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Eidgah (downtown)

Eidgah or Idgah is a term used in South Asian Islamic culture for the open-air enclosure usually at outskirts of the city reserved for Eid prayers offered in the morning of Eid al-fitr and Eid al-adha. It’s usually a public place that’s not usually used for prayers at other times of the year.

Eidgah was constructed in 1471 A.D. Eid Gah Srinagar, a precious plot spread over hundreds of acres was gifted to Muslims by Mir Syed Mohammad Hamdani (RA), the legendary son of Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (RA). This is a ground where prayers are offered on the holy day of Eid.

Eidgah Srinagar is situated on around 600 kanals of land and nowadays is divided in three major parts.

File: telegraph india.

This image is of the first part of eidgah which is a local park nowadays. Residents who live around Eidgah Srinagar spend their quality time there. It is used for morning walks, exercises, and sometimes practising martial arts there.

File: Kasim Rashid

This is the second and the biggest part of Eidgah Srinagar. This is used as a playground. Local teams usually play Cricket there. On Sundays, you'll see this part of Eidgah full of local cricketers as this picture was clicked on Sunday. The Martyr’s graveyard is a part of this ground which also adds to the emotions of people around there.

This is the final part of the Eidgah Srinagar which is occasionally used for Eid prayers. It's also used for Sports like Football and Cricket. There is a Mehrab built for the sermons delivered on the occasion of Eids and for prayers. The historical Aali Masjid is situated in this part of the Eidgah.

File: countercurrents.

Aali masjid was constructed in 1395 by Sultan Ali Shah (Zainul Abideen’s elder brother).

This Eidgah Srinagar is Emotionally connected with the people of Srinagar because of the religious connection, Aali masjid and Mazar e shuhada (Martyrs graveyard) situated there. On the 17th September 2022, Chairperson of Waqf board officially announced to construct a Cancer hospital in the premises of Eidgah.

This is the graph of the upcoming hospital which shows that Eidgah park will not be involved but the other two parts will be used for the construction of Cancer hospital leaving the Martyrs graveyard as it is. It can cause few tensions between the locals and the Government. Some small protests already took place at the Eidgah ground and according to the locals this triggers their sentiments towards Eidgah and Martyrs graveyard.