By Dr. Syed Ahmed, for TwoCircles.net,
Imphal: Like elsewhere, Eid-ul-Zuha, was celebrated on Monday, the 7th November 2011, with full religious fervor by the Muslims in Manipur. But what dampened the festive mood of the Manipuri Muslims, was the ongoing economic blockade in the state.
Rahamatun Begum, a housewife said, “Muslim households, specially the poor, faced financial hardships due to the economic blockade in the state, which has brought the prices of all the essential commodities extremely high. My family had to cut down many of the basic requirements for the festival.”
The turf war between the Nagas and the Kukis has pushed the majority of Manipur’s 2.7 million people into an unprecedented crisis with the landlocked state depending on supplies from outside the region. Trucks from the rest of India carrying essentials pass through the tribal inhabited areas.
Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) which was demanding conversion of the Kuki tribal majority Sadar Hills area into a full-fledged district, lifted the blockade last week after the state government agreed to their demand of creating a district, a move opposed by the Nagas.
During the blockade – which some say is the longest in Indian history – four people have been killed, 10 government buildings burnt and residents have faced extensive shortages of fuel, food and medicine. However, in the run up to the festival, Muslims thronged the markets in large numbers to buy food items, cloths and other requirements for the festival.
In the Imphal city, Muslims in their best attire crowded the Jame Masjid at Sadar Bazar and the masjids at Hafiz Hatta, Golapati and Porompat in the early morning for offering the special Id namaj. The Chief Minister of Manipur, O. Ibobi Singh visited the masjid at Babupara and greeted the Muslims who have gathered for the namaj. At the Sadar Bazaar Jame Masjid Muslims, after the completion of their prayers, were seen hugging each other and giving alms to the beggars gathered at the gate of the masjid.
In the large Muslim villages prayers were also offered at the idgahs. In the large Muslim inhabited areas like Yairipok, Sangaiyumfam, Lilong and Kwakta prayers were also offered at the idgahs.
“The basic message of Eid-ul-Zuha to us is to invoke the spirit of self-sacrifice as shown by Prophet Ibrahim and to submit oneself to the will of God. After the special Id namaj, we have prayed to the Almighty to bring peace and harmony in the state,” Imam of a masjid in Imphal said.
The imam further said, “We appealed to the members of community to strictly follow the Islamic traditions while celebrating the festival. Anjumans, formed in many of the Muslim localities, had given strict guidelines for celebrating the auspicious festival as per the Islamic traditions in advance.”
A notice brought out by Anjuman Islam-e-Muaashrah, based at Hafiz Hatta and Golapati, appealed to the Muslims not to indulge in any sort of un-Islamic activities, like use of fire-cracker, toy-gun, or playing games like ludo, ragau, etc. during the celebration of Id.
The notice also informed the womenfolk to celebrate the festival within purdah.
Mohd. Shikandar, a resident of Golapati said, “As a tradition, after the completion of the Id namaj, we greet each other. Then we proceed to the nearby kabarsthan (burial ground) to offer jiyarat (prayers) to the departed souls. Special dishes prepared for the day are taken with friends and relatives. Rest of the day is spent in visiting friends and relatives, and exchanging greetings.”
Qurbani or the ritual of animal sacrifice was also performed in many households after the Id namaz. Animals, mostly cows and goats, were sacrificed after the Id namaj and then distributed the meat to the relatives and the poor households.
In some of the Muslim localities in Imphal city attractive gates were seen erected. Most of these gates were constructed with the financial help from prospective candidates for the coming assembly elections. Iqbal Khan, a shopkeeper, said, “This time, as the Assembly election is approaching, the prospective candidates have taken good care for the Muslims. They had distributed various food items, like sugar, flour, rice, mustard oil, etc. before the Id. They had organized the Muslim youths to erect colorful gates. Five gates were erected in our locality.”
In the evening married Muslim women were seen going to their parental houses. Rahmatun Begum said, “It is an age-old tradition for the married Muslim women in the state to go to the houses of their parents on this festive day. We usually take some prepared meat, fruits, coconut, bananas, etc. for our parents. This is the time when all the married sisters get the chance to meet. We usually stay the night with our parents. We return after getting the blessings of our parents.”
The Governor of Manipur, Gurbachan Jagat also wished people of the state.