It was not just another Iftaar (evening meal) at Jama Masjid. Muslims came in huge numbers to mark Jumatul Vida, the last Friday in Ramzan. Jama Masjid saw a huge congregation of Muslims at the Jumma Namaz.
I reached minutes before sunset to the sound of the evening prayers. Making my way through the crowd, I found myself at the centre. While a few people were amused by the weird camera (360 degree camera on a monopod-mount), others noted that I didn’t have food with me.
As I tried to set my camera, my eyes met those of a family who was eating. They offered me a bite of their food. It looked tasty, but I had to decline the offer in fear of soiling my equipment.
I took a few more pictures and then moved through the crowd, which was now offering prayers. I was with a colleague who was taking pictures outside the mosque, while I was taking a few inside it. People were coming in and out the mosque but the place remained crowded till 8 pm.
While people prayed inside the mosque, food stalls started preparing meals for the fasting people to come out and eat.
Iftaar is usually associated with delicious food and this evening could not be any different. We came out of the mosque and bee-lined for the food stalls. We weren’t remotely disappointed.
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