Kolkata villagers’ Eid prayers at Red Fort replica

Residents of a village in West Bengal today performed Eid prayers before a “life size” replica of the historic Red Fort of New Delhi.

The near 3,000 square feet replica mosque that is about the same height as the original Red Fort has been set up in Moina village of Barasat, some 30 kilometres off West Bengal.

About 30 workers, putting efforts through day and night, completed the establishment yesterday, reports our Kolkata correspondent.

Muslims there performed the prayers of Ramadan’s last Friday at the replica yesterday.

Organisers told The Daily Star that Hindus in West Bengal create puja mandaps at the theme of a popular tourist site. “People throng to see those mandaps. Our idea was the same”.

The replica mosque will be open to public to perform Eid prayers, they said yesterday.

According to them, the replica cost about Rs 3 lakh to build the Red Fort replica and the finance was taken from entirely its local committee.