Eid market deserted as Ramzan nears end

Ranchi: The state capital practically gets lit up in the holy month of Ramzan. But, not this time. The coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown imposed by the government to contain the spread of the disease has taken the usual glitter off the city. It is a Ramzan like no other the city has seen and the merrymaking spirit is conspicuous by its absence.

In the last dahaa — the last 10 days of the holy month — the city would come alive with people from all walks of life converging at markets, but for the first time in living memory, traffic did not come to a standstill on Main Road in Ranchi on the occasion of Alvida Jumma – the last Friday of Ramzan.

The grand shiny shops that used to be decked up in festive decorations have their shutters down, and the handful of people on the streets don't quite match the definition of the festive crowd of the Eid market people are used to all these years.

For the three-and-a half year old Mashira, it is difficult to understand what really killed the season of for her family. "My uncle told me that we need to stay indoors to keep others safe. We have not done any shopping either," she told TOI over the phone, the displeasure in her voice almost palpable.

Mashira had come to her grandparent's house in Ranchi in early March with her mother and have been living here since the lockdown came in force. The importance of this endless lockdown is not entirely comprehensible to the little girl, who remembers her last Eid as an eventful one.

Lakhs of people like little Mashira are staying locked up inside this Ramzaan, spending it in a simpler way thanks to the COVID 19 pandemic.

Lalpur resident Aftab Khan, who works in the tourism sector, told TOI how the early days of Ramzan were even tougher. “The relaxations given under Lockdown 4.0 have made it easier for us to buy some good food — like fresh fruits and meat — for iftar. But when Ramzan started last month under a complete lockdown, we had to make do with soaked chana, home-cooked sweets and the simpler things.”

He added, “Instead of spending money to buy things at higher rates, my family decided to spend the money on people who need it the most. We are helping out the poor helping in whatever way we can. Buying from the local vendors is a practice I have adopted as even they need money in the festive season. The pandemic and the lockdown have made things extremely hard for everyone.”

The Alvida Jumma namaaz, a tradition in Ranchi which normally attracts crowds of several thousands, was also a quiet day this year. The namaaz call sounded as usual, but the streets remained hauntingly empty as the final Friday of the holy month ended on a sombre note.

A haven for shoppers, the brightly-lit market in the City, particularly, would stand out as it would be ‘pedestrianised’ till Eid. With the Muslim-dominated Hindpiri area, into which the main Eid Market extends, has been declared a containment zone for several weeks, the festive spirit is missing from the trademark hustle and bustle of the locality’s by-lanes.

Also missing are the innumerable gastronomical delights of the Daily Market on Main Road. The piles of sewai and bakarkhani (local fresh sweet bread) — the two staples of the iftar platter — are available only in small quantities at a few places across the city.

Kantatoli resident Mukhtaar Khan, who runs a shop, said: “There will be no Eid shopping this year for my family. It has been difficult to explain and convince the kids, but it is for the sake of our future. We hope Ramzan next year will give us a chance to celebrate together with our loved ones.”