In distressing times for the nation, The Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine has been providing sehri and iftari to over 500 Muslims that happened to be quarantined at Aashirwad Bhawan in Katra during the holy month of Ramadan, reported Hindustan Times. The holy month of Ramadan ended with the Eid celebration today (25 May). This gesture comes as a true celebration of communal spirit.
As a result of the pandemic, Aashirwad Bhawan in Katra had been converted into a quarantine centre for the month of March, by the shrine.
Ramesh Kumar, chief executive officer of the board spoke about how the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board has been working hard and been up all night to provide sehri and iftari to their Muslim brethren in the morning and the evening during Ramadan.
The quarantine centre at Aashirwad Bhawan houses about 500 beds and since it was the holy month of Ramadan, the Jammu and Kashmir government had been bringing its residents from all around the country, back to their homes. Labourers and daily wage workers make up for most of Aashirwad Bhawan’s lodgers. The shrine had been providing food to them as they’re fasting for Ramadan.
The migrants had been brought back to Jammu and Kashmir from different parts of the country in special Shramik trains and even buses to Udhampur which is located not too far from Katra.
Besides sehri and iftari, the shrine board has also been preparing breakfast, lunch and dinner of those quarantined in other government facilities in Katra. So far the shrine has spent Rs 1.5 crore as an aid for the pandemic.
(With inputs from Hindustan Times)
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