Muslim community shifts Eid-e-Milad processions to Sept 18 to facilitate Anant Chaturdashi celebrations, say reports

With Anant Chaturdashi or Ganesh Visarjan set to be celebrated on September 17, the Muslim community in Mumbai has decided to move back their Eid-e-Milad procession to September 18, Free Press Journal reported on September 9.

Eid-e-Milad is celebrated to mark Prophet Muhammad's birthday, which is traditionally on September 16, with the processions on September 17. But since the date this year coincides with Visarjan, the Muslim community met at Khilafat House, Byculla, to make a decision on the date delay, the report said.

Some community leaders also suggested September 19 or later for the processions as visarjans may continue till September 18 as well, it added.

Reasons for Date Shift

Shuiab Khatib, the trustee of Mumbai's Jama Masjid, told the FPJ that Muslim community members might be unable to display their planned floats if both Eid and Visarjan celebrations happen on the same day. He also cited the possible refusal of police permissions on short notice as a reason. He added, “If the Eid processions are kept on September 19, policemen could have got a day's break from bandobast work."

In Navi Mumbai, Hindustan Times reported that Mohammad Khalilullah Subhani, the imam of Garib Nawaz Masjid has announced that Eid-e-Milad will be postponed as the date would coincide with Ganesh immersion.

The announcement came after a peace meeting convened by the Navi Mumbai Police at the Marathi Sahitya hall in Vashi, and attended by officials from the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC), public works department, fire department and office-bearers of various Ganesh mandals and clerics from the Muslim community.

“Just like last year, this year too, the Muslim community has volunteered to reschedule their religious activities so that the immersion process takes place smoothly. It is a remarkable display of unity and co-existence by the communities. Navi Mumbai has always taken the lead in ensuring that everyone celebrates their festivals in peace and harmony,” deputy commissioner of police (zone 1) Pankaj Dahane told HT.

Besides this, in Hyderabad, the Milad-un-Nabi organising committee has agreed to delay celebrations until September 19 to avoid clashing with Visarjan festivities, as per the FPJ report.

Mah Congress leader urges CM to change public holiday

Maharashtra Congress leader Naseem Khan on September 8 urged Chief Minister Eknath Shinde to declare Eid-e-Milad holiday in the state on September 18 instead of September 16, PTI reported.

"Anant Chaturdashi falls on September 17, and members of the Muslim community have decided to take out Eid-e-Milad processions on September 18, so that both festivals can be celebrated with pomp and gaiety," Khan wrote to Shinde, as per the report.

(With inputs from PTI)