The Mumbai Police on Monday issued guidelines ahead of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi celebration, which will begin from the evening of October 18 and will last till the evening of October 19.
For the unversed, Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi is an annual celebration to commemorate the birth anniversary of Prophet Muhammad and is observed in the month of Rabi-ul-Awwal, the third month of the Islamic lunar calendar, which commences with the sighting of the moon. The occasion also marks the death anniversary of the Prophet.
According to the guidelines, in order to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, "any processions on the occasion, except one procession in Mumbai City district and one in Mumbai Suburban district of 5 trucks per procession with a maximum of five persons on each truck, with the prior permission of Police, with the use of face mask, sanitizer and social distancing".
"Any person contravening this order shall be punishable under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code 1860 in addition to penal provisions under the Epidemic Diseases Act 1897 and National Disaster Management Act 2005 and other legal provisions as applicable," the notification read.
Along with India, the festival is celebrated in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and other parts of the subcontinent.
One of the most important parts of Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi is to celebrate the life of the Prophet, his teachings, sufferings, and his character, as he even forgave his enemies. Muslims celebrate the occasion by wearing new clothes, offering prayers, and exchanging gifts. The community assembles at a mosque or a dargah and begins their day with a morning prayer followed by a procession.
(With ANI inputs)
