Eid Al Adha: Covid-19 challenge fails to dampen Kolkata’s festive spirit

Eid Al Adha: Covid-19 challenge fails to dampen Kolkata’s festive spirit

The mood in central Kolkata's iconic SS Hogg (New) Market is sullen as it has lost the customary roaring business in the run-up to the three-day Eid Al Adha celebrations, or popularly known as Bakra Eid in this part of the world, celebrations, which started on Wednesday, because of the absence of Bangladeshi shoppers due to the Covid-19 outbreak for the second year in a row. The pandemic-induced lockdown restrictions and a blanket ban on flights and other modes of cross-border conveyance between Bangladesh and neighbouring West Bengal have forced the Bangladeshi shoppers to steer clear of Kolkata, the shopping hub in this part of South Asia. Bangladeshi shoppers are the backbone of central Kolkata's economy as they contribute to a significant chunk of the business. Still, the viral outbreak has dealt a rude jolt to the retailers as sales dipped to an all-time low for the past two consecutive years. The Eid Al Adha celebrations have been muted across the Indian subcontinent - from Karachi to Kochi, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi and Dhaka - as the dark shadows of the contagion are looming large over the revellers. The joyous occasion is restricted among immediate family members, and the community