Eid procession in Navi Mumbai may be postponed if it coincides with visarjan day

Navi Mumbai: The procession in Navi Mumbai to commemorate Eid-e-Milad or the birthday of Prophet Muhammad is likely to be postponed by a day in case it coincides with the last day of the 10-day long Ganpati festival. The imam of Garib Nawaz Masjid made the announcement on Thursday while addressing a peace meeting convened by the Navi Mumbai Police at the Marathi Sahitya hall in Vashi.
The meeting was 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.
“To ensure that all festivities are conducted harmoniously and peacefully, the procession taken out during Eid-e-Milad will be postponed as the dates are likely to coincide with Ganesh Visarjan,” said imam Mohammad Khalilullah Subhani. A meeting will be convened at the Khilafat house in Byculla to discuss the matter, following which an official announcement will be made, the imam noted.
The last day of the Ganpati festival falls on September 17 while Eid-e-Milad is likely to be observed on September 16, subject to the position of the moon.
“Considering that many ceremonial activities with regards to the Ganesh festival are scheduled on the ninth day, it was suggested that we refrain from any celebration on that day too. This will ensure tranquility and peace,” said Iqbal Kaware, a community leader who attended Thursday’s meeting.
The Eid-e-Milad procession in Navi Mumbai starts from Turbhe and makes its way through Vashi and Koparkhairane before culminating at Ghansoli dargah. This is the second consecutive year that the Muslim community has volunteered to reschedule its procession to commemorate the occasion to ensure communal harmony.
“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,” said the deputy commissioner of police (zone 1) Pankaj Dahane. “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.”
Representatives of Hindus too appreciated the initiative, saying it would be ideal if both communities could celebrate their festivals together, but since that was not feasible, rescheduling of the procession would go a long way in averting untoward incidents.
“The willingness by the Muslim community to reschedule their celebration is commendable and if this gets formal sanction, it will cement the bond between the two communities further,” said the president of Agri Koli Youth foundation, Nilesh Patil.