Vijayawada: All set for low-key Ramzan today

Vijayawada: The two-month-long Covid-19 lockdown has huge impact on the Ramzan festival celebrations in the state as Muslims decided to celebrate the festival in a very simple manner without shopping and avoiding mass prayers in the mosques and Eeidgahs.

Eid-ul-Fitr is the most auspicious and important festival for Muslims. After observing 30 days fasting, the Muslims decided to celebrate the festival on Monday after seeing crescent. All mosques and religious organisations have called for the prayers at home and avoid congregations and prayers in the mosques.

As per the government norms, only five persons are allowed for prayers in the mosques. The Union and state governments also announced the ban of religious congregations till May 31 as part of lockdown 4.0. Muslims started exchange of greetings since Sunday evening as the festival to be celebrated on Monday.

Muslims also decided not go to their parents' place or native places to celebrate the festival in view of the Covid-19 lockdown. Owing to scorching sun and absence of public transportation facility particularly the buses and trains, a large number of Muslims decided to celebrate the festival at their homes and avoid going to their native places. Ramzan shopping was also avoided in cities like Vijayawada, Guntur, Nellore, Tirupati, Kurnool and Kadapa because the textile showrooms and cloth shops were closed. Gold and jewellery showrooms and footwear showrooms also remained closed as the government had not given permission to open the shops.

On the other hand, Muslims priests posted videos appealing to the Muslims to celebrate the festival in a simple manner and help the needy people, who have lost livelihood due to lockdown for two months. Traders, artisans, employees and others lost income for two months due to Covid-19 lockdown and it has dampened the festival spirit.

Though the lockdown restrictions are lifted to a great extent and shops are permitted to open from 7 am to 7 pm, both traders and customers are not willing to come out in the sultry weather as mercury levels reached 42 to 46 degrees Celsius in many parts of the State.

As part of festival celebration, the preparations are underway for making delicious Semia. Dry fruits and other ingredients are used to prepare the Semia, the traditional recipe in Andhra Pradesh.