In an unprecedented sorts of congregation, people thronged to the national Capital’s landmark — Rajghat- to celebrate Eid within the precincts of Shanti Van which is home to samadhi of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and also several former Prime Ministers including Jawahar Lal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Chaudhary Charan Singh, Rajiv Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and PV Narasimha Rao amongst other Indian dignitaries.

The visitors mostly from the Muslim community thronged Rajghat with their family members including children during the last two days.

While they paid respects to ‘Bapu’ they also visited the other areas like Mahatama Gandhi’s Museum. People in large number adorned in white and colourful apparels and with skull caps and women in vivid traditional dress took a  stroll of the one mile stretch of Shanti Van.

Security was also beefed up at the Mahatama Gandhi’s memorial with CISF guards checking every visitor thoroughly. The authorities had ensured sufficient water and basic amenities for the visitors as the area saw a huge turnout and anticipated similar footfalls during the weekend as celebrations of the Eid festivities shall continue.

An official at the Rajghat said that “usually more crowd come to Rajghat’s sprawling green ambience during the weekends and festivals like Eid to spend the time with their families and loved ones”.    

Visitors were seen clicking photos with the Gandhi memorial, roaming around and  enjoying with kids at the lush well-manicured lawns dotted with trees.

On the road next to the memorial, the food vendors and the autorickshaw drivers had a field day as tourists and visitors thronged the Bapu’s memorial. While families carried their own pack of meals as prepared for Eid celebrations in their home, youths feasted on street foods that came up all along the Ring Road and other peripheral roads leading to Shanti Van.

“Eid is the festival of togetherness and we are enjoying here and spending quality time with closed ones.

“This holy month falls in a year where devotion to god through prayer, reflection and reading the quran to deepen their fate and become closer to god,” Mohd Parvez, a resident of Fatehpuri in Chandni Chowk area.

Parvez was accompanied by several people from his colony just was many families from nearby colonies like Daryaganj, Kashmere Gate, Geeta Colony.

An  elderly, Saraf Khan, was heard tutoring his family members about the history of freedom and significance of all leaders who were laid to rest in the Shanti Van in the banks of river Yamuna.