In Break From Tradition, 40 Women Attend Prayers At Lucknow Eidgah

Lucknow: 40 women and over one lakh men. This was the final count of those who had gathered at Lucknow's Eidgah this morning for namaz, but this time it was a break from tradition.  

In a first, 40 women attended the prayers. Women are not allowed to enter the mosque on Eid -- a concept activists have been at loggerheads with. They point out that there's nothing in Quran that prohibits women from entering a mosque or offering namaz on Eid.

This time, Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali, the Imam of Eidgah, had made arrangements for women to offer namaz inside the Eidgah, though in a seperate room.

Among those who came for the namaz was 22-year-old arts graduate Gulfisha, accompanied by her mother and aunt.

"I am a young person. We hear so much about equality these days and I see this as a tangible step towards changing ground realities," she said.

The move came after months of controversy elsewhere in the country over the entry of women in religious places. Recently, activists have been demanding that women be allowed to enter the sanctum of Mumbai's famous Haji Ali Dargah too.

On the number of women who attended the prayer, the Maulana said, "Yes the numbers were low but do remember that it's was the first time. In the coming years I hope many more women will come and attend."