Shadow over Masjid

SAPNA KAUSHIK / TNN / May 26, 2007, 01:13 IST

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Though the situation at the historic Mecca Masjid is back to normal, things seem to have changed here a week after the blast.

HYDERABAD: Though the situation at the historic Mecca Masjid is back to normal, things seem to have changed here a week after the blast.
People in the vicinity, for whom the namaz is a ritual, now have to pass through several barricades before they can get to pray. The pigeons, which have made this ancient structure their home, flock together as before in a sense of bonhomie.But the shadow of the blast still seems to loom over the masjid.
On Friday, while some shops were open, others decided to play it safe. Abdul Maulana, who runs a juice shop near the Charminar for the last 16 years, is a bitter man. "I have been around long enough to say nothing like this has happened in the last so many years. ‘Dandha hi bandh kara diya hamara'. (they've ruined our business). I'm not scared. I will close the shop only for namaz. After that, I will re-open it", he says with a determination that belies his thin frame.
A father son duo, who rent out VCDs, say they are not scared to open their shop this Friday. "We will see till the namaz is over. After that, if we anticipate trouble, we will shut shop," the son said.

Kareeman, who sells bags near Charminar, is also braving the heat and the security to make a living. "Why should I stop? My house is nearby. If there's a problem, I'll run for cover."
Abdullah got his cart of mangoes rather early. He was trying to sell as many as possible before the cops asked him to leave. His customers though, were in no hurry. They continued to select mangoes even as a cop warned, "bechana bandh karo. kitne baar bolna padega?" (Stop selling. How many times do you need to be told?) Abdullah meekly replied: "Ji saab. Bas ho gaya." (Yes sir. Almost done). After that, he closed and left for the masjid.

At the masjid, as people gather for namaaz, they are checked, re-checked and asked to leave their mobiles. However, the place is out of bounds for women and the press. From atop Charminar, people gather to witness the happenings at the masjid. Among all this, what stands out is the resilience of the faithful. Most people were here last Friday and were a witness to the blast.
Syed Asif, a postcard seller says, "Where will we go for namaz? My family and I stay behind the hospital. We have to come here. Whatever happens, we aren't going to stop. Anything could have happened to us in the blast. But, we came out unscathed."
Even though there's an air of uncertainty, there's hope too. That things will be back to normal. Like other troubled times, this too shall pass.
(all names changed)

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