahead of Eid, no
night markets and no food joints
during the month of Holy Ramadhan,
that attracted millions. To the
extent of morning prayers on the
day of Eid at the Mosque passed
off so quietly leave alone greeting
the participants or visiting the relatives
and friends, everything became
the thing of the past.
KRISHNA’S BIRTH OR DAHI
HANDI WENT WITHOUT FUN OR
FROLIC
The grim shadow of COVID-19
crisis was visible on Dahi Handi
festivities in Mumbai and other
parts of Maharashtra as mandals
opted for low-key celebration unlike
past years which provided
for public spectacles by ebullient
Govinda squads.
Adhering to the social distancing
guidelines, Dahi Handi mandals
forming human pyramids to
mark the birth of Lord Krishna
were not held. Instead, they were
carrying out health and social
welfare drives, like blood donation
camps and removal of plastic.
Yet in some places, Dahi Handis
were held in a symbolic manner
with a small gathering and by
maintaining social distance and
wearing masks.
Ram Kadam, BJP MLA from
Ghatkopar in Mumbai, said he
used to organized the biggest Dahi
Handi celebrations in the city in
normal times. But this year, he celebrated
in a very simple manner,
observing social distancing given
the COVID-19 crisis. No human
pyramid was formed. Instead,
they performed Puja in their own
area without forming human pyramids.
The mandals organized
collecting plastic and recycling it.
The fund raised through the activity
was used for the education
of the needy.
GANESH CHATURTHI CELEBRA-
TIONS SCALED DOWN
In every year the birth of Ganesh
which was also called Gokalashtami
was celebrated by hosting
the pandals wherein the large
statues of Lord Ganesh (Ganesh)
were kept in for public viewing
or darshan. This year saw noth-