- Title: Deserted graveyards on Mid-Sha'ban in India as coronavirus keeps devotees away
- Date: 10th April 2020
- Summary: LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA (APRIL 9, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) PEOPLE SEATED OUTSIDE SHRINE NOTICE READING (Hindi): "ALL DEVOTEES ARE INFORMED THAT THIS SHRINE WILL BE SHUT BECAUSE OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE ORDERS OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT, ENTRY INSIDE THE GRAVEYARD WILL BE COMPLETELY PROHIBITED DURING MID-SHA'BAN" VARIOUS OF GRAVEYARD DOG INSIDE GRAVEYARD VARIOUS OF SECURITY PERSONNEL ON GUARD OUTSIDE SHRINE AND GRAVEYARD (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) SECRETARY, ISLAMIC GRAVEYARD COMMITTEE, MOHAMMAD ASHFAQ QURESHI, SAYING: "People aren't coming here. They have been informed already. Announcements were also made from local mosques asking people not to go to the graveyards and instead pray from homes." MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA, INDIA (APRIL 9, 2020) (ANI - NO USE INDIA) SECURITY OUTSIDE SHRINE EXTERIOR OF SHRINE SECURITY PERSONNEL AND SHRINE MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS OUTSIDE SHRINE (SOUNDBITE) (Urdu) TRUSTEE, MAHIM DARGAH SHRINE, M SUHAIL KHANDWANI, SAYING: "It is a very big night, a big festival. Thousands of people go to graveyards every year. But our religious leaders and elderly have said and the state government has also asked us to stay indoors and pray at homes. We have sent priests to the graveyard and they have performed rituals on behalf of all the devotees." VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF ILLUMINATED GRAVEYARD NOTICE READING (Hindi): "INDIA IS UNDER LOCKDOWN BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS, SO GRAVEYARD WILL BE SHUT ON THE OCCASION OF MID-SHA'BAN" DESERTED GRAVEYARD AREA
- Embargoed: 24th April 2020 07:07
- Keywords: India Mid-Sha'ban Muslims Tablighi Jamaat coronavirus graveyard lockdown
- Location: MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA/ LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA
- City: MUMBAI, MAHARASHTRA/ LUCKNOW, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA
- Country: India
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001C8WQMHB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Muslims across India stayed in their homes on the occasion of Mid-Sha'ban on Thursday (April 9) night amid coronavirus lockdown.
Shab-e-Baraat or Mid-Sha'ban (Night of Deliverance) is the 15th day of the eighth month (Shaaban) of the Islamic lunar calendar. The preceding night is known as Laylatul Bara'ah or Laylatun Nisfe min Sha'ban in the Arab world, and as Shab-e-Barat in Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.
In some regions, this is also a night when one's deceased ancestors are commemorated. In South Asia, Muslims make sweets to be given to the neighbours and the poor on the evening prior to the 15th of Sha'ban.
Mosques had earlier made announcements asking people to stay inside houses and pray from there only.
Revered shrines and graveyards, which are thronged by thousands on this festival, wore a deserted look with only security personnel deployed to stop any incoming movement.
India has a total of 5709 active coronavirus cases and 199 deaths. Out of the total cases in India, about 30 percent directly belong to those who attended a religious Islamic missionary, Tablighi Jamaat meeting at Nizamuddin Markaz and some others are also said to be the close contacts of the attendees. - Copyright Holder: ANI (India)
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