CHAMOLI: Eid al-Adha or Bakrid will not be celebrated in the Hindu pilgrimage site of Badrinath in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand this year to preserve the distinct identity of the Char Dham town.
The members of the minority community will celebrate the festival, which marks sacrifice of animals, in Joshimath town – 45-km away from Badrinath.
The decision was taken at a meeting of local police officials, representatives of Hindu and Muslim communities, hotel owners, and representatives of workers involved in the development work under the Badridham Master Plan at the Badrinath police station on Tuesday.
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Speaking about the meeting, a Hindu priest who attended the meeting said that the decision was unanimous with Muslim representatives agreeing to the proposal.
“Everyone agreed to the proposal and Muslims gave their consent in writing,” said Praveen Dhyani, president, Shri Badrish Panda Panchayat.
During the meeting, members of the Pundit community emphasized that Bakrid should not be celebrated in the Badrinath shrine because it was a noted Hindu pilgrimage site, citing that Namaz is not part of the customary rituals observed in Badrinath.
The attendees collectively agreed that the town should maintain its sanctity and restrict religious
CHAMOLI: Eid al-Adha or Bakrid will not be celebrated in the Hindu pilgrimage site of Badrinath in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand this year to preserve the distinct identity of the Char Dham town.
The members of the minority community will celebrate the festival, which marks sacrifice of animals, in Joshimath town – 45-km away from Badrinath.
The decision was taken at a meeting of local police officials, representatives of Hindu and Muslim communities, hotel owners, and representatives of workers involved in the development work under the Badridham Master Plan at the Badrinath police station on Tuesday.
Speaking about the meeting, a Hindu priest who attended the meeting said that the decision was unanimous with Muslim representatives agreeing to the proposal.
“Everyone agreed to the proposal and Muslims gave their consent in writing,” said Praveen Dhyani, president, Shri Badrish Panda Panchayat.
During the meeting, members of the Pundit community emphasized that Bakrid should not be celebrated in the Badrinath shrine because it was a noted Hindu pilgrimage site, citing that Namaz is not part of the customary rituals observed in Badrinath.
The attendees collectively agreed that the town should maintain its sanctity and restrict religious activities other than Hindu rituals within its premises.
The police administration duly recorded the minutes of the meeting, including the consensus of the Muslim attendees, in the official register.
A vast majority of Muslims in Badrinath region are not locals, but migrant daily wage workers engaged as carpenters, plumbers, and construction workers in development projects.
As per the agreement, the Muslim believers have been granted leave from Wednesday itself to ensure that they reach Joshimath by the evening to celebrate the festival the next day.
The development comes close on the heels of communal tension in Purola and Barkot towns of Uttarkashi district. Many Muslims shopkeepers left Purola town following protests by the Hindu community over an alleged case of love jihad.
