Eid under a cloud: Prayers for peace and gas as costs hit festive kitchens
Telegraph | 28 March 2026
World peace, prosperity and a new LPG cylinder — these seemed to be the top prayers of devotees gathered for Eid ul Fitr namaz in the twin townships this year.
“This will be the first time that biryani will be off our Eid menu,” said Nasiba Dhabak, shaking her head after embracing friends post-namaz. She had come for the prayer meet organised by the Harmony Association of Salt Lake City at Nazrul Park, but with rain setting in, the gathering had shifted to the road under the adjacent Metro viaduct.
“We’ve taken out an old induction cooker we had, but neither is the food cooked on it as tasty nor can it handle bulk quantities,” said Dhabak, who lives in Sector III. “I’ll be making semui in a shortcut today and skipping other regular items like kheer and pulao. Gas has become so costly and hard to come by that we have to ration usage.”
Tarannum Parveen of Kestopur was going to use gas to make both sewai and biryani, praying that the Almighty ensures it suffices to feed her eight or nine-member joint family on the day.
Adil Rashid Khan had come from Saudi Arabia to spend Eid with his family. “Eid is like a food festival as we treat ourselves royally after a month of fasting. I’m craving my mother’s rezala and biriyani, and she is gearing up for it too. We may have to go without food tomorrow if the gas runs out, but today we will live it up,” he joked. “It’s a worrying situation in Central Asia, of course, but Riyadh, where I live, is away from the warfront. Flights are still available, so I came for my Eid holidays.”
Film and fun
This year, Eid coincided with board exams, so not everyone could enjoy to their heart’s content. “I’ll just be greeting guests and excusing myself to study,” sighed Nafisa Parveen, a Class XII student of Salt Lake Shiksha Niketan.
Then again, there’s no Salman Khan release to watch this year either. “I would have gone for Dhurandhar: The Revenge, but it’s impossible to get tickets today. I’m trying to stay away from Facebook, as those who have watched the movie are sharing spoilers there,” laughed Amlan Kusum Mollah, an FD Block resident who works with the electricity board.
Gathered from afar
Nazrul Islam, treasurer of Harmony Association, recalled that it had rained once before on Eid. “And we had to hold the prayers under the Metro viaduct, like we did today,” he said. The group has been active since 1996.
Asfar Ahmed Mallick, another committee member, said around 700 people gathered this year, compared to about 1,000 in other years. “But there is so much unrest in the world now that it was important for us to come and pray together.”
Saminah Khan had come all the way from Tangra for namaz. “This is a family tradition. Ours was the first Muslim family in Salt Lake, and my father, A.R. Khan, was one of the founders of this group. So come rain or storm, we had to come. Also, my father is unwell, so we wanted to pray for him.”
New Town meet
Namaz was also held at the DF Block playground, near the New Town police station, where over 2,000 faithfuls congregated. This gathering was organised jointly by the Secular Forum Salt Lake and the New Town Citizens’ Welfare Fraternity, marking the fourth year of Eid celebrations being held in community spaces in New Town.
Of the participants, around 500 were women. “I have been coming here since inception and have been associated as a member of the organising committee. More women took part this year, which is commendable. They came from across New Town, Salt Lake, Hatiara etc,” said Tahamina Begum, a resident of DA Block. There was a separate enclosure for the female devotees.
The prayer was led by Ekramul Hasan Molla from Ghatakpukur, an imam at the West Bengal Minority Development Corporation who has been a constant in leading the namaz here every year. “Eid is a day of gratitude, compassion and togetherness. It highlights the importance of sharing our blessings and standing by those in need,” he said.
“We ensured that arrangements were smooth despite the thundershowers. There were plenty of tarpaulin sheds, drinking water and marked entry and exit points,” said Syed Humayun Siraj, convenor of the Secular Forum of New Town and a resident of Jal Vayu Towers.
The occasion was also attended by dignitaries like Prasanta Barai, member-secretary of NKDA, and Shakil Ahmed, senior special secretary in the land records and surveys department.
“The support of the NKDA is essential,” said Mosaraf Dafadar, a resident of DC Block and president of the forum. “Barai deserves special acknowledgment for being so welcoming every time we go for permission. The police has also been co-operative and played a crucial role in providing us security.”
The prayer concluded with the distribution of sewai, kachori and dry fruits, with many staying back to greet friends and acquaintances.