This Eid al-Adha, fewer devotees crowd Jama Masjid to offer morning prayers

Eid al-Adha prayers at Delhi's Jama Masjid Saturday morning were quieter than in previous years as fewer people turned up at the mosque owing to Covid-19.

A boy wears a face mask with the Indian flag on it, at Delhi's Jama Masjid | Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint

New Delhi: At Delhi’s Jama Masjid, hundreds of people gathered Saturday morning to offer namaz on the occasion of Eid al-Adha. However, due to Covid-19, the turnout was much lower than has been the case in previous years.

Jama Masjid opened in July after being shut for months because of the pandemic. The mosque put in place strict guidelines on social distancing and rules about face masks. There were even marks that served as designated spots for prayer mats.

ThePrint’s photojournalist Suraj Singh Bisht brings you glimpses from the morning prayer on Eid.

People arrived at Jama Masjid for the morning prayers on Eid al-Adha. Everyone was required to wear a mask as precaution owing to the pandemic | Suraj Singh Bisht | The Print

Unlike previous years that would see the mosque compound packed with people offering prayers, this year had fewer people | Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint

People began arriving at the mosque at the crack of dawn | Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint

While the mask rule was followed, people did not maintain the minimum social distance mandated as a Covid precaution | Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint

Eid al-Adha, also called Eid ul-Zuha or Bakrid, is a celebration of sacrifice | Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint

People climbed the stairs leading from the narrow Old Delhi lane up to the Jama Masjid courtyard | Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint

Among the attendees were even children, who also followed the mask rule | Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint

Eid al-Adha at Delhi’s Jama Masjid was somewhat solemn this year, with Covid guidelines specifically issued for the occasion preventing people from hugging each other | Suraj Singh Bisht | ThePrint