The Chief Minister Harish Rawat reached the Jwalapur Shahi Eidgah and greeted the people who had gathered there to offer namaz on Saturday, marking Eid that is the end of the month of Ramzan, time of fasting by the devotees. It is believed that Shahi Eidgah came up at the behest of the Mughal Emperor Shahjahan about 400 years ago.
lauding Uttarakhand as the embodiment of Hindu-Muslim unity, Chief Minister said that they must nurture this great tradition with utmost care. On this occasion, the secretary of Eidgah committee Nayeem Qureshi presented a shawl to the CM.
Jwalapur area of the Haridwar district is known for its exemplary spirit of communal harmony. Here, places of worship of both the religions have been standing side by side for ages, emanating an air of harmony. Temples are located even in the vicinity of Shahi Masjid. Hundreds of shops, standing on both sides of the road around Shahi Masjid, were packed with sewayian, kheer, khajoor and the like that are associated with namaz. Besides, prayer mats, skull caps and clothes were also on display.
Qureshi said that Shahi Masjid of Jwalapur has a distinctive architecture with intricate jaali works. On normal days about three hundred people offer prayers. On Friday, the strength goes up to over eight hundred.
Suraj, a local trader, said that he is running a merchant shop which was established by his ancestors around four decades ago. “Since then our family has remained a part of Eid festivity,” he said. Manish, a cobbler, said that he celebrates Eid and Diwali with the same zeal. Imtiyaaz who has a fabrication shop in Jwalapur said that they shun cheap politics that tend to divide. “I offer sewayian to dozen of my Hindu friends on Eid. I also take part in Holi,” he added. It may be mentioned that district police have deployed a large number of police personnel to ensure peace during the celebration.