KOLKATA: Mosques in Kolkata have started allowing people to enter and offer namaz, but with several restrictions. No big congregations will be allowed including the Friday prayers while people will have to carry their own prayer mats and sanitise hands before entering the premises, said members of the managing committees of the mosques.
Mosques along with other religious places were shut in March when lockdown was enforced to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Namaz was held inside without the presence of public. Though the government allowed religious places to reopen from June 1, almost all mosques remained shut for safety till they worked out a plan of action.
The iconic Nakhoda Mosque on Zakaria Street reopened for prayers earlier this week but only with “limited number” of people being allowed inside.
The water tanks have been emptied so namazis needed to do ablutions at home before coming for prayers. The main gate of the mosque will remain shut and a side entrance will be used by the devotees.
“We are only allowing a limited number of people inside as a precautionary measure. The mosque has a lot of space inside, so social distancing with a limited number of people will not be a problem. People will need to carry their own prayer mats and sanitise their hands before entering the mosque,” said Nasser Ebrahim, a trustee of Nakhoda Mosque.
At the historic Tipu Sultan Mosque in Esplanade too, a side entrance is being used with the main gate facing Lenin Sarani remaining shut.
At Abu Bakar Mosque on Marquis Street, only 25 people are allowed five times a day to offer prayers.
“We shut the door as soon as 25 people enter. We have requested the locals to offer namaz at home as far as possible. The mosque is also being disinfected regularly,” said a member of the mosque’s managing committee.
Before the festival of Eid last month, religious figures and members of the civil society had urged people to offer special prayers at home. Many people are preferring prayer at home instead of going to the mosques.
Mosques along with other religious places were shut in March when lockdown was enforced to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Namaz was held inside without the presence of public. Though the government allowed religious places to reopen from June 1, almost all mosques remained shut for safety till they worked out a plan of action.
The iconic Nakhoda Mosque on Zakaria Street reopened for prayers earlier this week but only with “limited number” of people being allowed inside.
The water tanks have been emptied so namazis needed to do ablutions at home before coming for prayers. The main gate of the mosque will remain shut and a side entrance will be used by the devotees.
“We are only allowing a limited number of people inside as a precautionary measure. The mosque has a lot of space inside, so social distancing with a limited number of people will not be a problem. People will need to carry their own prayer mats and sanitise their hands before entering the mosque,” said Nasser Ebrahim, a trustee of Nakhoda Mosque.
At the historic Tipu Sultan Mosque in Esplanade too, a side entrance is being used with the main gate facing Lenin Sarani remaining shut.
At Abu Bakar Mosque on Marquis Street, only 25 people are allowed five times a day to offer prayers.
“We shut the door as soon as 25 people enter. We have requested the locals to offer namaz at home as far as possible. The mosque is also being disinfected regularly,” said a member of the mosque’s managing committee.
Before the festival of Eid last month, religious figures and members of the civil society had urged people to offer special prayers at home. Many people are preferring prayer at home instead of going to the mosques.
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