![\"\"](\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-77295566,imgsize-434323,width-400,resizemode-4\/77295566.jpg\" "\\"Posters")
<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\nPosters have been put up to make people aware of the two congregations<\/span><\/p>\n KOLKATA: Several mosques across the city have decided to hold Bakri Eid prayers on Saturday in multiple shifts to maintain social distancing and prevent the shrines from getting crowded.
At the iconic Nakhoda Mosque on Zakaria Street, there will be two congregations \u2014 one at 6.30am and the other at 7.30am. This is the first time that Bakri Eid prayers at Nakhoda Mosque are being held in two shifts.
\u201cWe have to keep the safety of people in mind and prevent the transmission of coronavirus. It is due to the pandemic that we have decided to split the congregation into two. We have also requested the devotees to maintain all social distancing norms and perform ablutions before coming to the mosque,\u201d said Nasser Ebrahim, a trustee of the mosque.
On Bakri Eid, members of the Muslim community sacrifice livestock and distribute the portions among the poor, family and friends. The day starts with prayers at the local mosque, which get crowded. This is the reason managing committees of the mosques are taking precautions this time.
At Sola Ana Mosque in Ekbalpore, there will be three congregations \u2014 at 6.30am, 7.15am and 8am respectively. Similarly, at Lal Masjid in Ekbalpore, there will be two congregations.
\u201cPeople have been told to arrive before the prayers start and occupy space following social distancing norms. Elderly people have been advised to offer prayers at home for safety reasons,\u201d said an imam.
There will be no congregation at Red Road where over 3 lakh people offer prayers during Eid and Bakri Eid. Nobody could recall when was the last time that Eid and Bakri Eid prayers at Red Road were kept in suspension.
\u201cThe decision was taken keeping the larger interest of society in mind. People from far-flung districts come to Red Road to offer prayers but during this pandemic, this could have posed a lot of risks. People have been advised to offer prayers either at home or at their local mosques but only after following all safety guidelines,\u201d said Mullick Mohammad Ishaque, a member of the Calcutta Khilafat Committee, which organises Eid prayers on Red Road. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n